Return to Azeroth in World of Warcraft: Forever

Blizzard published "Return to Azeroth in World of Warcraft: Forever" on October 29, 2026.

Read the full post on Blizzard's site: Return to Azeroth in World of Warcraft: Forever

Game version: WoW Forever.

World of Warcraft: Forever begins a new journey through a reimagined original world, with new zones, quests, dungeons, systems, and character options designed to expand the adventure while preserving its foundational character. If you’re returning to Azeroth, we’ve got what you need to get you started on your path.

Where Your Story Begins

WoW: Forever begins in the early “Year 1” period of original World of Warcraft, before Kazzak reopened the Dark Portal and before later journeys to places like Northrend reshaped the timeline. The game is built from the original level 1-60 world, expanding events, characters, and locations that exist, or could have existed, within that foundational era. This opens up new opportunities to delve into previously undeveloped areas, experience new tales, and travel roads yet untaken.

Discover What Awaits in WoW: Forever

Explore New and Reimagined Lands

WoW: Forever expands the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor with new and reimagined zones and more than 1,000 new quests across the level 1-60 journey. Explore new destinations including Mount Hyjal, Shen’dralas, the Riverglades, and Zephras Isle.

Brave Nine New Dungeons

Nine new five-player dungeons span levels 13-60 across the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor. Each adds new threats, quests, and stories rooted in the original world.

• Eastern Kingdoms: Hall of Thanes, Ruins of Lordaeron, Excavation Site, City of Dalaran, The Drowned City, and Krol’dok Stronghold.
• Kalimdor: Alcaz Prison, Blackmaw Hold, and Shaper’s Terrace.

Read the previously published dungeon overview for locations, level ranges, access notes, and story details.

New Class and Race Combinations

Your favorite race or class may still be waiting for you, but WoW: Forever also opens combinations that were not available in original World of Warcraft:

• Alliance: Human Hunter, Dwarf Shaman, and Gnome Priest.
• Horde: Orc Mage, Troll Warlock, and Undead Paladin.

The Skyborne race adds more choices. This new playable race can join either the Alliance or the Horde at character creation, with unique racial abilities depending on that choice, and begins in the level 1-12 Zephras Isle starting zone. Skyborne can be Druids, Hunters, Rogues, and Warriors; Alliance-aligned Skyborne can also be Mages, while Horde-aligned Skyborne can also be Shaman. Skyborne access requires the purchase of the Heroic Pack or higher digital upgrades.

Make Every Part of the Journey Count with the Legacy System

World of Warcraft: Forever introduces an exciting new account-wide horizontal progression system, the Legacy System. It’s a whole new way to progress, focusing on exploring everything the game has to offer, rather than power progression alone.

This new system encourages players to level multiple characters of different classes and tradeskills and experience the journey all over again, however leveling alternate (alts) characters is not required to benefit from the system. All character advantages can be unlocked on a single character. Take a closer look in our previously published article.

Progress Through the Updated PvP System

Whether you’re charging into battlegrounds with your faction or setting your sights on long-term PvP goals, World of Warcraft: Forever brings a refreshed sense of purpose to every match-up. Players earn Honor and Rank points through battlegrounds, PvP quests, weekly seasonal tasks, and other PvP activities; battleground holiday weeks provide additional gains.

Learn more in our previously published PvP progression overview.

Battle for the Darkspear Islands

Darkspear Islands is a new 15 versus 15 battleground off the coast of Dustwallow Marsh for levels 30-60. Teams earn points by controlling four capture points and securing a central flag; the first team reaching 2,000 points wins.

Players can build reputation with the Darkspear Raiders or Theramore Expeditionary Force to unlock faction rewards. Read the previously published Darkspear Islands battleground overview for more information.

See Azeroth the Way You Remember It

The first time you log in to World of Warcraft: Forever, you’ll be asked to Choose Your Experience Preset. You’ll make this choice before selecting your Ruleset.

Classic

A more traditional presentation with simpler visuals, standard character models, and fewere modern interface features enabled by default for a cleaner, more original-style experience with less automatic guidance.

Starting Settings:

• Standard Definition character models
• Quest points of interest and objective blobs off
• One-bag off
• Transmog off
• Defaulted to camera turning keyboard binds
• Classic screen UI layout

Enhanced

An updated presentation with higher visual fidelity and additional interface features enabled by default.

Starting Settings:

• High Definition character models
• Quest points of interest and objective blobs on
• One-bag on
• Transmog on
• Defaulted strafe movement to keyboard binds
• Centralized screen UI layout

You can change the selection later or fine-tune your experience in the Options Menu under System, Preset. After your initial log in to the game, you will no longer see this screen.

Each time you create a new character, you can select either High Definition (HD) or Standard Definition (SD) character models and animations. HD uses higher-detail models and updated visuals, while SD offers the style associated with the original look of World of Warcraft. This character-specific choice affects only appearance, not abilities or progression, and you can change it later in the Options Menu or by visiting a Barbershop in game.

Make a Name for Yourself, Twice

In WoW: Forever, every character has a two-part name, similar to a first name and surname. The complete combination must be unique within your region, giving you more room to carry forward a favorite name or build a new identity.

• Use the second name to build identity. It can suggest a family, place, reputation, title, guild theme, or connection among alternate characters.
• Follow the naming policy. Both parts are evaluated together and must comply with the in-game Code of Conduct.
• Have a backup. Full-name combinations are claimed on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Adjust how it appears. You can hide your secondary name above your character through Nameplates options, although it still appears in chat.

Learn more in the previously published character-naming overview.

Choose How You Want to Experience Azeroth

Instead of choosing from a long list of realms, players select a Ruleset that matches how they want to experience Azeroth. Each Ruleset operates as its own large ecosystem for grouping, dungeons, raids, and community.

• Normal: Focus on adventuring and fighting monsters, with player-versus-player combat available at your discretion.
• PvP: Focus on player-versus-player combat, with the risk of being attacked by opposing players through much of the open world.
• Roleplay: Enter a community with naming and behavior rules intended for players who want to immerse themselves as characters in a fantasy world.
• Roleplay-PvP: Join an immersive roleplaying community while also facing the danger of open-world conflict with the opposing faction.
• Hardcore (coming later): Take on a high-stakes challenge where every decision matters and a character’s journey can end with death. Additional details and timing will be shared later.

Make sure you coordinate with your friends and guild before creating your character to play in the same Ruleset and faction to group, run dungeons, and raid together. Review our previously published Ruleset overview before organizing a guild or friend group.

Prepare Your PC for the Journey

Before installing, update your operating system and graphics drivers, then review the official system requirements for WoW: Forever.

Returning to Azeroth with Account Recovery

If you cannot sign in, Blizzard Support offers account-recovery options for locating an account, resetting a password, unlocking access, addressing authenticator issues, and recovering an account when you no longer have access to its email address.

• Start with “Can’t Log In?” Use the account recovery page to locate the account, reset a password, unlock access, or address authenticator issues.
• Secure a compromised account. If you suspect the account was hacked, secure your computer and email account, request restoration, change your password, and add a Battle.net Authenticator..
• Ask for additional help. If self-service options do not resolve the issue, use the Blizzard Support portal to contact a Game Master.
• Confirm your WoW account. After recovering access, verify the region, license, contact details, and security settings you want to use for WoW: Forever.

Install Battle.net to Get Started

• Download the Battle.net desktop app for Windows or Mac and log in to your account.
• Open the Battle.net desktop app and select WoW: Forever from the menu.
• Under the Game Version menu, select WoW: Forever. You'll see a second dropdown for each account if you have more than one World of Warcraft account. Select the active account you wish to play on from that column.
• Click the Install button. The progress bar will show you when the game is available to play.
• Once the installation is complete, click the Play button.

Subscription or Game Time Is Required

Access to WoW: Forever is included with an active World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time. Optional upgrade editions include cosmetics and other benefits; access to the Skyborne race and starting experience requires the Skyborne Heroic Pack or higher.

Carve Your Path

Gather your friends, choose the character and ruleset that fit how you want to play, and begin your journey in World of Warcraft: Forever. Welcome back, adventurers!

On TheWoWDB

On TheWoWDB:

• WoW Forever news on TheWoWDB
• WoW Forever database: items, spells and zones
• WoW Forever Auction House prices
• WoW Forever launch date, times and editions