Updated November 3, 2026 for WoW Forever Launch.
The WoW Forever level cap is 60 at launch, and Blizzard's wording keeps it there "for the foreseeable future". The beta started with a cap of 20 on September 17, rose to 30 on October 1, and closed on October 23. Beta characters do not carry over, so you start a new character at the November 4 launch.
WoW Forever max level at launch
- The level cap at launch is 60.
- The journey runs from level 1 to 60 across the original continents.
- The page covering the cap says no future increase has been announced.
Launch date and time
Forever launches on November 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PST, which is 23:00 UTC on November 4. In Europe that is 00:00 CET on November 5. Level 60 raids open on December 9.
Does beta progress carry over?
No. Progress made in the beta does not carry over to Forever, so players should roll fresh characters at launch. Beta characters do not move to the live game.
The beta cap history matters for planning. It started at 20 on September 17, and the level 30 build went live on October 1 with the Week 3 update. The beta closed at 10:00 a.m. PDT on October 23, and character creation reopens on October 27.
One player's experience on the beta cap is one view. Under the beta cap, one player stopped investing in a low-level character because a new cap was coming soon, and wrote.
Really hoping the bg opens up.
— one player
What to do before launch
- Choose an edition. Skyborne need the Heroic Pack or a higher edition.
- Reserve your name. Early Name Reservation runs through November 3, with up to 3 characters for any upgrade edition, first come, first served.
- Check your PC against the minimum: Windows 10 64-bit (May 2019 Update or newer), 4 cores at 3.0 GHz, 4 GB GPU, 8 GB RAM and 128 GB of SSD space.
- Use your Invite-A-Friend codes. They arrive by email from October 20 and work from November 4 to 11.
| Edition | Price | What it adds |
| Skyborne Heroic Pack | 29.99 euro | Skyborne race and Zephras Isle, Early Name Reservation, 1 invite code |
| Skyborne Epic Pack | 59.99 euro | Beta access, 30 days of Game Time, 3 invite codes |
| Warcraft Forever Collection | 79.99 euro, until January 11, 2027 | Everything in the Epic Pack, plus Warcraft III: Reforged and Forsaken Kingdom |
Playing Forever does not require any payment beyond your existing World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time.
What opens as you level past 30
Class abilities and talents
Each class has 51 talent points in total, as in Classic. The trees keep three per class and seven rows. Skyborne can take a class their faction adds: Horde Windshapers can become Shaman, and Alliance High Order Skyborne can become Mage.
Riverglades
The Riverglades is a frontier of rivers, grasslands and trade routes, with more than 150 new quests across much of the mid-30s to mid-40s experience. Alliance players meet the Brotherhood of the Horse, and Horde players meet an ogre clan.
Shen'dralas
Shen'dralas is a concealed region lying between Mulgore and Desolace, linked to the Shen'dralar, Eldre'Thalas, Dire Maul and the centaur tribes that live there.
Mount Hyjal
Mount Hyjal covers the aftermath of Archimonde's defeat and runs through Darkwhisper Gorge. It is the endgame leveling area, and it holds the Hyjal Summit raid.
Dungeons on the way to level 60
Dungeons around the former beta cap
- Hall of Thanes: levels 13 to 18, beneath Ironforge.
- Ruins of Lordaeron: levels 15 to 20, above the Undercity.
- Excavation Site: levels 24 to 29, above Whelgar's Excavation in the Wetlands.
- City of Dalaran: levels 28 to 33, in the Alterac Mountains. The Alliance enters through the Dalaran Sewers and the Horde uses the Dalaran Sewer Key. See the City of Dalaran dungeon guide.
Dungeons beyond level 30
- The Drowned City: levels 35 to 40, off the coast of Stranglethorn Vale.
- Krol'dok Stronghold: levels 40 to 45, in the Riverglades.
- Alcaz Prison: levels 48 to 53, on Alcaz Island in Dustwallow Marsh.
- Blackmaw Hold: levels 55 to 60, in Azshara.
- Shaper's Terrace: levels 58 to 60, in Un'Goro Crater.
Leveling XP and the October beta changes
The experience curve matches Classic: a character needs the same total to reach 60. Leveling from 1 to 20 averages 20.5 hours in Forever, compared with 20.4 hours in Classic Era.
During the beta, dungeon quests were cut to 50% less extra experience beyond normal quest values. Dungeon creature XP was then raised by about 20% on October 8. Players who want dungeon XP left alone say it was the best way to level, and a few of them object to the cut.
What can you do at level 60?
Level 60 raids open on December 9: Barrow Deeps for 10 players, Hyjal Summit for 20 and Onyxia's Lair for 40. The two new raids need no attunement, while Onyxia's Lair keeps its chain from Classic. Every player needs the Drakefire Amulet for Onyxia's Lair.
The Darkspear Islands is a 15 versus 15 battleground. During the beta, the Honor cap rose from 15,000 to 25,000, and the Honor costs for PvP gear rose by about 50%. See the PvP progression guide for how Honor works.
Hardcore comes after launch, in winter, after the December 9 raids. Blizzard has not named a day for it.
Racing to the cap draws an objection from some players, who say rushing misses the point of the game.
