Why did the stress test move from October 19 to October 21?

Blizzard first announced the test for October 19 on October 15. A day later it added an update to the same post: the test moved to October 21. No reason was given. The point of the test is to load the servers, so Blizzard is asking players to bring friends and whole guilds.

What time does the WoW Forever stress test start?

Europe starts first, at 19:00 CEST (17:00 UTC). North America, Korea and Taiwan all start at the same moment, 4 hours later: 2:00 p.m. PDT (21:00 UTC).

WoW Forever stress test start times by region
RegionLocal startUTC
Europe Oct 21, 19:00 CEST Oct 21, 17:00
North America Oct 21, 2:00 p.m. PDT Oct 21, 21:00
Korea Oct 22, 06:00 KST Oct 21, 21:00
Taiwan Oct 22, 05:00 CST Oct 21, 21:00

Blizzard hasn't said how long it lasts, and the window may end early or run late as needed. The beta goes offline shortly before the test and should come back shortly after it ends.

How do you join the stress test?

The stress test is a separate install from the Game Version menu, so finish the download before test day. Play only works once the test is live. Blizzard's steps, in order:

  1. Update your graphics drivers.
  2. Open the Battle.net desktop app and let it update.
  3. Pick World of Warcraft from your games list.
  4. In the Game Version menu above Play, choose World of Warcraft: Forever Stress Test under In Development, then hit Install.
  5. When the test starts, hit Play and pick an available test realm.
  6. Make a new test character and log in.

Check the system requirements before you install. If you hit a queue or a login error, see server status and login queue.

Do stress test characters carry over?

No. When the test ends, every character, name and guild on the stress test servers is wiped. A name you grab in the test isn't held for launch; the wipe clears the way for name reservations opening October 27.

If you pre-purchase the Skyborne Heroic Pack, Skyborne Epic Pack or the limited-time Warcraft Forever Collection, you get Early Name Reservation from October 27 through November 3. Names are first come, first served, so your pick isn't guaranteed. Rules and steps: WoW Forever name reservation.

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