The WoW Forever beta begins September 17, 2026, and runs through October 21. Blizzard lists beta access in the Skyborne Epic Pack and Warcraft Forever Collection. The base game launches globally on November 4 at 3:00 p.m. PST and is included with a WoW Subscription or Game Time; that does not mean a subscription alone includes this beta. Check the official upgrade article for the access terms.
Which edition includes beta access?
- Skyborne Heroic Pack: Skyborne race and Zephras Isle access, Early Name Reservation and other listed extras. Beta access is not a listed benefit.
- Skyborne Epic Pack: everything in Heroic, plus beta access and 30 days of Game Time added from November 4.
- Warcraft Forever Collection: everything in Epic, plus Warcraft III: Reforged and the Forsaken Kingdom campaign. You do not need this larger bundle just to get the digital beta benefit.
- Physical Collector’s Edition: includes the Warcraft Forever Collection digital code. Blizzard says beta-code redemption instructions are delivered by email; read the Collector’s Edition requirements if this is your purchase route.
Use the Battle.net Shop for current regional prices and checkout terms. The launch announcement and upgrade article agree that upgrades are optional for the base game. Buy for benefits you actually want, not because an edition name makes it sound like the only way to play at launch.
Launch-week friend codes
Blizzard says qualifying purchases can include one or more Invite-A-Friend Launch Codes. These codes let eligible friends access WoW Forever during launch week, from November 4 through November 11, 2026, PST, rather than during the beta. Blizzard says codes will begin arriving by email on October 20, 2026, PST. Gift purchases are excluded, and other restrictions apply.
Early Name Reservation is separate
Blizzard lists October 27–November 3, 2026, for Early Name Reservation with any upgrade purchase. You can create and customize up to three characters; names are first-come, first-served and are not guaranteed. This window comes after the announced beta end, and it is described as character creation and reservation—not a head start on leveling.
What to check before you pay
The Epic Pack’s included Game Time starts on November 4, not on the beta start date. The physical edition also has its own code conditions: a WoW game account is required, and a beta code cannot be redeemed on an account that already has beta access. Read those terms before buying both physical and digital editions for the same account.
The cited announcements do not settle beta character carryover or a separate open-beta route. Do not plan your launch character around either assumption. For the game itself, see Forever’s changes from Classic Era; for the current announcement stream, check Forever news.