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Release Day Hub: Times, Client, and What's Free

Forever goes live November 4 at 3 PM PT. Launch times by region, what the stress test showed, and the answers people search for on day one.

Updated 2026-10-273 min read578 words

Confidence: community-tracked. Launch times come from Blizzard's announcement and regional store pages. Free-to-play status and regional pricing should be confirmed on Battle.net before you buy anything.

Launch times by region

Forever releases Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at the same moment worldwide:

Region Local launch time
US West (PST) November 4, 3:00 PM
US East (EST) November 4, 6:00 PM
UK (GMT) November 4, 11:00 PM
Central Europe (CET) November 5, 12:00 AM
China (CST) November 5, 7:00 AM
Australia (AEDT) November 5, 10:00 AM

If a regional page quotes a different hour, trust the launcher over this table — these come from the global announcement.

Is Forever free to play?

Short answer: the October stress test was free; launch access is a purchase.

The 10.22 stress test let anyone in, which is why the "free" question is everywhere. For launch, Forever is sold through Battle.net with regional pricing. Check your region's store page before launch night rather than relying on a single global price — the numbers vary by currency and package.

What is live on day one

  • Level cap 60. The Classic+ baseline.
  • Rulesets instead of servers, including the RP-PvP ruleset added for launch.
  • Dual spec at level 40 — community-tracked, not officially detailed yet.
  • New race and class combinations. Verify what your class can actually roll on the character-creation screen.
  • Hardcore ruleset: community reporting says it arrives after launch. Do not plan your first character around it.

What launch hour will actually feel like

  • Queues. Every launch has them. Log in early; AFK-timer yourself if you step away.
  • Crowded starting zones. Named mobs and quest items will be camped. Pick a quieter start or accept the slow first hour.
  • Layering. Blizzard says layers get major improvements for launch, but expect visible layer boundaries and inconsistent spawns during the first day.
  • Addon breakage. Addons that hook into data structures need updates. Have a fallback plan that does not depend on your quest addon.

The first 30 minutes, planned

  1. Log in, fix your camera and action bars. Do not start questing with a default UI.
  2. Check your ruleset and faction one more time on the character screen. This is the last cheap moment to change your mind.
  3. Grab the first quests, then move. Starting-zone quests chain quickly; do not farm the first wolves.
  4. Meet at level 10. See the launch route guide for the meetup points.
  5. Bank your crafting materials before you sell anything. Week-one prices are volatile in both directions.

If you are coming back after years away

Three things are different from old Classic servers, and they all change launch week:

  • Your group is defined by ruleset + faction, not a server name.
  • Your second spec arrives at 40, not 60.
  • The open world is layered, so "server community" is smaller than the realm list suggests.

For the decisions that lock you in, read the ruleset and faction guide before November 4.

Sources

Spotted an error?

This site is fan-made and corrected in public. If a number, zone, or mechanic changed in a patch, send a correction and it will be noted in the guide's update line.

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