WoW: Forever Devs on Going Big and What's Next

Ever thought you knew everything about WoW Classic? Think again. World of Warcraft: Forever is Blizzard's third major take on its legendary MMO, launching November 4. And this time, the devs are swinging for the fences.

In an interview with GameSpot, associate production director Clay Stone and executive producer Holly Longdale spilled the details on how Forever aims to exceed expectations. "We wanted to push the envelope," Stone said. Instead of just tweaking class balance or finishing old quests, Blizzard went big: over 1,000 new quests, four new zones, thousands of items, substantial class changes, and multiple new gameplay systems. Plus, a brand-new playable race called Skyborne elves—something you won't find in any other version of WoW.

Why front-load all this? Stone explained that waiting years to add a new race would be too late. "If there's an opportunity for us to take some bigger swings and some bigger risks up front, I think it sets us up much better for the long-term health of the game," he said. That philosophy led to surprising additions like Undead Paladins, and there's more to come.

Blizzard originally planned even more for launch but scaled back as BlizzCon 2026 approached. Stone teased that more race/class combos and "more extreme" class changes—similar to Season of Discovery—could arrive later. At BlizzCon, Blizzard announced a roadmap through Summer 2027, including new raids, dungeons, quests, and a Hardcore permadeath server. "We're deliberately holding back just a little," Stone admitted.

So where will Forever take us next? Stone was clear: the team is committed to "staying on Azeroth." He hinted at unexplored locations beyond Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms. "The creative constraint of telling ourselves we're going to stay on Azeroth has created some really cool and interesting creative opportunities," he said. That could mean revisiting familiar places or discovering new ones.

Of course, new content raises questions about monetization. Forever is included with the $15 monthly WoW subscription, but for the first time, Blizzard is charging $30 for the Skyborne race. Longdale called it "testing things out" to support the team without adding "unnecessary barriers." The Skyborne come with a new starting zone, but it's not a full expansion's worth of content.

With so much on the horizon, one thing's for sure: WoW: Forever is shaping up to be more than just a nostalgia trip. Will you be diving in on November 4? What new feature are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments!