WoW Forever's first raid unlock lands on December 9, 2026, five weeks after the November 4 launch, and the What's Next roadmap slide names three raids for that window: Barrow Deeps (10 players), Hyjal Summit (20 players) and Onyxia's Lair (40 players). The panel recap introduced the two new destinations, while the roadmap and interviews list all three formats.
Announced raid sizes
- Barrow Deeps — 10 players. Planned as a maximum-level challenge. Kris Zierhut described it in a BlizzCon interview as the prison Illidan was held in, with multiple entrances and one of them in Hyjal.
- Hyjal Summit — 20 players. New encounters in Hyjal. Do not treat the name as a confirmed copy of the Burning Crusade encounter lineup or loot table.
- Onyxia's Lair — 40 players. Listed on the December 9 roadmap slide and named by Zierhut as the third size on offer at level 60.
Group sizes across a tier
Flex raiding is out. Lead encounter designer Mike Nuthals said that every tier will have at least one 10-player and one 20-player raid, with a 40-player raid sometimes on top, and that a 10-player group will always have a raid to run. Nuthals adds that tier pieces can be earned across all three raids, so a ten-player group is not cut off from tier.
That is the useful part for guild planning: the same tier is reachable at three sizes, and each size asks for a different roster and a different amount of bench. Nothing in the interviews says the sizes share lockouts, attunements or a weekly schedule, so keep those assumptions open.
Why older bosses keep their value
Zierhut also explained how Forever slows item progression so earlier raids do not go obsolete: every boss loot table got chase drops, with rare, powerful items comparable to the Burning Crusade's Dragonspine Trophy on each one. The recap adds that the new raids bring new tier sets and a legendary reward that Blizzard intends to reveal in full.
For now that means holding off on a BiS plan: the loot tables, tier bonuses and chase items are unpublished, and gearing questions belong with itemization and the raid composition guide.
When do raids open?
The launch announcement gives November 4 for the game's release. The roadmap places raid unlocks on December 9, with Hardcore launch also in the winter window. Treat those as separate milestones: launch is the start of the leveling and dungeon stretch, not the announced new-raid opening.
The roadmap does not spell out separate unlock times per raid, regional lockout handling or a full tier calendar, and the slide carries its own note that content and timing are subject to change. If you are arranging guild availability, the December date is the announced planning marker; wait for raid-specific details before promising a first pull at a particular hour.
What a guild can plan now
Start with which group size you can actually field, because 10, 20 and 40 change the attendance math. A ten-player raid needs a small core and few substitutes; a forty-player raid needs a deep roster before you ever pull. The interviews confirm all three exist in the first tier; they do not confirm that clearing one prepares you for another.
There is also no reason to copy a TBC roster into Forever. Class and talent updates are part of the announced changes, and boss mechanics, tuning and support requirements will decide the eventual composition advice.
Later raids and rewards
The roadmap's spring update lists two new raids — one 10-player and one 20-player — plus two new dungeons, new quests and a playable area, a new legendary questline and a PvP season refresh. The summer update lists a revamped iconic raid, another new raid, expanded world content, a PvP season refresh, and professions and Legacy updates.
Blizzard has not named the revamped iconic raid, and none of those later entries carry dates. Boss guides, attunement instructions and BiS lists need more than a roadmap mention. For now the confirmed details are the three December raids, their sizes, and the roadmap cadence behind them.