# World of Warcraft (WoW) Forever **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** video-games-e-games\ **Created:** [October 14, 2026, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833 "2026-10-14T15:57:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2026, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/61 "2026-10-27T18:27:51Z")
I agree Horde city layouts are terrible, but Horde early game _story_ is much better, especially over the human storyline… I refuse to play Romeo and Juliet for human pig farmers. If I’m an Orc or Troll I get to meet Thrall early on, and get sent on missions of substance from him… between farming Zhevra hooves until my mind melts. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2026, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/62 "2026-10-27T18:34:49Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > I refuse to play Romeo and Juliet for human pig farmers. But the epic battle with Princess in the pumpkin patch! ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/63 "2026-10-27T20:37:06Z")
I didn’t get all the names I wanted, but I did get a druid called “Gone Wild” so that’s fun. I hope I don’t eat a ban over it. Love Fool and Poor Yorick are my other two. Though I’m mostly planning to call my characters Palooka XYZ, which seems unlikely to be claimed. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2026, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/64 "2026-10-27T20:43:49Z")
In the US: no difficulty logging in, but on my dozenth + iteration of crashing during “retrieving server information”. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2026, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/65 "2026-10-27T21:16:17Z")
“The ~~hills~~ forums are alive with the sound of ~~music~~ complaining…” Another typical Blizzard launch experience. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2026, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/66 "2026-10-27T21:31:46Z")
And this isn’t even launch; it’s the prelude to launch. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2026, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/67 "2026-10-27T21:35:58Z")
True. Launch will be even more oversubscribed, because not everyone bought the premium gewgaw packages needed to unlock name reservation. It will be a fine kettle of fish, and I wouldn’t be surprised (given Blizzard’s system engineering prowess) if Forever launch takes down all the other [battle.net](http://battle.net) services too. At a minimum, because of the shared authentication infrastructure and server hosting. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2026, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/68 "2026-10-28T00:11:00Z")
> [@Palooka](#): > > Though I’m mostly planning to call my characters Palooka XYZ, which seems unlikely to be claimed. Yep, all of mine are “Kron \”. It did take me ~45 minutes to get in and get all of my characters created. Server was slammed! ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2026, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/69 "2026-10-28T00:42:10Z")
One Troll Hunter, One Forsaken Warlock, One Skyborne Druid. Most of the names are versions of my very first characters ever created in Wow. The one that wasn’t was because that character is still semi-active. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2026, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/70 "2026-10-28T14:48:07Z")
I had a little adventure making my three pre-launch characters. No trouble at all with my Shaman or Paladin. Then I made a Night Elf Rogue with the name “Madelphine Whispermoon”, which I thought was a great name for that character. Nope, rejected. I couldn’t believe someone else had already taken that name. Some investigation found the problem: Whispermoon . Doh! ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/71 "2026-10-28T16:15:45Z")
Some people were complaining of, for example, not being able to use Connor, which was the complainant’s actual name. It turns out Blizzard has blocked names starting with OS reserved words, such as CON, NUL, LPT1, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2026, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/72 "2026-10-28T17:51:12Z")
Obligatory XKCD comic: [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/exploits_of_a_mom.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/exploits_of_a_mom.png) ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2026, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/73 "2026-10-28T18:05:02Z")
Ha! As both a “Robert” and a database engineer (ret.) I appreciated this very much. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2026, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/74 "2026-10-28T19:16:21Z")
I am looking at the WOW website and do not understand. The prices specific to WOW forever are “packs.” So, I do not want a “pack.” I want to just play the game, let’s say. What do I need to pay for to just play the baseline WOW Forever game? I don’t have an active subscription to WOW anymore. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2026, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/75 "2026-10-28T19:21:45Z")
Per the corrections I received in my own misunderstandings - you need the monthly sub, but no additional “packs” or retail copies. You will need the optional packs if you want the new race though. The keys (I’ve given out mine) will apparently let you play for free briefly without a sub. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/76 "2026-10-29T01:20:31Z")
Yes, you’ll just need an active sub when it releases 11/4. If you would like a 7-day trial key to try it out, I have some to spare. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/77 "2026-10-29T01:55:23Z")
Right. All you need is game time. 60-day blocks are available in the Blizzard Store and sometimes as gametime cards in retailers (which have a code you poke into Blizzard’s website). You can also subscribe, which is to say you give them a credit card number and they charge you for a new block of gametime as your old block is about to run out. That can be configured to charge monthly, three months, six months, or annually. The longer chunks give a discount, but you’re pre-paying for more non-refundable non-pausable game time so if you want to quit or take a break, that’s game time you’ve already paid for going to waste. ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/78 "2026-10-29T02:02:07Z")
Anyone else Horde PvP? ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2026, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/79 "2026-11-03T23:01:44Z")
24 hour hype. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2026, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833/80 "2026-11-03T23:38:01Z")
Yeah, I’m anxious LOL. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-of-warcraft-wow-forever/1033833.md?page=5)