The short version
- World of Warcraft: Forever launches worldwide on November 4 at 3:00pm PST. In India that's 4:30am IST on Thursday, November 5.
- It's a new, permanent version of WoW that sits alongside modern WoW and WoW Classic. It goes back to the original two continents and a level cap of 60, but adds more than 1,000 new quests, new zones and a new race, the Skyborne.
- Gamepad support is available from day one, in beta, for any XInput controller such as an Xbox pad.
- There's no separate purchase: Blizzard says a regular WoW subscription or Game Time covers both Forever and the existing versions.
What WoW: Forever actually is
Think of it as a "what if" version of the 2004 game. Blizzard has set Forever after the events of Warcraft III and before Molten Core, the first big raid of original WoW. You level from 1 to 60 across the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor, the same two continents that launched the game, and Blizzard says it won't go past 60.
The difference from WoW Classic is that this isn't a museum piece. Classic rebuilt the old game as it was. Forever keeps the old structure but adds new stories, zones, dungeons and class changes on top, aimed at both new players and people who quit years ago.
What's new
| Area | What's in Forever |
|---|---|
| New race | Skyborne, elves from Zephras Isle. Horde "Windshaper" Skyborne can be Shamans; Alliance "High-Order" Skyborne can be Mages |
| New race and class combos | Orc Mages, Troll Warlocks, Undead Paladins, Human Hunters, Gnome Priests, Dwarf Shamans |
| New zones | Zephras Isle (levels 1-12), Shen'dralas, the Riverglades (mid-30s to mid-40s, 150+ quests) and Mount Hyjal |
| Quests | More than 1,000 new quests across levels 1-60 |
| Dungeons | Nine new five-player dungeons for levels 13-60 |
| Raids | Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair, from December 9 |
| PvP | A new 15v15 battleground, Battle for the Darkspear Islands |
Classes have been reworked too, with talents and abilities "rooted in original WoW". One example from Blizzard: Hunters can now use traps in combat, and their pets get gear scaling and family abilities.
Image: Blizzard Entertainment
Rulesets instead of realms
When you make a character, you don't pick a server. You pick a ruleset: Normal, PvP, Roleplay or Roleplay PvP. You can only group, join guilds and raid with players on the same ruleset and faction, and PvP rulesets are limited to one faction. A Hardcore ruleset, where death is permanent, is coming "sometime after launch".
The first time you log in, you also pick an Experience Preset:
- Classic uses the original character models, the classic screen layout, one bag and no quest markers or transmog.
- Enhanced uses high-definition character models and turns those modern features on.
You can switch later in the options menu or at a Barbershop, so it's not a permanent choice.
Gamepad support, explained
This is the bit that will interest anyone who's bounced off WoW's huge keyboard layout. Blizzard says Forever supports all XInput-compatible controllers from launch. You turn it on under Options > Gameplay > Gamepad.
According to Xbox Wire's write-up, combat cycles through your abilities using the triggers and bumpers. On-screen icons change to match your controller's buttons. The right stick opens a ping wheel for quick party calls like Attack, Warning, On My Way and Assist. A Compact Action Bar option frees up screen space. On controllers with lights, the colour even changes by faction: red for Horde, blue for Alliance.
It's not finished, though. Blizzard calls it a beta, some menus don't have controller prompts yet, and you still need a keyboard to type in chat. Blizzard says reducing the need for a keyboard "remains a development goal".
Image: Blizzard Entertainment
Is it coming to Xbox or handhelds?
Not officially. Forever is a PC launch through Battle.net. Xbox Wire's editor played it on an ROG Xbox Ally handheld, but noted that the handheld isn't officially supported yet. Controller support makes a console version easier to imagine, but nobody has announced one.
Price and how to play in India
Blizzard hasn't announced a separate price for Forever. It says your WoW subscription or Game Time unlocks it alongside modern WoW and Classic. A WoW subscription has long cost $14.99 a month in the US, which is about ₹1,425 before taxes and card fees. Blizzard hasn't listed a rupee price for Forever, so check Battle.net for what you'll pay in India.
If you're jumping in at launch, the realms open at 4:30am IST, so you'll either be up very early or playing after work on Thursday. The first raids arrive on December 9, which gives most players a month to reach level 60.
