World of Warcraft: Forever What’s Next Panel Recap

For years, players have imagined what it might be like to keep exploring the world where this journey began: to take the roads that were never opened, uncover the stories that stayed just out of reach, and return to Azeroth with friends old and new. World of Warcraft: Forever grew from that shared hope, from what we learned with WoW Classic and Season of Discovery, and from a community that has never stopped dreaming about what else original Azeroth could become.

A New Beginning for Original Azeroth

The Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor still hold mysteries worth uncovering, stories waiting to be told, and places that have lingered just beyond the edge of the map for years. Rather than looking away from Azeroth, we're looking deeper into it-toward familiar roads, distant silhouettes, forgotten ruins, and the spaces between the places players have traveled for decades.

This is where the first adventure begins: in original Azeroth, with fresh regions to explore, mysteries to uncover, and new ways to experience a world that has always felt bigger than what we could see. There is still so much more to explore together.

Guided by Classic Principles

Four core pillars guide the experience: approachable and familiar, the world as the main character, the journey before the destination, and protecting and nurturing the social experiences that make Azeroth feel alive. Every addition is measured against the spirit of the original game and the feeling that it belongs in a world worth getting lost in.

That means leveling remains just as important as endgame, effort continues to matter, and rewards come from playing the game: leveling up, running dungeons, making friends, exploring the world, and taking on new challenges together.

You'll feel that philosophy throughout the world: no flying mounts, no level scaling, and a continued focus on challenge, preparation, communication, and cooperation. We're also being thoughtful about convenience, because every quality-of-life choice can shape the way players meet, gather, and make memories together.

New Places to Explore

Your adventure begins across the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor with new and reimagined regions, unfinished corners of the original world, and more than a thousand new quests woven throughout the level 1-60 journey. You'll help restore Hyjal, uncover forgotten history in Shen'dralas, build a future on the Riverglades frontier, and take your first steps through Zephras Isle.

Mount Hyjal invites you to explore the aftermath of Archimonde's defeat, journey through Darkwhisper Gorge, and help shape the future of a recovering land. In Shen'dralas, a long-hidden mystery between Mulgore and Desolace becomes a new adventure tied to the Shen'dralar, Eldre'Thalas, Dire Maul, and the centaur tribes of the region.

In the Riverglades, you'll discover a rugged frontier of rivers, grasslands, trade routes, struggling communities, and old grudges, with more than 150 new quests across much of the mid-30s to mid-40s experience. On Zephras Isle, you'll begin an elemental skybound starting experience from levels 1 through 12, blending Classic Warcraft aesthetics with architecture inspired by Skywall.

Zephras is also home to the Skyborne, a new playable race whose shared ancestry has led to very different visions for the future. At character creation, you'll choose whether your Skyborne joins the Horde or the Alliance: Horde-aligned Skyborne embrace elemental traditions and gain access to the Shaman class, while Alliance-aligned Skyborne pursue the arcane legacy of their ancestors and gain access to the Mage class.

Both factions can also play Warriors, Hunters, Rogues, and Druids, including new Skyborne druid forms created specifically for the race, along with new racials, customizations, voices, dances, and visual options.

Dungeons, Raids, and Battlegrounds

Azeroth has no shortage of danger waiting for you, including nine new dungeons that bring long-discussed places in the original world to life. You'll venture into the Hall of Thanes beneath Ironforge, the Ruins of Lordaeron, a mysterious excavation site above Whelgar's Excavation, the chaotic City of Dalaran, Blackmaw Hold, the Drowned City, Krol'dok Stronghold, Alcaz Prison, and the Shaper's Terrace.

These destinations bring new reasons to revisit familiar corners of the world, from helping the Forsaken reclaim the Ruins of Lordaeron to investigating strange magical trouble in Dalaran, titan mysteries in Un'Goro, naga and pirates around the Drowned City, and unsettling corruption stirring in the depths of Blackmaw Hold.

For those ready to take on greater challenges, Hyjal Summit and the Barrow Deeps set the stage for raid encounters, new tier sets, and a legendary reward we're looking forward to revealing in full. The Barrow Deeps is planned as a maximum-level 10-player challenge, while Hyjal Summit will bring 20-player raid encounters to one of Warcraft's most important locations.

For PvP, the Darkspear Islands will introduce a 15 vs 15 Battleground off the coast of Kalimdor, combining strategic control points with Arathi Basin-style flag captures and defense. PvP updates, dungeon quests, and new rewards will continue to make conflict, cooperation, and discovery an unmistakable part of World of Warcraft: Forever.

Classes, Systems, and Player Choice

Class identity remains central to World of Warcraft: Forever, with new abilities, new race and class combinations, and updates designed to preserve the feel of the original game while opening new possibilities. Our goal is to cover gaps where they exist without erasing what makes each class unique, so the updates focus on talents and abilities you notice, meaningful trade-offs, and reasons to value what each class brings to the adventure.

We're also adding systems that support the level 1-60 journey, including Legacy progression for players who love leveling and running alternate characters (alts), and Camping, which lets you craft campfires in the outdoor world so other adventurers can stop by, contribute through professions, and share campsite buffs.

Player choice also carries through opt-in Transmog, modern and Classic visual presets, High-Definition (HD) and Standard-Definition (SD) character-model options, restored Classic animations for HD character models, and official gamepad support for players who prefer to play with a controller. These options are designed to welcome more players into Azeroth while letting you choose the visual style and play setup that feels right for you.

Rendering updates add small but powerful environmental touches-like rivers that flow through Elwynn Forest, mist over the waters of Darkshore, and moonlight breaking through the trees in Ashenvale-while preserving the timeless art style of original Azeroth.

A Roadmap for the Journey Ahead

The road through the world where it all began is only just beginning. World of Warcraft: Forever launches globally on November 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PST, with beta beginning September 17. New raids unlock on December 9, followed by more raids, dungeons, PvP updates, world content, additional quests throughout the level 1-60 journey, Hardcore, a revamped iconic raid, and major updates that will keep expanding this evergreen version of Azeroth over time.

We'll continue sharing updates as we build what's ahead for World of Warcraft: Forever. This is not a mode, a season, or a new version of Classic. It is a promise to keep building this world with the community, guided by your feedback, and made to last.

Join us for the World of Warcraft: Forever Deep Dive panel tomorrow, September 13, at 10:00 a.m. PDT for a closer look at the systems, rewards, and adventures still to come.