World of Warcraft: Forever is poised to bring a fresh take on the MMORPG’s original level 1–60 experience. Set within a reimagined Azeroth, this new version brings additional locations and an exorbitant number of quests, alongside new character options and systems designed to encourage you to fully explore the world. Whether you’re a longtime veteran or a newcomer finally taking the plunge, there’s plenty here to get excited for. Here are fifteen things you need to know before playing World of Warcraft: Forever.
Azeroth is Reimagined
As a reimagining of vanilla World of Warcraft, Forever expands Azeroth with new locations across the Eastern Kingdom and Kalimdor. Four new destinations are being introduced: Mount Hyjal, Shen’dralas, the Riverglades, and Zephras Isle. Each region offers something unique, from exploring the aftermath of Archimonde’s defeat at Mount Hyjal to uncovering the mysteries surrounding Shen’dralas. The Riverglades is a new frontier to explore, while Zephras Isle is the starting point for the Skyborne – more on this new playable race shortly.
More Than 1,000 New Quests
This one is mega – Forever introduces more than 1,000 new quests throughout the level 1–60 journey. What’s impressive here, though, is these new additions aren’t isolated excursions, but activities woven into the existing, albeit evolved world. Furthermore, you’ll face unfamiliar questlines across established regions, giving you reason to explore areas you otherwise know quite well. All in all, whether you’re starting afresh or returning with an established character, World of Warcraft: Forever brings a substantial amount of new content.
The Skyborne Are a New Playable Race
The Skyborne, also known as the shen’dorei or Hidden People, are a new playable race making their debut in Forever. Their journey begins on Zephras Isle, where you’ll experience a dedicated level 1–12, with a storyline influenced by the race’s ancestral history. Also, you can choose to align with the Horde or the Alliance, with the former able to select the Windshaper, who can become a Shaman. Meanwhile, if you choose Alliance you can create a High-Order Skyborne Mage.
There Are Other New Ways to Build Your Character
Away from the Skyborne, Forever introduces other new ways to build a different character, including several previously unavailable race and class combinations. These include Orc Mages, Troll Warlocks, Undead Paladins, Human Hunters, Gnome Priests, and Dwarf Shamans. These expansions to the original game’s character creation options allow you to experiment with familiar classes albeit through a different racial identity. Combined with the Skyborne, Forever brings more flexibility on which character you want to take into Azeroth than ever before.
You Can Choose An Experience Preset
The first time you log into Forever, you’ll be asked to select an Experience Preset: Classic or Enhanced. Classic offers a more traditional presentation with simpler visuals, standard character models, and fewer interface features, with quest objective markers switched off. Enhanced, meanwhile, enables additional guidance features by default alongside an updated presentation with higher visual fidelity. Furthermore, Enhanced provides a single inventory bag and transmog. However, neither choice is permanent, with you able to adjust the setting later.
Character Models Can Be High or Standard Definition
You’ve more opportunities to customise your character in the shape of High Definition and Standard Definition models, too. Choosing High introduces higher-detail character models and updated visuals, while Standard maintains World of Warcraft’s original appearance. The key thing to note, however, is that these choices are entirely cosmetic. Neither has any affect on your character’s abilities or progression.
You Choose a Ruleset Rather Than a Realm
Instead of selecting a realm, when starting Forever you’ll choose a ruleset which will then determine the kind of experience you have. Normal mode allows you to focus on the adventure while still offering the option to participate in PvP. Meanwhile, opting for the PvP ruleset itself means you’ll be continually at risk of attack from opposing players. Roleplay introduces strict naming and behavioural conventions to maximise the immersion in your character, while Roleplay PvP combines these conventions with player versus player combat. A Hardcore ruleset, where every death carries serious consequences, is planned for a later date.
The Basic Campfire Becomes a Shared Space
One of Forever’s more interesting additions is the expanded Camping system, which transforms the Cooking profession’s Basic Campfire into a shared campsite. If you’re nearby, you can contribute profession-crafted Camp Features, allowing you and your fellow adventurers to gather around a fire to rest, prepare, and interact with each other. Furthermore, spending at least a minute sitting or crafting at a campsite grants benefits based on its available features, including class buffs.
The Legacy System Introduces Account-Wide Progression
World of Warcraft: Forever is introducing an all-new account-wide progression system that rewards you for exploring every aspect of the game. Dubbed Legacy System, it encourages you to explore, complete challenges, and engage with a host of other activities rather than focusing solely on your character’s power. Consisting of three main components: Legacy Challenges, Legacy Perks, and Legacy Rewards, you’ll benefit from the system using a single character, but it also provides additional incentives to level multiple characters of different classes and tradeskills.
Nine New Five-Player Dungeons
Nine new five-player dungeons are being introduced across level 13 through to level 60 experience. These additions are rooted in World of Warcraft’s original world, bringing fresh threats, quests, and encounters to the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor. Their level requirements are spread throughout the levelling journey, rather than being reserved exclusively for endgame players, meaning you’ll have plenty of opportunities to tackle these challenges with friends.
Three New Level 60 Raids Are Coming
There is, however, new content incoming that’s exclusively designed for high-level players. If you’ve reached level 60, you’ll have three raids to look forward to: Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit, and Onyxia’s Lair. Barrow Deeps is a new 10-player raid beneath Mount Hyjal, featuring eight bosses. Hyjal Summit is a larger 20-player undertaking near Nordrassil, with thirteen bosses encounterable through multiple routes across the mountain. Onyxia’s Lair is an original raid that’s returning; a 40-player encounter in Dustwallow Marsh, giving veteran players an opportunity to face the iconic dragon in a three-phase encounter. To enter this raid, you’ll need to carry the Drakefire Amulet which is acquired through a faction-specific questline.
PvP Progression Has Been Adjusted
In Forever, PvP progression has been reworked into two parts: Honor and Rank Points. Honor functions as a currency earned through PvP activities such as defeating rival players, completing battlegrounds, and finishing relevant quests. Rank Points, meanwhile, determine your advancement through the familiar original PvP ranks, with High Warlord and Grand Marshal being the ultimate goals for Horde and Alliance players respectively.
All You Need to Play is a Subscription
To play Forever you won’t need to purchase a separate expansion. An active World of Warcraft subscription or game time is sufficient, although the Skyborne race is locked behind the optional $29.99 Skyborne Heroic Pack. The Skyborne Epic Pack and Warcraft Forever Collection offer additional cosmetics, bonus game time, and other extras, with the latter also including Warcraft III: Reforged and its Forsaken Kingdom campaign.
The New Raids Are Coming In December
Although Forever launches on November 4, you’ll have to wait until December 9 to access its level 60 raids. Barrow Deeps and Hyjal Summit are the two major new additions arriving on that date, giving you a little over a month to ensure you’re suitably levelled up and that your group is prepared to face the multi-boss challenges.
PC Requirements
To play World of Warcraft: Forever, you’ll need a PC with a minimum 64-bit version of Windows 10, a four-core 3.0GHz processor, a DirectX 12-compatible 4GB graphics card such as the Nvidia GeForce GTX 10 series, and 8GB RAM. Recommended specifications increase that to Windows 11, an eight-performance-core 5.2 GHz boost clock processor, a DirectX 12-capable 8GB GPU such as the GeForce RTX 40 series, and 16GB RAM. Whatever your setup, you’ll need a solid state SSD with 128GB available storage space.
