Note: this lead was originally published on October 20, 2026 by Wowhead, relaying Blizzard's official schedule.
It starts today. Blizzard has published the regional windows for the October 21 stress test — the detail missing from the earlier reschedule announcement.
Regional windows (October 21)
| Timezone | Start | End |
|---|---|---|
| CEST | 19:00 | 03:00 (+1) |
| BST/IST | 18:00 | 02:00 (+1) |
| EDT | 17:00 | 21:00 |
| CDT | 16:00 | 20:00 |
| PDT | 14:00 | 18:00 |
| NZDT (Oct 22) | 10:00 | 14:00 |
| AEDT (Oct 22) | 08:00 | 12:00 |
| Taipei (Oct 22) | 05:00 | 09:00 |
| Seoul (Oct 22) | 06:00 | 10:00 |
How to join (official steps)
- Update your graphics drivers;
- Open the Battle.net desktop app and let it update;
- Select World of Warcraft, then in the Game Version menu above the Play button choose World of Warcraft: Forever Stress Test under In Development and install;
- When the test begins: Play, pick an available test realm, create a new test character, and join.
Eligibility is unchanged: any WoW account, no subscription required.
Two things you must know
- Before the test starts, the current Beta goes offline and Forever opens on its proper regional hardware — that is the whole point: validating the live datacenters under peak load;
- When the test shuts down, all stress test characters — including names — are deleted, and the Beta reopens. Separately, the Beta closes forever at 10:00 AM PDT on Friday, October 23 — the stress test is the last large-scale play session before launch.
Feedback channels are as before: forums, community, and in-client reports all count. Good luck tonight — go break those servers for everyone.
Source: Wowhead (official schedule relayed, official), originally published October 20, 2026: WoW: Forever Stress Test Start Times on October 21st.
Further reading: the reschedule background in our earlier report, launch prep in the checklist, and the Beta shutdown timeline in the roadmap.