WoW Forever: Is It Worth It? Answered

Yes, for most people who like World of Warcraft or have wanted to try it, World of Warcraft: Forever is worth it, because it costs nothing beyond the standard World of Warcraft subscription ($14.99 a month, less on longer plans), and that one subscription also covers modern WoW and the Classic games. The Skyborne packs are optional, and most players can skip them or buy only the cheapest one for the new race.

It is a harder sell if you mainly want to raid, since the raids do not open until December 9, if you only play on a console, or if your Mac is older than Blizzard’s minimum. Below is what you pay, what the subscription gets you in Forever, what critics have said so far, whether a pack is worth adding, and who should play now or wait. Prices and content are checked against Blizzard’s Battle.net Shop and its launch post on November 11, 2026, a week after launch.

What You Pay

WoW Forever is not sold on its own. Access comes with a World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time, and these are Blizzard’s US prices as of November 11:

The shop says the subscription includes levels 1 to 80 in modern World of Warcraft, 1 to 60 in WoW Forever, 1 to 60 in World of Warcraft Classic and 1 to 90 in Mists of Pandaria Classic, so you are not paying for Forever alone. Only the modern game’s Midnight expansion is sold separately, and Forever does not need it. Our guide to whether WoW Forever is free covers the ways to pay less, and Blizzard has not announced a free trial for Forever.

What the Subscription Gets You in Forever

• A new 1 to 60 journey. Blizzard’s launch post promises “more than 1,000 new quests across the level 1-60 journey,” with new and reimagined zones including Mount Hyjal, Shen’dralas, the Riverglades and Zephras Isle.
• Nine new five-player dungeons for levels 13 to 60, on top of the original game’s dungeons.
• Raids from December 9. Level 60 players get three: Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia’s Lair.
• The Legacy System, an account-wide progression track that rewards leveling different classes, professions, PvP and exploration. Our Legacy Points guide lists every challenge.
• Rulesets for different tastes: Normal, PvP, Roleplaying and Roleplay-PvP, with Hardcore coming after launch.
• Gamepad support on Windows, which Blizzard lists as a beta, alongside the usual keyboard and mouse.

It is also a long game. Our own estimate is more than 100 hours to reach level 60 on a first character, and our guide to how long level 60 takes shows the math. At $14.99 a month, few games give you more hours for the money, as long as the pace suits you.

What Critics Have Said So Far

Early impressions are warm, with a caveat about how far in their authors were.

One critic, writing on November 9 after 25 hours with the game, called it “WoW, but with mindfulness” and wrote, “it’s been really, really hard for me to put World of Warcraft: Forever down.” The same piece admits to having “hardly even touched most of the new content,” so it speaks to the leveling feel more than to the new dungeons.

A September preview written after 20 hours in the beta, which stopped at level 20, said playing it “genuinely feels like a homecoming” and summed up: “Ultimately though, it’s just a lot of fun!” Its one complaint was about how Blizzard explains Forever next to Classic and modern WoW: “The message could be a little clearer.”

Neither piece gets into the level 60 game, and the raids are not open yet.

Is a Skyborne Pack Worth It?

Only if you want the Skyborne. Blizzard sells three optional packs: the Skyborne Heroic Pack ($29.99), the Skyborne Epic Pack ($59.99) and the Warcraft Forever Collection ($79.99). The Heroic Pack is the cheapest way to unlock the Skyborne race. The Epic Pack adds cosmetics and 30 days of Game Time, and the Collection adds Warcraft III: Reforged with its new Forsaken Kingdom campaign.

Check your class first: Skyborne cannot be Paladins, Priests or Warlocks on either faction, as our Skyborne unlock guide explains. Our guide to which upgrade pack to buy compares all three in detail, and it is the place to start if you are tempted by the bigger packs.

Who Should Play It Now

• Anyone who loved the original game or Classic. Forever keeps the 1 to 60 structure and adds new zones, quests and dungeons on top.
• New players. It starts at level 1 with everyone else, and our best class for new players guide helps you pick.
• People who like alts. The Legacy System pays you for leveling each class to 25, 45 and 60.
• Friend groups. Agree on a ruleset and faction first, since you can group only with players on the same ruleset and faction. Our guide to which ruleset to choose covers the options.

Who Should Wait or Skip

• If you mainly want to raid. Raids open on December 9, so a subscription bought today buys leveling and dungeons first. Most players will need that time to reach 60 anyway.
• If you only play on console. There is no Xbox or PlayStation version, as our Xbox and PS5 guide explains.
• If your Mac is older than an M2. Our guide to playing WoW Forever on a Mac lists Blizzard’s minimum.
• If you want the bigger faction on a PvP ruleset. Blizzard’s November 10 faction balance update says it “will become increasingly difficult to create characters on the more populous faction in each region,” which it named as Horde on North American PvP rulesets and Alliance in EU Roleplay-PvP.
• If you want Hardcore. Blizzard’s launch post says the Hardcore ruleset arrives “sometime after launch.”

If You Buy and Change Your Mind

Blizzard’s refund policy covers unused subscription time within 14 days of purchase, and the packs have their own rules. Our guide to refunding WoW Forever covers each purchase. Every other guide is on our World of Warcraft hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is WoW Forever worth it? For most people who enjoy MMOs, yes. It costs nothing beyond a standard World of Warcraft subscription, which also covers modern WoW and the Classic games, and the packs are optional.

Is WoW Forever worth it for new players? Yes. Everyone starts at level 1 on fresh rulesets, and Blizzard’s starter guide walks new players through setup.

Do I need a Skyborne pack to play? No. A subscription or Game Time is all you need. The cheapest pack, the $29.99 Skyborne Heroic Pack, is only worth it if you want the Skyborne race.

Is WoW Forever worth it for raiding right now? Not yet. Its three raids open on December 9, so until then the game is leveling, dungeons and PvP.

Does the subscription include other versions of WoW? Yes. Blizzard’s shop says it includes modern World of Warcraft up to level 80, WoW Classic and Mists of Pandaria Classic as well as Forever. The Midnight expansion is sold separately.

Is there a free trial for WoW Forever? Blizzard has not announced one. You need a subscription or Game Time to play.