[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":500},["ShallowReactive",2],{"site-settings":3,"article:\u002Fresources\u002Fguides\u002Fwow-forever-launch-time-first-login-choices":16,"article-surround:\u002Fresources\u002Fguides\u002Fwow-forever-launch-time-first-login-choices":494},{"id":4,"description":5,"email":6,"extension":7,"footerNote":8,"legalNotice":9,"locale":10,"meta":11,"name":12,"stem":13,"url":14,"__hash__":15},"settings\u002Fsettings.yml","Compare World of Warcraft realms by expansion, region, population and play style.","listings@realmlist.org","yml","An independent realm directory.","Not affiliated with Blizzard Entertainment.","en",{},"RealmList","settings","https:\u002F\u002Frealmlist.org","QXaYspLUSxnrVumL6oFir6PInhNsRw-yJchxEYSe1AU",{"id":17,"title":18,"author":19,"body":20,"category":456,"description":457,"draft":458,"extension":459,"featured":458,"meta":460,"navigation":461,"path":462,"publishedAt":463,"seo":464,"sitemap":465,"sources":470,"stem":486,"tags":487,"updatedAt":492,"__hash__":493},"articles\u002Fresources\u002Fguides\u002Fwow-forever-launch-time-first-login-choices.md","WoW: Forever Opens at 3 p.m. Pacific on November 4: The Exact Time Where You Are, and the Choices You Lock In Before Your First Character","RealmList Editorial",{"type":21,"value":22,"toc":447},"minimark",[23,40,43,48,55,160,175,186,190,197,275,282,297,304,308,311,339,345,367,371,386,389,393,418,426,436,441],[24,25,26,30,31,35,36,39],"p",{},[27,28,29],"em",{},"World of Warcraft: Forever"," has one global unlock moment, and Blizzard finally put the regional clock on paper. Its launch article of ",[32,33,34],"strong",{},"October 30"," lists the exact local time Forever opens in eight time zones, and an official starter guide published ",[32,37,38],{},"October 28"," walks through the sequence you hit on your first login — an Experience Preset screen you only ever see once, then a ruleset, then your character.",[24,41,42],{},"If you have reserved a name, or you plan to be logged in at the opening minute, this is the short list of things worth deciding in advance.",[44,45,47],"h2",{"id":46},"the-clock-300-pm-pst-on-november-4","The clock: 3:00 p.m. PST on November 4",[24,49,50,51,54],{},"Blizzard's launch article gives one anchor time — ",[32,52,53],{},"3:00 p.m. PST on November 4"," — and converts it per region:",[56,57,58,74],"table",{},[59,60,61],"thead",{},[62,63,64,68,71],"tr",{},[65,66,67],"th",{},"Region (time zone)",[65,69,70],{},"Local time",[65,72,73],{},"Date",[75,76,77,89,99,109,120,130,140,150],"tbody",{},[62,78,79,83,86],{},[80,81,82],"td",{},"Americas (PST)",[80,84,85],{},"3:00 p.m.",[80,87,88],{},"November 4",[62,90,91,94,97],{},[80,92,93],{},"Brazil (BRT)",[80,95,96],{},"8:00 p.m.",[80,98,88],{},[62,100,101,104,107],{},[80,102,103],{},"United Kingdom (GMT)",[80,105,106],{},"11:00 p.m.",[80,108,88],{},[62,110,111,114,117],{},[80,112,113],{},"Europe (CET)",[80,115,116],{},"12:00 a.m.",[80,118,119],{},"November 5",[62,121,122,125,128],{},[80,123,124],{},"Taiwan (CST)",[80,126,127],{},"7:00 a.m.",[80,129,119],{},[62,131,132,135,138],{},[80,133,134],{},"Korea (KST)",[80,136,137],{},"8:00 a.m.",[80,139,119],{},[62,141,142,145,148],{},[80,143,144],{},"Australia and New Zealand (AEDT)",[80,146,147],{},"10:00 a.m.",[80,149,119],{},[62,151,152,155,158],{},[80,153,154],{},"UTC",[80,156,157],{},"23:00",[80,159,88],{},[24,161,162,163,166,167,170,171,174],{},"Two things to read carefully there. First, ",[32,164,165],{},"most of the world logs in on November 5",", not November 4 — Europe, Taiwan, Korea and ANZ all land on the calendar day after the Americas. Blizzard itself flags this with asterisks on the November 4 entries. Second, ",[32,168,169],{},"mainland China is not on Blizzard's list","; the UTC+8 entry is Taiwan, and by our own arithmetic a UTC+8 clock reads ",[32,172,173],{},"7:00 a.m. on November 5",". That conversion is ours, not Blizzard's.",[24,176,177,178,181,182,185],{},"Everything below assumes you already have what the starter guide says you need: a Battle.net account, and either an active ",[27,179,180],{},"World of Warcraft"," subscription or Game Time. Forever is included with the subscription; it is not a separate purchase. The base game runs on Windows and Mac with keyboard and mouse, and ",[32,183,184],{},"controller support ships in a beta state"," — treated as a work in progress by Blizzard rather than a finished feature.",[44,187,189],{"id":188},"step-one-and-you-only-see-it-once-the-experience-preset","Step one, and you only see it once: the Experience Preset",[24,191,192,193,196],{},"The first time you log in, before you pick a ruleset, Forever asks you to ",[32,194,195],{},"Choose Your Experience Preset",". There are two, and each one flips the same six settings in opposite directions:",[56,198,199,212],{},[59,200,201],{},[62,202,203,206,209],{},[65,204,205],{},"Setting",[65,207,208],{},"Classic",[65,210,211],{},"Enhanced",[75,213,214,225,236,245,254,265],{},[62,215,216,219,222],{},[80,217,218],{},"Character models",[80,220,221],{},"Standard Definition",[80,223,224],{},"High Definition",[62,226,227,230,233],{},[80,228,229],{},"Quest points of interest and objective blobs",[80,231,232],{},"Off",[80,234,235],{},"On",[62,237,238,241,243],{},[80,239,240],{},"One-bag view",[80,242,232],{},[80,244,235],{},[62,246,247,250,252],{},[80,248,249],{},"Transmog",[80,251,232],{},[80,253,235],{},[62,255,256,259,262],{},[80,257,258],{},"Keyboard movement binds",[80,260,261],{},"Camera turning",[80,263,264],{},"Strafe",[62,266,267,270,272],{},[80,268,269],{},"Screen UI layout",[80,271,208],{},[80,273,274],{},"Centralized",[24,276,277,278,281],{},"Blizzard's own advice is explicit: ",[32,279,280],{},"if you are not sure, start with Enhanced."," The trade-off is mostly about how much the game tells you. Classic turns off the map markers and objective blobs that modern players take for granted, which matters more than it sounds in a version with more than 1,000 new quests across the 1–60 journey, including brand-new zones like the Riverglades and Zephras Isle where nobody has 2004 muscle memory to fall back on. Enhanced shows you where to go.",[24,283,284,285,288,289,292,293,296],{},"What the preset does ",[27,286,287],{},"not"," touch is game rules: XP rates, loot, mob strength and difficulty are identical either way. It is a starting point, not a difficulty setting, and every individual option can be changed later under ",[32,290,291],{},"Game Menu > Options"," — Blizzard's overview article and independent write-ups both place the preset switch specifically at ",[32,294,295],{},"Options > System > Preset",".",[24,298,299,300,303],{},"The one thing you cannot do is see the screen again. ",[32,301,302],{},"After your first login it never reappears",", so it is worth spending ten seconds on it rather than clicking through.",[44,305,307],{"id":306},"step-two-the-ruleset-which-is-the-choice-that-actually-binds-you","Step two: the ruleset, which is the choice that actually binds you",[24,309,310],{},"The ruleset replaces the realm list. You choose it before you create a character, and at launch there are four:",[312,313,314,321,327,333],"ul",{},[315,316,317,320],"li",{},[32,318,319],{},"Normal"," — PvP is available at your discretion.",[315,322,323,326],{},[32,324,325],{},"PvP"," — open-world combat against the opposing faction is a standing risk.",[315,328,329,332],{},[32,330,331],{},"Roleplay"," — naming and behaviour rules for players immersing themselves as characters.",[315,334,335,338],{},[32,336,337],{},"Roleplay-PvP"," — the same conventions plus open-world PvP risk.",[24,340,341,344],{},[32,342,343],{},"Hardcore"," is planned for after launch, with no date given.",[24,346,347,348,351,352,355,356,361,362,366],{},"The binding part is the one that catches groups out: characters can ",[32,349,350],{},"group, join guilds, run dungeons and raid only with players on the same ruleset and the same faction",". Blizzard's starter guide says this plainly, and so does its overview — if you want to play with friends, agree on both the ruleset ",[27,353,354],{},"and"," the faction before anyone creates a character. There is no announced free transfer between rulesets, which is why our ",[357,358,360],"a",{"href":359},"\u002Fresources\u002Fbriefings\u002Fwow-forever-rp-pvp-ruleset-launch","RP-PvP ruleset report"," and the ",[357,363,365],{"href":364},"\u002Fresources\u002Fguides\u002Fforever-realmless-architecture-explained","realmless architecture guide"," are worth reading before the 3 p.m. rush rather than after.",[44,368,370],{"id":369},"step-three-hd-or-sd-models-per-character","Step three: HD or SD models, per character",[24,372,373,374,377,378,381,382,385],{},"Every time you create a character you pick ",[32,375,376],{},"High Definition (HD)"," or ",[32,379,380],{},"Standard Definition (SD)"," models and animations. This is cosmetic only — no effect on abilities or progression — and it is changeable later in the Options Menu or at a ",[32,383,384],{},"Barbershop"," in game.",[24,387,388],{},"Note that the preset and this choice are independent. A player who picked Classic can still make one character in HD, and vice versa; the preset only sets the default.",[44,390,392],{"id":391},"three-things-worth-doing-before-the-unlock","Three things worth doing before the unlock",[394,395,396,402,408],"ol",{},[315,397,398,401],{},[32,399,400],{},"Decide your ruleset and faction with your group now, in writing."," This is the only choice in the sequence that cannot be undone by opening the options menu, and Blizzard has announced no transfers.",[315,403,404,407],{},[32,405,406],{},"Update your operating system and graphics drivers before installing."," That is Blizzard's own pre-launch advice in its overview guidance, not ours.",[315,409,410,413,414,417],{},[32,411,412],{},"Know what you are getting for free."," Forever is included with a subscription; the ",[32,415,416],{},"Skyborne"," race is not. Playing one requires the Heroic Pack or a higher digital upgrade, Skyborne start on Zephras Isle (levels 1–12), and their class options depend on faction — Horde-aligned Skyborne can be Shamans, Alliance-aligned Skyborne can be Mages.",[24,419,420,421,425],{},"Name reservation, for players with the Heroic Pack or above, ran from October 27 through November 3 and covered up to three characters — see our ",[357,422,424],{"href":423},"\u002Fresources\u002Fguides\u002Fwow-forever-two-name-system-name-reservation","two-name system guide"," for how the first-name and second-name structure works, and why the full combination has to be unique within your region.",[24,427,428],{},[429,430],"img",{"alt":431,"height":432,"loading":433,"src":434,"width":435},"Editorial illustration: a wall of clocks across Azeroth all striking the same moment, with a hooded traveller standing before two glowing doors marked Classic and Enhanced",1024,"lazy","https:\u002F\u002Frealmlist.org\u002Fimages\u002Farticles\u002Fguides\u002Fwow-forever-launch-time-first-login-choices.webp",1536,[24,437,438],{},[27,439,440],{},"Original editorial illustration by RealmList, generated for this article. This is artwork, not game footage or official promotional material.",[442,443,444],"note",{},[24,445,446],{},"Verified on November 1, 2026. The launch time of 3:00 p.m. PST on November 4 and the full regional conversion table are taken from Blizzard's official launch article of October 30, 2026; the mainland China conversion (UTC+8, 7:00 a.m. November 5) is our own arithmetic, because Blizzard's table lists Taiwan rather than China. The Experience Preset screen, its six settings, the \"start with Enhanced\" advice, the one-time appearance of the screen, the ruleset list, the same-ruleset-and-faction grouping restriction, the HD\u002FSD per-character choice and the Barbershop and Options routes to change it, the subscription and Game Time requirement, the beta-state controller support and the Skyborne pack requirement all come from Blizzard's official starter guide of October 28, 2026 (also mirrored to the official forums the same day) and its launch article of October 30. The specific menu path Options > System > Preset for changing the preset later comes from Duskforge's and WoW Forever's summaries of Blizzard's overview article, not from a Blizzard page we read directly. Hardcore has no announced date, no ruleset transfers have been announced, and Blizzard has said PTR and beta details can change before and after launch. RealmList has not played the release build.",{"title":448,"searchDepth":449,"depth":449,"links":450},"",2,[451,452,453,454,455],{"id":46,"depth":449,"text":47},{"id":188,"depth":449,"text":189},{"id":306,"depth":449,"text":307},{"id":369,"depth":449,"text":370},{"id":391,"depth":449,"text":392},"guides","Blizzard published the regional unlock times for World of Warcraft: Forever on October 30, and a starter guide two days earlier that spells out what happens on your very first login. Here is the full time zone table, what the one-time Experience Preset screen actually changes, how the ruleset and faction lock works, and what you can still undo afterwards.",false,"md",{},true,"\u002Fresources\u002Fguides\u002Fwow-forever-launch-time-first-login-choices","2026-11-01",{"title":18,"description":457},{"loc":462,"images":466,"changefreq":468,"priority":469},[467],{"loc":434},"weekly",0.8,[471,474,477,480,483],{"label":472,"url":473},"Blizzard Entertainment — World of Warcraft: Forever Goes Live Globally November 4! (official launch article, October 30, 2026)","https:\u002F\u002Fworldofwarcraft.com\u002Fen-us\u002Fnews\u002F24315820",{"label":475,"url":476},"Blizzard Entertainment — New Player's Starter Guide: Welcome to World of Warcraft: Forever (official, October 28, 2026)","https:\u002F\u002Fworldofwarcraft.com\u002Fen-gb\u002Fnews\u002F24315280",{"label":478,"url":479},"Blizzard Entertainment — New Player's Starter Guide (official forum mirror, posted October 28, 2026, 5:00 p.m.)","https:\u002F\u002Fus.forums.blizzard.com\u002Fen\u002Fwow\u002Ft\u002F2394974\u002F1",{"label":481,"url":482},"Duskforge — WoW Forever Rulesets, Names and Skyborne Explained by Blizzard (independent summary of the official overview)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.duskforge.gg\u002Fnews\u002Fwow-forever-return-to-azeroth-overview",{"label":484,"url":485},"WoW Forever — The Experience Preset: Classic or Enhanced (independent write-up of the official preset guide)","https:\u002F\u002Fwowforever.be\u002Fnews\u002Fthe-experience-preset-classic-or-enhanced","resources\u002Fguides\u002Fwow-forever-launch-time-first-login-choices",[488,489,490,491,416],"WoW Forever","Launch","Rulesets","Character Creation",null,"Cm1iXc-dR1hGAR4u3asWhPAW55mpa4pzife9LsEJg08",[492,495],{"title":496,"path":497,"stem":498,"description":499,"children":-1},"uWoW's Mists of Pandaria x10 Realm Opens October 16 — Raid Schedule, Staged Content, and What's Still Unannounced","\u002Fresources\u002Fguides\u002Fuwow-mop-x10-launch-guide","resources\u002Fguides\u002Fuwow-mop-x10-launch-guide","The Russian network behind the Legion x100 realm opens a fresh 5.4.8 Pandaria realm with x10 experience tonight: level cap 90, content unlocking in stages, Mogu'shan Vaults five days after launch, and a starter competitive season running until December 2.",1793551957608]