WoW Forever Release Date and Launch Time in Every Region

WoW Forever launched worldwide on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PST, which is 23:00 UTC. In the UK that was 11:00 p.m. GMT on November 4. In Central Europe, including Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Germany, it was midnight CET as November 4 turned into Thursday, November 5. Everyone in every region got in at the same moment. Blizzard's Now Live article confirms the servers are open. A long maintenance window ran in the hours before open.

Launch times came from Blizzard's published global moment; confirmation that servers are open is from Blizzard's Now Live article. Pre-download and maintenance details came from Wowhead's maintenance report. Rechecked 5 November 2026.

WoW Forever launch time in every region

Blizzard published one global launch moment rather than staggered regional launches. Here it is in the time zones Blizzard listed:

Region (time zone Blizzard used)	Local launch time	Local date
Americas (PST)	3:00 p.m.	Wednesday, November 4
Brazil (BRT)	8:00 p.m.	Wednesday, November 4
UK (GMT)	11:00 p.m.	Wednesday, November 4
Central Europe (CET)	12:00 a.m. (midnight)	Thursday, November 5
Taiwan (CST)	7:00 a.m.	Thursday, November 5
Korea (KST)	8:00 a.m.	Thursday, November 5
Australia and New Zealand (AEDT)	10:00 a.m.	Thursday, November 5
UTC	23:00	Wednesday, November 4

Daylight saving time has already ended in North America and Europe by early November, which is why Blizzard lists PST and CET rather than PDT and CEST. If you live in a zone that is not listed, start from 23:00 UTC on November 4 and add or subtract your offset. Eastern time in the US and Canada, for example, is UTC−5 in November, so launch is 6:00 p.m. EST.

The date trap for Europe and Asia-Pacific

From Central Europe eastwards, launch falls on Thursday, November 5, not Wednesday. If you are booking time off for launch night in Oslo, Berlin or Stockholm, the moment the servers open is the very first minute of Thursday. In practice most European players stay up on Wednesday night and play into Thursday. Book Thursday off, not Wednesday.

Pre-download: is it open?

Yes. Wowhead reported that all players can now pre-download World of Warcraft: Forever through the Battle.net app. Getting the client installed (or fully updated) means you are not stuck behind a download when you want to play.

How to install it, following the steps Blizzard gave in its character name reservation article:

1. Update your graphics drivers.
2. Open the Battle.net app and let it update if needed.
3. Select World of Warcraft in your game list.
4. In the Game Version menu above the Play button, choose World of Warcraft: Forever.
5. Select Install.

When the download is finished, the Battle.net app shows the game as ready and the Play button waits for the servers to open. Install your addons into the Forever client's own AddOns folder now, too: our guide to installing WoW Forever addons shows the right folder and how to check that they load.

Launch-day maintenance: expect downtime first

Wowhead reports that Blizzard is running a long maintenance ahead of the 3:00 p.m. PST launch, estimated at about five hours. Counting back from launch, that means downtime from roughly 10:00 a.m. PST (18:00 UTC, 7:00 p.m. CET) on November 4. Treat that as Wowhead's estimate, not a Blizzard figure (Blizzard's launch article gives no maintenance length): Wowhead itself notes the maintenance could be extended, or end early.

What this means for you:

• You may not be able to log in early. Don't plan to sit on the character select screen from the afternoon.
• Keep the Battle.net app updated. A last-minute client patch is common around launch; open the Battle.net app and let Forever finish updating before you hit Play.
• Watch Blizzard's own channels for extensions. If the servers aren't up at 3:00 p.m. PST, Blizzard's official news and support posts are the first place an extension appears.

What you need before you can play

You need an active World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time; Forever has no separate box price. The optional packs only add extras. The Skyborne race and its Zephras Isle starting zone need the Skyborne Heroic Pack or a higher edition. Our launch week checklist walks through access, packs, Invite-A-Friend codes and the other setup decisions in order.

Things you can do before the servers open

Task	Why do it now
Pre-download the Forever client	Avoid a multi-gigabyte download at launch
Install and test your addons	Fix folder and version problems before you want to play
Update RestedXP and re-import your guide	RestedXP's 3 November route update needs a fresh import (steps)
Agree a ruleset and faction with friends	You can only group with players on the same ruleset
Decide on Skyborne	Needs a pack, and starts on its own island (levels 1–12)
Pick two or three name ideas	Forever uses a two-part name, unique per region
Choose your class and spec	Talents start at level 10; see our class guides below
Plan your first hour	Starting zones will be crowded on launch night

Using a route addon? Set it up before the servers open: our RestedXP setup guide covers install and import, levels 1–20 are free, and the 10% RestedXP discount applies automatically through our link.

What happens when you first log in

Blizzard's launch article explains the order of the first screens:

1. Choose Your Experience Preset. Classic or Enhanced. You pick this once, before the ruleset, and can change every setting later under Game Menu > Options. Blizzard suggests Enhanced if you are unsure.
2. Choose your ruleset. Instead of a realm list, you pick a ruleset: Normal, PvP, Roleplay or Roleplay PvP. Blizzard says the Hardcore ruleset will come "sometime after launch".
3. Create your character. For each character you choose High Definition or Standard Definition models, which affects looks only.
4. Pick your names. Each character gets two names that together must be unique in your region. Pack owners could reserve names for up to three characters between October 27 and November 3; those characters are waiting on your account.

Launch week and the first weeks: key dates

Date	What happens	Source
November 4, 3:00 p.m. PST (23:00 UTC)	Global launch	Blizzard launch article
November 4–11 (PST)	Invite-A-Friend Launch Code window	Blizzard pre-purchase article
December 9	Raids open for level 60: Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit, Onyxia's Lair	Blizzard launch article
After launch, no date	Hardcore ruleset	Blizzard launch article

Blizzard also lists nine new five-player dungeons for levels 13–60 and the 15v15 Darkspear Islands battleground as part of the launch content. Our WoW Forever dungeons page tracks what is known about each.

Making the most of launch night

Everyone starts at level 1 at the same moment, so the first hours are about crowds, not difficulty. A few habits help:

• Group for kill quests. Shared tags beat waiting for respawns in a crowded starting zone.
• Use a route. Knowing exactly where to go next matters most when every quest mob is contested. Our WoW Forever leveling guide covers zones by level, and the fastest way to level page explains what speeds up the first 20 levels.
• Learn Cooking early. A short camping quest appears around level 5, and a Basic Campfire is the start of the new camping system.
• Log out in an inn or a capital. Rested experience builds while you sleep.

If you haven't chosen a class yet, start with our best leveling class tier list, then read the class guide for your pick: Hunter, Warlock, Mage, Warrior, Paladin, Rogue, Priest, Shaman or Druid.

Before you buy: RestedXP has no coupon code to hunt for, because our RestedXP discount link takes 10% off automatically. Levels 1–20 are free (what's free in RestedXP), and our RestedXP review covers what the paid routes do well and where they fall short. For prices and packages, see RestedXP for WoW Forever.

Frequently asked questions

What time did WoW Forever launch?

WoW Forever launched on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PST, which is 23:00 UTC. That is 11:00 p.m. GMT in the UK, midnight CET (00:00 on Thursday, November 5) in Central Europe and 10:00 a.m. AEDT on November 5 in Australia. Blizzard's Now Live article confirms the servers are open.

What time did WoW Forever launch in Norway and the rest of Central Europe?

At 00:00 CET on Thursday, November 5, 2026, the same moment as 3:00 p.m. PST on November 4. Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France and the rest of the CET zone all got in at midnight.

Can I pre-download WoW Forever?

Yes — and you still can install or update through the Battle.net app. Select World of Warcraft and choose World of Warcraft: Forever from the game version menu.

Was there maintenance before WoW Forever launched?

Yes. A long maintenance window ran before open, estimated at about five hours from roughly 10:00 a.m. PST (18:00 UTC) on November 4. Servers then opened at 23:00 UTC.

Did all regions launch at the same time?

Yes. Blizzard set one global launch moment, 23:00 UTC on November 4. Local dates differed: it was still November 4 in the Americas and the UK, and already November 5 from Central Europe eastwards.

Do I need to buy WoW Forever?

No. Forever is included with a World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time. The optional packs add extras, and the Skyborne race needs the Skyborne Heroic Pack or a higher edition.

When does Hardcore come to WoW Forever?

Blizzard says the Hardcore ruleset will become available sometime after launch and has not given a date. At launch you can choose Normal, PvP, Roleplay or Roleplay PvP.

When do WoW Forever raids open?

Blizzard says level 60 players can enter Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair from December 9, 2026.