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Blizzard moved the Forever Stress Test from October 19 to October 21. Anyone with a World of Warcraft account can log in for a few hours on the hardware Forever launches on, with no subscription, Game Time, or invite. Beta closes first, and every Stress Test character is deleted when the test ends.
Below: your start time by region, how to install the test from Battle.net, and what the wipe means for names.
Start Times: October 21, Local Clocks
| Region | Local start |
|---|---|
| Americas and Oceania | October 21, 2:00 p.m. PDT |
| Europe | October 21, 19:00 CEST |
| Taiwan | October 22, 05:00 |
| Korea | October 22, 06:00 |
For China-based players on Beijing time: the Americas, Taiwan, and Korea start are all 05:00 on October 22; Europe starts at 01:00 on October 22.
Your move: replace any reminder set for October 19 with your October 21 start above.
How to Join: Forever Stress Test in Battle.net
- Update your graphics drivers.
- Open the Battle.net desktop app and let it update if it asks.
- Select World of Warcraft.
- Above Play, open Game Version, choose World of Warcraft: Forever Stress Test under In Development, then Install.
- When the window opens, hit Play, pick an available test realm, and create a new character.
Pre-download before the day. If you already have the Forever beta client, you still need the separate Stress Test entry.
What Happens to Beta and Your Characters
Blizzard closes the beta first, then opens Forever on the hardware used for launch for a few hours. When the test ends, all Stress Test characters and names are deleted, and the beta reopens.
Name reservation and launch are unchanged: reservation opens on October 27, and the global launch is November 4 at 3:00 p.m. PST. Treat every Stress Test name as temporary and lock your real names during name reservation.
Your move: finish any beta characters you care about before the beta closes on October 21.
What to Do on the Day
- Install early. Pick Forever Stress Test in Battle.net and finish the download before your start time.
- Bring a group. Guilds and friends logging in together pack a realm harder than solo players.
- Exercise the systems. Create characters, quest, trade, chat, and group.
- Update the calendar. Stress Test October 21, name reservation October 27, launch November 4. Full dates sit on the release date page.
Read the full announcement on Blizzard News