Every WoW Forever roadmap date in one table

WoW Forever roadmap at a glance
SeasonDateWhat’s coming
Autumn 2026 Sept 17 – Oct 23 Beta (up to level 30)
Autumn 2026 Oct 27 Early name reservation and character creation
Autumn 2026 Nov 4 Launch
Winter Dec 9 Barrow Deeps (10), Hyjal Summit (20), Onyxia’s Lair (40)
Winter No date Hardcore ruleset
Early 2027 No day announced SD Skyborne character models and SD Druid forms; an additional plan from the October 7 visual development update.
Spring 2027 No date Major update: 2 raids, 2 dungeons, new quests and area, legendary questline, PvP season
Summer 2027 No date Major update: revamped iconic raid, new raid, world content, 2 dungeons, PvP season, professions and Legacy
Short answer

WoW Forever launches November 4, 2026, raids unlock December 9 and Hardcore arrives in winter. Two major updates follow in spring and summer 2027 with new raids, dungeons, a legendary questline and PvP season refreshes.

Autumn 2026: beta, name reservation and launch

The beta went live on September 17 with a level 20 cap; the cap went up to the roadmap’s level 30 on October 1. Blizzard extended it from October 21 and closed it on October 23.

Name reservation and character creation opened October 27. Launch is November 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PST (23:00 UTC), at the same time worldwide.

Winter: December 9 raids and Hardcore

Five weeks after launch, on December 9, 2026, the raids open. The roadmap lists three: Barrow Deeps (10-player), Hyjal Summit (20-player) and Onyxia’s Lair (40-player). Barrow Deeps is built for max level, and Blizzard says new tier sets and a legendary reward are coming, with full details later.

One mismatch: the BlizzCon recap says “two new raids.” Barrow Deeps and Hyjal Summit are the new ones; Onyxia’s Lair, the Classic raid you already know, sits next to them on the roadmap with the same date.

The Hardcore ruleset also lands in winter. It’s confirmed for after launch, but there’s no date.

Ruins and a stone arch under a pink sky from the new raids
From the raids section of Blizzard’s What’s Next recap: ruins under a pink sky · Image: Blizzard Entertainment
Source / rights
Image / usage information: (c) Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. Official World of Warcraft: Forever media from Blizzard announcement pages (downloaded 16 Sep 2026); shown with source link, no ownership asserted. · Image source ↗

Spring 2027 major update

Blizzard’s What’s Next recap promises more raids, dungeons, PvP updates and world content after December 9. The roadmap splits that into two big patches. Spring brings:

  • 2 new raids, one 10-player and one 20-player
  • 2 new dungeons
  • New quests and a new playable area
  • A new legendary questline
  • PvP season refresh

Summer 2027 major update

  • A revamped iconic raid
  • A new raid
  • Expanded world content
  • 2 new dungeons
  • PvP season refresh
  • Profession and Legacy updates

Is the roadmap final?

No. The fine print says content and timing are subject to change and features will evolve with player feedback. Spring, summer and Hardcore have no dates, and Blizzard says there’s more news coming beyond what the roadmap shows.

New official details land on Blizzard's WoW news page and in the WoW: Forever Podcast that runs through the beta; episode 1 went up on Warcraft's YouTube channel on September 24.

FAQ

When is Molten Core coming to WoW Forever?
It isn’t on the roadmap by name. Forever’s story takes place before Molten Core, and the “revamped iconic raid” planned for summer hasn’t been named, so any date would be a guess.
Will the level cap go above 60?
Nothing on the roadmap says so. Forever’s cap is 60, and Blizzard talks about adding more quests in the 1–60 range after December 9.
Can you test raids or level 60 content in the beta?
The beta level cap is 30. Available dungeons are named in build notes, including City of Dalaran on October 8. That list does not announce level-60 raid testing.

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