Purchasing specific upgrade bundles grants players wow forever friend codes that let friends play without an active subscription during the first week of release. Each Invite-A-Friend Launch Code provides access to World of Warcraft: Forever from November 4 through November 11, 2026, without the Skyborne race or its starting quests. Codes are sent to purchasers by email starting on October 20, 2026, and must be redeemed on an account that has not purchased a game upgrade.
Code Counts by Edition and Upgrade
The number of invite codes you receive depends on the pack or edition purchased on the Battle.net Shop or the Blizzard Gear Store.
| Edition / Upgrade Path | Codes Granted |
| Skyborne Heroic Pack | 1 code |
| Skyborne Epic Pack | 3 codes |
| Warcraft Forever Collection | 3 codes |
| Upgrade: Heroic to Epic or Collection | +2 codes (3 total) |
| Upgrade: Epic to Collection | 0 extra codes |
| Collector’s Edition (Blizzard Gear Store) | 3 codes |
| Digital Upgrade + Gear Store Collector’s Edition | 6 codes total |
| Local Retailer Collector’s Edition (Korea, Australia, New Zealand) | 0 codes |
| Gift purchases (all editions) | 0 codes |
Purchases sent as gifts do not qualify for any Invite-A-Friend codes. If you buy a digital edition on Battle.net and later purchase the physical Collector’s Edition through the Blizzard Gear Store, the three codes from the physical edition stack with the digital ones, giving you six codes in total.
Delivery and Dates
Blizzard sends codes to registered Battle.net account email addresses starting October 20, 2026. Anyone purchasing an upgrade after October 20 receives their codes shortly after completing the order. Each code arrives in a separate email; buying the Skyborne Epic Pack results in three individual emails. If you purchased the Collector’s Edition through the Blizzard Gear Store, distributor Legends sends the codes to your store checkout email address.
Free launch-week gameplay runs from November 4 through November 11, 2026 (PST). The game itself launches globally on November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST. Codes remain valid to redeem until November 11, 2026, after which redemption attempts will return an error.
How to Redeem an Invite Code
Recipients must claim their launch code on a personal Battle.net account that does not already own a Forever upgrade.
- Copy the alphanumeric code sent by the purchaser.
- Open the Battle.net website, log into your Account Overview, and locate the Redeem a Code field. Alternatively, open the Battle.net desktop app or mobile app, click your profile icon or BattleTag, and select Redeem Code.
- Enter the key and confirm the redemption.
- Launch the client on the redeemed World of Warcraft account once servers open on November 4.
For players looking to jump straight into endgame challenges once the servers open, WoW Forever Boost services can assist with leveling and dungeon runs.
Friend Code Limitations
Launch codes are designed strictly as a trial for launch week and come with distinct restrictions:
- No Skyborne race: Codes do not grant access to the new playable Skyborne race or their Zephras Isle starting quests, which require purchasing the Skyborne Heroic Pack or higher.
- No game time or other versions: A code is not standard subscription time and provides zero access to modern World of Warcraft or WoW Classic.
- No beta access: The codes did not grant entry to the closed beta test.
- Single-account lock: A code can only be used once on a single WoW account.
- Ineligible accounts: Codes cannot be redeemed on an account that has already bought a Forever upgrade product.
Troubleshooting Missing or Failed Codes
If you bought an edition on Battle.net and cannot find your emails, check your email client's spam and junk folders. Verify your order status in your Battle.net Transaction History to confirm the purchase is marked as Complete, as failed orders do not generate codes.
Customer support cannot replace lost codes, swap codes applied to the wrong account, or reset keys that someone else already redeemed. If an original buyer refunds their purchase or initiates a chargeback, all associated friend codes are deactivated, ending access for the invited players.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an invite code include early name reservations?
No, early name reservation is an upgrade bonus tied to purchasing a pack directly and is not provided by friend launch codes.
What happens when the launch week ends on November 11?
Access granted by the invite code ends on November 11, 2026, after which playing requires adding regular game time or an active World of Warcraft subscription.
