World of Warcraft · Beginner guide
WoW Forever — how to start and which ruleset to choose
WoW Forever went live on 4 November 2026 at 23:00 UTC. It is a permanent version alongside modern WoW and WoW Classic. If you're starting with friends, agree on a ruleset first. It determines who can join your group and how open-world PvP works.[1][2][4]
How do you start playing WoW Forever?
On Windows or Mac, you'll need a Battle.net account, the desktop app, and an active WoW subscription or game time. Select World of Warcraft: Forever in the app. Playing a Skyborne character or completing the Zephras Isle starting questline requires the Skyborne Heroic Pack or a higher edition. With other races, a subscription or game time is enough to start.[3][4]
Blizzard reported that Forever set a record for peak concurrent players at a WoW launch.[5]
Classic or Enhanced?
Classic starts with older character models and a traditional interface. Quest objective markers and the combined bag view are off by default. Enhanced turns on those conveniences, HD models and an updated layout. You can change the individual settings later. If you're new to WoW, I'd start with Enhanced so it's easier to see where your quests lead.[1]
Normal, PvP, Roleplay or Roleplay PvP?
| Ruleset | Who is it for? |
|---|---|
| Normal | Players who want to focus on quests and monsters and decide when to opt into PvP. |
| PvP | Players who want to risk fighting the opposing faction while traveling through the world. |
| Roleplay | Players who enjoy staying in character, with rules for names and behavior. |
| Roleplay PvP | Players who want roleplay conventions alongside the risk of open-world PvP. |
You need the same ruleset to run dungeons and raids together. Changing rulesets generally means creating a new character, so agree on your faction before you start as well. Blizzard announced Hardcore for a later release.[2]
What's new on the way to level 60?
Forever adds quests and zones to Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms, including Mount Hyjal and the Riverglades. New race and class combinations include Undead Paladins and Human Hunters. Skyborne start on Zephras Isle. They can become Shaman in the Horde or Mages in the Alliance.[1]
Nine new dungeons cover levels 13 to 60. Blizzard scheduled the first three raids for 9 December. The Legacy system offers account-wide progression through a range of challenges. You can unlock the character benefits on a single character.[1]
What's the simplest setup for a first session?
If you're playing solo and want to focus on quests, choose Enhanced and Normal. With friends, the shared ruleset matters more than matching interface settings. Agree on it before creating characters and make one of the new dungeons at your level your first group goal.
Sources
- Blizzard — WoW Forever launch overview
- Blizzard — rulesets and playing together
- Blizzard — game access and edition comparison
- Blizzard — BlizzCon 2026 roundup with launch time
- Game Developer — launch record report, 9 November 2026
Sources checked .