Beta guide

Source: View source Version: Forever beta launch announcement (2026-09-17) Review: Source checked Last reviewed: 2026-10-01

Beta guide · reviewed 1 October 2026. The October 1 maintenance announcement updates the testing schedule. Check its dated status before planning a session.

The Forever beta opened on September 17 with a level 20 cap. Its launch testing scope included Skyborne, Zephras Isle, Hall of Thanes (13–18), Ruins of Lordaeron (15–20), and zone content through level 20. The launch announcement planned a later level 30 phase and a public Server Slam without a date. October 21 is the last full testing day.

See Beta maintenance (October 1, 2026) for the scheduled level-cap increase and regional timing.

Install the correct version

In Battle.net, select World of Warcraft, then World of Warcraft: Forever Beta under In Development in the version menu. Install, launch, and create a test character. Eligible digital purchases can take up to 30 minutes to appear; restart the launcher. Game access covers eligibility, while System requirements covers hardware.

For XP comparisons, use Leveling and experience to distinguish developer intentions, perk descriptions, and measured results.

For dated changes after the launch announcement, see Beta changes and the September 24 update reference. Before comparing different talent allocations, check its respec guidance.

Plan a useful session

1. Read Beta known issues before comparing class behavior. A listed bug can explain a surprising result without establishing an intended design change.
2. Choose one question and record the client build, date, character level, faction, equipment, and allocated talents.
3. For a dungeon visit, capture your route to the entrance and the actual entry result. Separate recommended levels from observed restrictions.
4. For a quest, record its exact title, giver, objectives, prerequisites, and reward screen. Keep those records together so another contributor can repeat the steps.
5. For a talent, compare the appropriate rank on its reference page. Keep tooltip text separate from observed combat behavior.

A client can contain high-level spells, future zones, or unused records beyond currently playable content. An imported tooltip does not prove that its maximum rank can be tested today. Follow the dated availability announcement before planning a high-level test.

Identify where a connection problem occurs

Record whether the failure happens before the version appears in Battle.net, when pressing Play, after authentication, at gameplay-style selection, or when entering the world. Keep the error code and installed build with that stage. An access problem, an update problem, and a world-entry failure need different evidence.

Use Game access for entitlement checks and community troubleshooting reports for dated reports with their limitations. A report that an error occurred yesterday is not a live server-status check.

The September 27 queue correction covers a specific queue-filling fault. Keep fresh connection reports separate from that dated resolution.

September 28 gold-trading clarification

Blizzard reiterated that real-money gold transactions are prohibited in Forever's beta and after launch. Its September 28 statement describes action against buyers as well as sellers, including removing illicit gold and potentially closing accounts. Recipients may also face action when they knew, or should have known, that transferred gold was illegitimate. The reply does not establish a penalty for any particular player.

Share evidence

Use the template at Project:Beta verification and attach the source to the affected article. A useful report identifies both the expected result and the actual result, including whether the same steps reproduce the issue. Cite an official correction separately from your own test.

When testing a possible fix, record the new build and repeat the same conditions. Do not label a planned fix as resolved merely because a client update appeared. Beta changes records the source dates behind wiki updates.

Related references

Beginner guide · Beta known issues · Project:Research tasks · Release roadmap