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WoW Forever name reservation runs from October 27 to November 3 (Pacific Time) and comes with any upgrade edition: the Skyborne Heroic Pack, the Skyborne Epic Pack or the Warcraft Forever Collection. During that window you can create and customize up to three characters, and names are reserved first come, first served, with no guarantee of getting the one you want. Every character has two names, like a first name and a surname, and the full combination must be unique within your region. Blizzard has not said what time it opens: it has only given the days, and the start of October 27 in Pacific Time is 7:00 AM UTC (times by region).
We are within the WoW Forever name reservation dates: October 27 to November 3 (Pacific Time), with any upgrade edition. You can create and customize up to three characters, and names are reserved first come, first served, with no guarantee of getting the one you want. Every character has two names, and the full combination must be unique within your region. Blizzard has not given an opening or closing time; November 3 in Pacific Time ends at 8:00 AM UTC on November 4. Its notices show up on the server status page.
WoW Forever Early Name Reservation ended on November 3 (Pacific Time), right before launch. It ran from October 27 to November 3 with any upgrade edition and let you create and customize up to three characters. The naming rules stay the same: every character has two names, the full combination must be unique within your region and, if the one you want is taken or breaks the rules, you pick another one or try the in-game random name generator.
Dates and times in your region
Blizzard gives the reservation as a range of days in Pacific Time: October 27 through November 3. It has not said what time it opens on the first day or closes on the last.
Upcoming
Converted to your time zone, that range runs from the start of October 27 to the end of November 3, both in Pacific Time. Take it as the outer limits of the announced dates, not as the opening time:
| Where | From | Until |
|---|---|---|
| US Pacific (Blizzard's time) | 12:00 AM · October 27 | 12:00 AM · November 4 |
| US Central | 2:00 AM · October 27 | 2:00 AM · November 4 |
| US Eastern | 3:00 AM · October 27 | 3:00 AM · November 4 |
| UTC | 7:00 AM · October 27 | 8:00 AM · November 4 |
| United Kingdom | 7:00 AM · October 27 | 8:00 AM · November 4 |
| Central Europe | 8:00 AM · October 27 | 9:00 AM · November 4 |
| Mexico (Mexico City) | 1:00 AM · October 27 | 2:00 AM · November 4 |
| Sydney | 6:00 PM · October 27 | 7:00 PM · November 4 |
Pacific Time switches from daylight saving to standard time partway through the window, so its offset from your time may not be the same on the first and the last day. The table already accounts for it.
The reservation ends right before launch: WoW Forever launches on November 4, 2026 at 3:00 PM PST (11:00 PM UTC). Launch time in your region
Blizzard's dates around the reservation, all in Pacific Time except the launch, which has an official time:
- October 20Invite codes start arriving
Blizzard starts emailing them to buyers of an upgrade edition. How they work
- October 21Last day of the beta
Then final preparations for launch. Beta guide
- October 27 – November 3Name reservation
Up to three characters, with names reserved first come, first served.
- November 4Launch
At 3:00 PM PST (11:00 PM UTC).
- November 4–11Invite code week
Friends with a code play without a subscription or Game Time.
Who can reserve and how many characters
Blizzard includes Early Name Reservation with any upgrade purchase. All three digital upgrade editions have it:
- Skyborne Heroic Pack$29.99
- Skyborne Epic Pack$59.99
- Warcraft Forever Collection$79.99
Prices in US dollars; the Battle.net Shop shows the price for your country (how to check).
- During the reservation you can create and customize up to three characters before launch.
- Names are reserved first come, first served, and Blizzard warns that it cannot guarantee you will get the one you want.
- A subscription or Game Time is all you need to play, but Early Name Reservation only comes with the upgrade editions.
First name and surname, unique per region
Forever has no realms, and that changes names: instead of a single name tied to a realm, every character has two, like a first name and a surname.
- What must be unique is the full combination, and it is unique across your whole region, not just a realm.
- If another player already has the first name you love, you can still use it with a different second name.
- Several characters can share a surname, like a family: Blizzard's example is Asha, Thalen and Mira Brightvale.
- According to Blizzard, the second name can suggest a family, a place, a reputation or something like a title.
How to hide your second name
If you prefer a simpler look, you can stop showing your second name in the game world. The steps Blizzard gives:
- Open the Game Menu with Escape.
- Select Options, then Nameplates.
- Click the "My Secondary Name" checkbox.
Your second name no longer shows in the world, but it still appears in chat.
Naming rules
Names still have rules. What Blizzard has explained:
- They must follow the in-game code of conduct for names.
- Blizzard may block some names, words, spellings and runs of repeated letters, for example names that could confuse other players, pass themselves off as Blizzard or the World of Warcraft team, or clash with its naming policies.
- The system can judge both names together: splitting a banned word between the first name and the surname does not necessarily make it valid.
- If the full name you want is taken or breaks the rules, you will have to pick another combination or try your luck with the in-game random name generator.
Blizzard has already acted in the beta: on September 24 it said it was forcing name changes on characters that broke its naming policy and had removed beta access from some players whose names were far outside the code of conduct. The development team reviewed each case, Customer Service will not handle appeals, and the system that enforces naming standards was about to come online.
Blizzard's notice on beta names · Blizzard's code of conduct
Friends, guilds and invite codes
If you are going to play with friends or your guild, this is worth knowing:
- A group can use a shared naming theme, such as the same surname, as long as each full name is still free in the region. Since names are reserved first come, first served, agree on it before October 27.
- The Invite-A-Friend Launch Codes arrive by email starting October 20 (Pacific Time): 1 with the Heroic Pack and 3 in total with the Epic Pack or the Warcraft Forever Collection.
- With that code, your friend plays Forever without a subscription or Game Time from November 4 to 11 (Pacific Time), that is, from launch. Early Name Reservation, on the other hand, comes with buying an upgrade edition.
Looking for a guild? Our guild directory lets you find one or list your own.
What Blizzard has not said
With what has been published so far, these still have no official answer:
- What time it opens and closes: Blizzard has only given the days, in Pacific Time.
- How to reserve, step by step: it says you can create and customize up to three characters, but it has not explained where or how.
- Whether you pick your ruleset when you reserve: Blizzard has not gone into it.
- Whether beta characters or names carry over to the full game: its beta and launch announcements do not mention it.
- What each region covers: names are unique "within a region", but Blizzard has not detailed which regions there will be.
Official sources
The official Blizzard announcements this page is based on:
- Pre-Purchase World of Warcraft: Forever Upgrades and Begin Your Next Journey in Azeroth · September 12, 2026 · Blizzard’s original: Pre-Purchase World of Warcraft: Forever Upgrades and Begin Your Next Journey in Azeroth
- World of Warcraft: Forever Deep Dive Panel Recap · September 13, 2026 · Blizzard’s original: World of Warcraft: Forever Deep Dive Panel Recap
- Create a Name of Your Own in WoW: Forever · September 21, 2026 · Blizzard’s original: Create a Name of Your Own in WoW: Forever
- Beta account actions for name violations · Blizzard forums · September 24, 2026
Frequently asked questions
When is WoW Forever name reservation?
From October 27 to November 3, Pacific Time. Blizzard has not given an opening time; in UTC, that range runs from 7:00 AM on October 27 to 8:00 AM on November 4 (times by region).
It ran from October 27 to November 3, Pacific Time, right before launch.
What do I need to reserve a name?
An upgrade edition: the Skyborne Heroic Pack ($29.99), the Skyborne Epic Pack ($59.99) or the Warcraft Forever Collection ($79.99); the physical Collector's Edition includes a Warcraft Forever Collection code. Blizzard includes the reservation with any upgrade purchase, not with the subscription.
How many names can I reserve?
You can create and customize up to three characters during the reservation. Names are reserved first come, first served, and are not guaranteed.
Can I use a name another player already has?
The first name, yes, as long as your second name is different: what must be unique within the region is the full combination.
Can I hide my surname?
In the game world, yes: Game Menu (Escape) > Options > Nameplates, then click the "My Secondary Name" checkbox. It still shows in chat.
Do beta names carry over?
Blizzard has not said: its announcements do not mention carrying beta characters or names over to the full game. What it has announced is this early reservation.
What happens if my name breaks the rules?
Blizzard can force you to change it. It has already done so in the beta with characters that broke its naming policy, and it removed beta access from some players whose names were far outside the code of conduct.
Can a friend with an invite code reserve a name?
Blizzard does not say. What it has announced is that the reservation comes with upgrade purchases and that the invite code gives access to Forever from November 4 to 11, after the reservation has ended.
See also
Price and editionsWhat the subscription includes, what each pack costs, which one gives beta access and what the invite codes are for.
Servers and languageWhy Forever has no realms, which ruleset to pick and how the preferred language setting works.
Guild directoryGuilds recruiting for Forever, with their faction, language and schedule.
Launch checklistEverything to do before November 4
LaunchDates, editions and day-one contentA The Forever Era guide. Anything specific to Forever comes from Blizzard's official announcements or the beta client; general Classic knowledge is marked as such. We never invent numbers or rankings, and the guide is reviewed with every build.
