No. World of Warcraft: Forever is only on PC and Mac through Blizzard’s Battle.net app, and there is no version for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PS4 or Nintendo Switch, nor one announced. What it does have is built-in controller support on PC: Blizzard says it works with any XInput-compatible controller, with Xbox and PlayStation button icons, so you can play it with a gamepad from the couch on a Windows PC.
Below is what Blizzard’s leads have said about consoles, how to switch Forever to controller, the main controls, and the ways to get it on a TV or a handheld today. Everything is as of November 7, three days after launch.
Where You Can Play WoW Forever
| Platform | Available? |
|---|---|
| Windows PC | Yes, through Battle.net |
| Mac | Yes, through Battle.net |
| Windows handhelds (such as the ROG Ally) | Yes, they are Windows PCs |
| Steam Deck | Not officially; see our Steam Deck guide |
| Xbox Series X and Series S | No |
| PS5 and PS4 | No |
| Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 | No |
You need a Battle.net account and an active subscription or Game Time to play. Our guide to whether WoW Forever is free explains the cost.
What Blizzard Has Said About Consoles
Blizzard has not ruled consoles out, but it has not promised them either. World of Warcraft game director Ion Hazzikostas told Windows Central at BlizzCon: “Our focus remains PC. It’s not just Xbox, it’s just gamepad in general.” He said the team has seen players “jump through a lot of hoops to get WoW playable on gamepad” with addons over the years, and “we want to make that easier,” adding that “many possibilities exist in the future, and we’ll see where that leads us.”
Blizzard vice president Holly Longdale went a step further in an interview with GamesRadar+: “Play it wherever you want and, at some point, on whatever you want. But the first leg of that journey is getting gamepads working really well with World of Warcraft, and we thought Forever was the perfect place to start.”
Both answers point the same way: the controller work comes first, and a console version is a possibility for later, not a plan with a date. Until Blizzard announces one, treat any “WoW Forever Xbox release date” you see as speculation.
How to Play WoW Forever With a Controller
Blizzard’s gamepad guide says Forever “supports all XInput-compatible controllers and includes Xbox and PlayStation button icons.” To switch:
- Connect your controller to your PC.
- Press Escape to open the Game Menu and select Options.
- Choose Gamepad under Gameplay to switch from keyboard and mouse.
- Tune it in the Gamepad settings: Camera, HUD Modifier, Frame Focus Style, Action Bars, Targeting and Raid Targeting Options.
On controllers with supported lighting, Blizzard adds a nice touch: the light turns red for a Horde character and blue for an Alliance one.
The Main Controller Controls
Blizzard describes the controls with Xbox button names:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Left stick | Move |
| Right stick | Move the camera |
| LB / RB | Target a friend / target an enemy |
| A | Jump |
| X | Interact |
| B | Back |
| Y | Inspect |
| Hold LT, RT or both | Switch between four action bars |
| LB + RB, then D-pad Left or Right | Switch between three action bar sets |
| LB + RB + right stick forward or back | Zoom the camera |
| LB + RB + B | Open your backpack |
| LB + RB + Down | Open chat |
| Menu | Main menu |
Each set of four bars has 28 slots, for 84 ability slots across the three sets. That is plenty for any class; our best class for new players guide is a good starting point if you want a class that is comfortable on a pad.
The Catches
- It is a beta. Blizzard says controller support is in “a functional beta” and not every screen has gamepad prompts yet.
- You still need a keyboard sometimes. Blizzard says to “keep a keyboard within reach for tasks such as typing in-game chat,” though a keyboard-free experience is its longer-term aim.
- There are known gamepad bugs. Blizzard’s known issues list of November 5 notes that deleting more than one rare or epic item at a time with a gamepad may throw an error.
Playing on a TV
The simplest way to play Forever on a TV today is a Windows PC or laptop plugged into it, with a controller and a small wireless keyboard for chat. A Windows handheld docked to a TV works the same way. Turn down the heavy lighting settings on smaller machines; our best graphics settings guide shows which to cut first. Every other guide is on our World of Warcraft hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WoW Forever on Xbox? No. It is on PC and Mac only, through Battle.net, though it supports Xbox controllers on PC.
Is WoW Forever on PS5? No. There is no PlayStation version, but Blizzard’s gamepad support includes PlayStation button icons on PC.
Will WoW Forever come to consoles? Blizzard has not announced a console version. Ion Hazzikostas said “our focus remains PC,” while saying many possibilities exist in the future.
Does WoW Forever support controllers? Yes, in a beta state. Turn it on under Options, Gameplay, Gamepad.
Can you play WoW Forever with an Xbox controller? Yes. Blizzard says it supports all XInput-compatible controllers, which includes Xbox controllers.