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WoW: Forever beta cap raised again as Blizzard reports record demand

Vince MaglayaPublished 6d ago2 min readBased on 5 sources
WoW: Forever beta cap raised again as Blizzard reports record demand
source:blizzard.com

Blizzard has lifted the player cap for the World of Warcraft: Forever beta again after demand filled each previous test space.

Executive producer Holly Longdale announced the latest increase on 27 September, saying the beta was "setting records" GameSpot. Longdale posted the update at 6:01 PM on 27 September 2026 via her @TheWindstalker account on X.

Demand keeps climbing. Senior game designer Josh Greenfield said the beta had produced "the craziest numbers" he had seen in 17 years at Blizzard.

The beta, a pre-launch test version open to selected players, began on 17 September 2026 with an initial level cap of 20. It is scheduled to run through 21 October 2026, ahead of full launch on 4 November 2026. Blizzard has now raised the population cap, the limit on how many players can take part at once, multiple times in response to demand.

Access to the beta requires purchase of the Skyborne Epic Pack, priced at US$60. The pack includes everything in the Skyborne Heroic Pack plus beta access from 17 September, according to Blizzard's announcement post.

World of Warcraft: Forever introduces the Skyborne, also called the shen'dorei or hidden people, as a new playable race. Skyborne characters begin on Zephras Isle, a level 1-12 starting area, where players customise their start by choosing whether to join the Horde or the Alliance at character creation.

The release also adds a Legacy System, an account-wide progression system where players complete challenges, earn Legacy Points, unlock character-specific perks and collect cosmetic rewards. Blizzard has also put more English-language versions of the Forever Collector's Edition on sale in North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The edition includes physical keepsakes and a digital code for the Warcraft Forever Collection.

For fans, this means a crowded test before a busy launch window. The global launch is set for 4 November 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PST, with the beta due to close two weeks earlier.

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