Official news · Blizzard
Return to Azeroth in World of Warcraft: Forever
Blizzard publishes a guide for players coming back to WoW Forever, listing what is new since the original game. It recaps earlier posts and announces nothing new.
Highlights
- Set in the original game's early years, with more than 1,000 new quests across levels 1–60
- Nine new five-player dungeons cover levels 13–60
Human 
Hunter, 
Dwarf 
Shaman, 
Gnome 
Priest, 
Orc 
Mage, 
Troll 
Warlock and 
Undead 
Paladin are new pairs- Darkspear Islands is a 15 versus 15 battleground for levels 30–60, won at 2,000 points
- Players pick a ruleset instead of a realm; Hardcore is planned for later
- Every character has a two-part name, unique as a pair in the region
What this means for players
Nothing in the guides changes: every point here repeats something Blizzard had already announced. If you are coming back with friends, agree on the ruleset and faction first, and check the new race and class pairs before you settle on a character. Skyborne need the Heroic Pack or a higher upgrade.
Setting and world
WoW Forever takes place early in the original game's story, before Kazzak reopened the Dark Portal, and builds on the level 1–60 world. Blizzard counts more than 1,000 new quests, with new or reworked zones in both continents, among them Mount Hyjal, Shen’dralas, the Riverglades and Zephras Isle.
Dungeons
Nine new five-player dungeons span levels 13–60. In the Eastern Kingdoms they are Hall of Thanes, Ruins of Lordaeron, Excavation Site, City of Dalaran, The Drowned City and Krol’dok Stronghold; in Kalimdor, Alcaz Prison, Blackmaw Hold and Shaper’s Terrace.
Races and classes
Six race and class pairs the original game lacked are open: Human Hunter, Dwarf Shaman and Gnome Priest for the Alliance, and Orc Mage, Troll Warlock and Undead Paladin for the Horde. Skyborne pick a faction when they are made, with racials that depend on it, and start on Zephras Isle, a level 1–12 zone. They can be 
Druids, Hunters, 
Rogues and 
Warriors; Alliance Skyborne can also be Mages and Horde Skyborne Shamans. Playing one needs the Heroic Pack or a higher upgrade.
Legacy and PvP
The Legacy system is account-wide progress that rewards trying more of the game rather than raw power; alts help but are not needed, because a single character can unlock everything. In PvP, Honor and Rank points come from battlegrounds, PvP quests, weekly seasonal tasks and other PvP play, with extra during battleground holiday weeks. Darkspear Islands, off Dustwallow Marsh, is a 15 versus 15 battleground for levels 30–60: teams hold four capture points and a central flag, and the first to 2,000 points wins. The Darkspear Raiders and the Theramore Expeditionary Force offer reputation rewards there.
Presets, models and names
At first login you choose the Classic or Enhanced experience preset, before the ruleset. Classic starts with Standard Definition models, quest markers, the single bag and transmog off, keyboard turning and the classic layout; Enhanced turns those features on with High Definition models, keyboard strafing and a centered layout. Both can be changed later in the options. Each new character can use HD or SD models, a look-only choice that can be switched in the options or at a Barbershop. Every character has two names, and the pair must be unique in the region; the second can be hidden from nameplates but still shows in chat.
Rulesets
Players choose a ruleset rather than a realm: Normal, PvP, Roleplay or Roleplay-PvP. Hardcore, where death ends a character, is planned for later, with details and timing still to come. Blizzard advises friends and guilds to agree on a ruleset and faction before making characters.
Getting back in
WoW Forever comes with an active World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time, and is installed through the Blizzard desktop app by choosing WoW Forever as the game version. Players who cannot sign in are pointed to Blizzard Support's account recovery options.
Not announced yet
- When Hardcore arrives, and its rules
Guides this affects
Related news
This is our own summary of what Blizzard posted, not Blizzard's text. The original is the authority.