Note: this lead was originally published on October 23, 2026 by Wowhead, relaying Blizzard's official thank-you message in full.
The Beta has closed. Blizzard published an official thank-you letter marking the end of five weeks of testing, with the full runway from now to the November 4 launch.
What the letter said
- Thanks: "The WoW Forever Beta is now closed, and we're incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us over the last five weeks of playtesting, data gathering, bug reporting, and feedback."
- The next few days: the team moves into a short, focused period working on priority issues and the game service itself, so it is in good shape for launch day on November 4.
- October 27 (Tuesday): the character creation system opens — everyone gets plenty of time to select the ruleset that will define their journey and snag the name that fits their adventurer. No need to wait until launch to make these big decisions (the reservation window runs through November 3; see our reservation guide).
- The podcast continues: new episodes next week, and the official recap lists all five prior episodes (beta launch, class speedruns, dungeons, PvP, and the end-of-beta special) for players catching up.
Player checklist for the gap week
Between now and October 27: ① install/update the Battle.net client and graphics drivers; ② take a look at your own beta stats (see our stats report); ③ prepare your name list and ruleset decision for the 27th, including the newly confirmed RP-PvP ruleset. The letter's closing line lands well: "We're deeply grateful to have seen so many people find their Forever home, and create new communities, and find friends (old and new) to join on the journey ahead."
Source: Wowhead (Blizzard's official message relayed in full, official), originally published October 23, 2026: Blizzard Thanks Players for Testing the WoW Forever Beta.
Further reading: the launch timeline in the roadmap, and launch prep in the checklist and FAQ.