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- € Heroic · Battle.net Gift · Global · Gamivo
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- 10 offers · 4 stores
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The closed beta for World of Warcraft: Forever opened on 17 September, and the same three questions keep coming up: how do you get in, how long does it run, and does anything you level now survive to launch day on 4 November? Below is what Blizzard has actually confirmed, what it hasn't said yet, and what getting in costs today at the stores we track.
A quick reminder of what's being tested: Forever is Blizzard's reimagined original Azeroth, set after Warcraft III Reforged: Forsaken Kingdom and before Molten Core, with a level cap of 60 at launch. It will be included with a World of Warcraft subscription or game time.
When does the WoW Forever beta start and end?
It started on Thursday 17 September, and Blizzard gives 21 October as "the last full day of testing". That's roughly five weeks. Launch follows on 4 November at 3pm PST, which is 11pm the same evening in the UK.
The beta doesn't open everything at once. The level cap started at 20 and Blizzard will raise it to 30 later on. Week one covers the new Skyborne race and its starting zone, Zephras Isle, all zone content up to level 20, and two dungeons: Hall of Thanes (levels 13–18) and Ruins of Lordaeron (15–20).
How do you get into the beta?
There are three routes, and only one of them is guaranteed:
- Buy the Skyborne Epic Pack or the Warcraft Forever Collection. Both include beta access, and Blizzard says it lands on your account automatically, with delays of up to 30 minutes.
- Opt in on the official World of Warcraft site. Free, but no promises: Blizzard picks who gets in and sends an email invitation to those selected.
- Wait for the Server Slam. For a few hours Blizzard will open the servers to anyone. The date hasn't been announced yet.
Watch out for the cheapest edition: the Skyborne Heroic Pack does not include the beta. It gets you the Skyborne race, early name reservation, a mount and cosmetics, but no early access to anything.
On the technical side you need a Battle.net account and an up-to-date Battle.net desktop app. Once access is active, pick the beta from the game version drop-down, under "In Development". Blizzard also suggests updating your graphics drivers before you log in.
Which edition gets you in, and what does each one cost?
Lowest prices we found on the morning of 22 September. Everything sold for this game comes as a Battle.net Gift, a copy that ends up on your own account.
| Edition | Beta | What else you get | Lowest price today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skyborne Heroic Pack | No | Skyborne race, early name reservation, mount, cosmetics, 1 Invite-A-Friend code | €19.44 with code GCDKGamivo (€21.11 with fees), Battle.net Gift, Gamivo |
| Skyborne Epic Pack | Yes | Everything in Heroic, plus 30 days of game time from 4 November, more cosmetics and pets, 3 Invite-A-Friend codes | €40.08 with code GCDKGamivo (€42.47 with fees), Battle.net Gift, Gamivo |
| Warcraft Forever Collection | Yes | Everything in Epic, plus Warcraft III: Reforged and the Forsaken Kingdom campaign. Limited time | €54.60 with code GCDKGamivo (€57.50 with fees), Battle.net Gift, Gamivo |
| Beta access only (reseller) | Yes | Nothing else | €25.16 with code SEPGOC10 (€27.51 with fees), Battle.net Gift, Kinguin |
Is beta-only access worth paying for?
Kinguin lists access to the beta on its own. Blizzard doesn't sell it that way: in its shop the beta only comes bundled with the Epic Pack or the Collection. So be clear about what you're buying. That access stops being useful after 21 October, and it doesn't include the Skyborne race, name reservation or a single day of game time.
Run the numbers. The Epic Pack at Gamivo is €42.47 with fees, €14.96 more than the beta-only offer at Kinguin (€27.51 with fees). For that difference you get the same beta, everything in the Heroic Pack and your first 30 days of play after launch, which you'd otherwise have to pay for because Forever runs on a subscription or game time. If you plan to play in November, the Epic Pack is the better buy. Beta-only access makes sense if you just want a look and aren't sure you'll stick around.
Live offers for every edition, updated as prices move:
Do beta characters carry over to launch?
Blizzard hasn't spelled it out in any of the official posts we've read. Every World of Warcraft beta so far has ended with a character wipe, though, and there's no sign this one will be different. Plan on starting from level 1 on 4 November. What does carry over is what you learn: which class you enjoy, quest routes, dungeon layouts.
Can you play the beta from Europe?
Yes, but the first few days were rough. European testers reported very high latency and disconnects. On 21 September, WoW community manager Kaivax posted that "over the last 24 hours, we've developed and implemented solutions to streamline routing to the Beta for the EU region", while noting that some remaining problems can sit outside Blizzard's control, with ISPs or firewall software. Blizzard hasn't said officially where the beta servers are hosted.
Login queues were the other early headache. Senior game producer Tom Ellis explained on 18 September that the beta environment's login capacity was too small for the number of players, and that it was scaled up the same day.
Is there an NDA? Can I stream the beta?
We haven't found any official NDA or streaming rules for this beta. If you plan to broadcast, check the terms you accept when you log in.
Do I need a subscription to play the beta?
Blizzard hasn't said so for the beta itself. The full game at launch is included with a WoW subscription or game time, which is why the 30 days in the Epic Pack matter.
Blizzard's own summary is in its beta announcement. When you're ready, every current offer is on the page to buy World of Warcraft: Forever key, and if you'd rather wait for a lower price you can set a price alert.
Prices checked on the morning of 22 September.
I have been a gamer for as long as I can remember, and for the last 14 years I have been making life easier for other gamers. CEO and co-founder of Gocdkeys.
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