WoW: Forever Launches Tonight, and It Will Never Go Past Level 60

Blizzard's new way to play World of Warcraft arrives tonight. World of Warcraft: Forever launches worldwide at the same moment, 6 p.m. Eastern and 3 p.m. Pacific on November 4, and it's included with a regular WoW subscription or Game Time (Game Rant).

Forever is a separate version of WoW built on the original 2004 game. It runs from level 1 to 60 across the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor, and Blizzard says it "sticks to a level cap of 60 without going beyond," so there are no expansions on the way (Blizzard).

How is WoW: Forever different from WoW Classic?

Classic tries to recreate the old game almost exactly, while Forever keeps the same world and level cap and then adds a lot of new stuff on top. There are new and expanded zones and quests, nine new five-player dungeons covering levels 13 to 60, and class updates that are still rooted in the original game.

There are also new race and class combos that the old game never allowed, like Undead Paladin, Dwarf Shaman, Gnome Priest, Human Hunter, Orc Mage and Troll Warlock. A new account-wide Legacy System gives out points, perks and cosmetics that carry across your characters.

Blizzard also posted a full launch overview that walks through how the Legacy System rewards work.

What is the Skyborne race?

The Skyborne are the big new addition. They're a brand-new playable race with their own starting zone, Zephras Isle, and players can pick the Windshaper Skyborne for the Horde or the High Order Skyborne for the Alliance. There's one catch, though. Playing a Skyborne takes a paid upgrade pack, starting with the Skyborne Heroic Pack, which also adds a mount, cosmetics and a name reservation.

Can you play WoW: Forever the old-school way?

Yes, because Forever comes with two Experience Presets. Enhanced turns on quest guidance, a one-bag view and transmog, while Classic switches those off for a more 2004 feel. Normal, PvP, Roleplay and Roleplay-PvP servers are open at launch, with Hardcore servers coming soon after. GameSpot also reports that Blizzard is giving every player a big damage boost at launch to make the early days a little smoother.

My read is that Forever could be the most interesting thing Blizzard has done with WoW in years. Classic proved how many people miss the old world, and Forever gives those players something new to discover without the endless expansion treadmill. Expect long login queues tonight, because a lot of people have been waiting for this one. (Bring snacks. Bring a lot of snacks.)

What class are you rolling first in WoW: Forever? Tell us in the comments.

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Header image and in-article images are official images from World of Warcraft: Forever, from Blizzard Entertainment.