Note: this lead was originally published on October 20, 2026 by Wowhead, relaying Blizzard's official announcement in full.
Name reservations for WoW: Forever are set: Early Name Reservation opens October 27 at 1:00 PM PDT (4:00 AM October 28, Beijing time) and runs through November 3.
Regional start times
| Region | Opens |
|---|---|
| Europe | October 27, 18:00 CET |
| North America | October 27, 13:00 PDT |
| Korea | October 28, 07:00 KST |
| Taiwan | October 28, 07:00 CST |
Who is eligible, and how many names
- Eligibility: players who pre-purchase the Skyborne Heroic Pack, Skyborne Epic Pack, or the limited-time Warcraft Forever Collection (requires the WoW: Forever Digital Upgrade or Collector's Edition; the benefit applies only to the WoW account it was purchased for);
- Count: up to three characters total across all rulesets — create two on a PvP ruleset and only one slot remains on Normal or Role-Play. The cap applies to Early Name Reservation only;
- Names are first come, first served, and not guaranteed.
Prep now (official steps)
- Update your graphics drivers;
- Install/update the Battle.net desktop app;
- Select World of Warcraft, pick World of Warcraft: Forever in the Game Version menu above the Play button, and install;
- Once live: Play, choose a ruleset, create up to 3 characters with your chosen names.
After the window closes on November 3 there is a gap until launch — retention rules for reserved names will presumably be detailed later; get the client installed now, because at open it is a pure speed contest.
Source: Wowhead (full official announcement relayed, official), originally published October 20, 2026: How to Reserve Your World of Warcraft: Forever Character Name on October 27th.
Further reading: launch prep in the checklist and leveling, and race picks in our race recommendations.