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WoW Forever release time in Europe: November 5 at midnight CET, and in your city
Yuki5 min read
In short
WoW Forever launches on November 4, 2026 at 3 p.m. PST, which is 23:00 UTC according to Blizzard's countdown. In central Europe that is midnight on the night from Wednesday to Thursday, November 5: Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Geneva and Amsterdam. It is 11 p.m. on November 4 in London and Dublin, 6 p.m. in New York and Montreal. Name reservation opens on October 27 at 6 p.m. CET in Europe.
Key points
- Launch: November 4, 2026 at 3 p.m. PST, 23:00 UTC (Blizzard).
- Central Europe: Thursday, November 5 at midnight; UK and Ireland: Wednesday, November 4 at 11 p.m.
- Blizzard's French news says November 5 and its French page November 4: it is the same moment.
- Europe goes back to winter time on October 25 and the US on November 1: at launch, Paris is 9 hours ahead of Los Angeles.
- Preload, launch maintenance and queues: not published by Blizzard as of October 25, 2026.
What time does WoW Forever launch in Europe?
WoW Forever launches on November 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PST, Blizzard says, and the countdown on its official page targets 23:00 UTC. In central Europe that is midnight on Thursday, November 5, in Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Geneva, Amsterdam and Madrid. In the UK, Ireland and Portugal it is 11 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, and 1 a.m. on November 5 in Helsinki and Athens.
| City | Local launch time |
|---|---|
| Paris, Brussels, Geneva, Luxembourg, Berlin, Amsterdam, Madrid, Rome | Thursday, November 5, midnight |
| Casablanca, Kinshasa | Thursday, November 5, midnight |
| London, Dublin, Lisbon, Dakar, Abidjan | Wednesday, November 4, 11 p.m. |
| Helsinki, Athens, Bucharest | Thursday, November 5, 1 a.m. |
| Montreal, Quebec City, New York | Wednesday, November 4, 6 p.m. |
| Guadeloupe, Martinique | Wednesday, November 4, 7 p.m. |
| Los Angeles, Vancouver | Wednesday, November 4, 3 p.m. |
| Reunion Island | Thursday, November 5, 3 a.m. |
| Noumea (New Caledonia) | Thursday, November 5, 10 a.m. |
Does WoW Forever launch on November 4 or November 5?
Both, depending on where you read it. Blizzard's English articles give November 4 at 3 p.m. PST, its French news gives "le 5 novembre 2026 à minuit (heure de Paris)", and its French page shows a "4 novembre" banner with the same 23:00 UTC countdown. It is one global launch at one moment: in Europe east of the UK, the date has already changed to November 5.
Every region launches together: there is no separate European date. What's new at launch and the 2027 roadmap are in our release guide.
Does the change to winter time move the launch?
No, but it changes the gap with the US for a week. Europe goes back to winter time on Sunday, October 25, 2026 and the US on Sunday, November 1. Between those dates, Paris is only 8 hours ahead of the US West Coast instead of 9. On launch day both are on standard time: 3 p.m. in Los Angeles is midnight in Paris, 23:00 UTC.
That week matters for the name reservation on October 27: Europe opens at 6 p.m. CET, which is 5 p.m. UTC, and North America at 1 p.m. PDT, which is 9 p.m. in Paris, since Paris is only 8 hours ahead of the West Coast until November 1. Every region is in our name reservation guide.
Which dates matter before WoW Forever launches?
Two dates before the WoW Forever launch are past: the free stress test of October 21 and the end of the beta on October 23, 2026. Still ahead: the early name reservation for pack owners, from October 27 at 6 p.m. CET in Europe and 1 p.m. PDT in North America until November 3, then launch on November 4 and the first raids on December 9.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| From October 20 | Invite-A-Friend launch codes emailed to pack owners |
| October 21 | Free stress test (Server Slam): 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. CEST in Europe, 2 to 6 p.m. PDT in the Americas; everything wiped afterwards |
| October 23, 10 a.m. PDT | End of the beta (7 p.m. in Paris), after a 24-hour Beta Celebration |
| October 27, 6 p.m. CET (Europe), 1 p.m. PDT (North America) | Early name reservation and character creation open: up to three characters, with a pack |
| November 3 | Last day of the reservation |
| November 4, 3 p.m. PST | Launch (November 5, midnight in central Europe) |
| December 9 | First raids open for level 60: Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit, Onyxia's Lair, reset each week |
Details in our guides to the Server Slam, the name reservation and the launch checklist.
Can you download WoW Forever before launch?
As of October 25, 2026, Blizzard has not announced a preload, a launch maintenance schedule or an early login for WoW Forever. What is known: the game installs through the Battle.net app and needs an SSD with 128 GB free. From October 27, pack owners can already create their characters, but nobody plays before launch, and beta characters do not carry over.
- Free the space early: 128 GB on an SSD, Blizzard Support says, and the beta install was "larger than intended" according to a known issue.
- Prepare your addons: our install guide shows the AddOns folder and what to do with out-of-date addons.
- Check your subscription: Forever is included in any WoW subscription or game time; see is WoW Forever free?.
Sources
- Blizzard: Pre-Purchase World of Warcraft: Forever Upgrades (launch time, name reservation, Invite-A-Friend codes), September 12, 2026
- Blizzard: What's Next panel recap (raids on December 9), September 12, 2026
- Blizzard: The World of Warcraft: Forever Beta Now Live (Server Slam), September 17, 2026
- Blizzard: [Updated Oct 16] Join the World of Warcraft: Forever Stress Test, October 15, 2026
- Blizzard forums (Kaivax): stress test hours and end of the beta on October 23, October 20, 2026
- Blizzard forums (Kaivax): Thank You For Testing the WoW Forever Beta, October 23, 2026
- Blizzard: Claim Your World of Warcraft: Forever Character Names (opening hour per region), October 20, 2026
- Blizzard: World of Warcraft: Forever Raid Overview (level 60, weekly reset), October 20, 2026
- Blizzard: official World of Warcraft: Forever page (countdown to 23:00 UTC)
- Blizzard Support: World of Warcraft: Forever System Requirements
- Blizzard Support: WoW: Forever Invite-A-Friend Codes
Frequently asked questions
What time does WoW Forever launch in the UK?
At 11 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 in London and Dublin: the global launch is at 3 p.m. PST, 23:00 UTC.
What time does WoW Forever launch in central Europe?
At midnight on the night from Wednesday to Thursday, November 5, 2026, in Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Geneva and Amsterdam.
Is there a separate European launch for WoW Forever?
No. All regions launch at the same moment, November 4, 2026 at 3 p.m. PST, which is already November 5 in most of Europe.
When does WoW Forever name reservation start?
On October 27, 2026 at 6 p.m. CET in Europe and 1 p.m. PDT in North America, and it ends on November 3.
When did the WoW Forever beta end?
On October 23, 2026 at 10 a.m. PDT, 7 p.m. in Paris, two days later than first planned. Beta characters do not carry over to launch.
Can you preload WoW Forever?
Blizzard has not announced a preload as of October 25, 2026. The game installs through the Battle.net app and needs 128 GB free on an SSD.
More guides
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