Inven Global

There is now just one month left until the launch of World of Warcraft: Forever (hereafter Forever), scheduled for release on Thursday, November 5. Highly anticipated even before its BlizzCon announcement under the moniker "Classic+", the month-long beta attracted a massive number of players.

Despite requiring the purchase of a Skyborne Pack to participate, the beta drew an even larger global audience than Classic, leading to long queues and server disconnections. With the official launch just a month away, here are my impressions from playing the Forever beta.

A High Elf splinter faction exiled on Zephras Isle

The new race, the Skyborne, is a faction that split off from High Elves thousands of years ago, living alongside elemental spirits of wind on the floating sanctuary of Zephras Isle. In Forever, the elementals suddenly vanish, leaving the island in danger of falling from the sky. Resolving this crisis forms the early storyline for the Skyborne.

The Skyborne were added as one of Forever's core conceits: elements that always existed in Azeroth, but were never highlighted. Opinions are mixed—many players dislike the inclusion of a brand-new race in a Classic setting, while others are dissatisfied that the newly added race feels like a palette swap of Blood Elves.

However, since Blood Elves themselves are a widely popular and attractive race, and because the Skyborne tie directly into unresolved lore like Al'Akir the Windlord, playing through their story was quite enjoyable. While I personally preferred not having neutral races whose faction can't be distinguished by appearance alone—similar to Pandaren—the clear conflict between the High Council (Alliance) and the Windshapers (Horde) provided a convincing reason for their division.

My initial impression playing Forever was, "So this is the 'joy of chance encounters' that the developers emphasized at BlizzCon." Players gathered closely around campfires to receive minor buffs, and I frequently sent party invites to foreign players I couldn't even communicate with just to complete quests.

Accumulating these experiences brought a true role-playing joy—making me feel like I was personally exploring the world rather than just leveling up a character. True to Classic, individual monsters possessed formidable combat strength, some quest paths were unhelpful, and progression took a long time, yet every single detail contributed to the enjoyment.

Zephras Isle, the starting area for the Skyborne, has mountainous terrain, and bugs with the map feature early in the beta made leveling somewhat difficult. However, the questing route itself is streamlined and delivers an entirely fresh narrative, making it an experience well worth trying.

Leveling a character in Forever was immensely fun, but it didn't feel drastically different from the enjoyment found in original WoW Classic. At least up to level 20, I couldn't feel a major distinction between Classic and Forever. While new dungeons, revamped talent trees, and the Legacy system were added, these changes aren't heavily felt in early-level gameplay.

In particular, once I left Zephras Isle—where I experienced a completely new story—and began traveling between Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms, the thought crossed my mind: "Is this just playing Classic all over again?" Naturally, my opinion might change once Forever officially launches and players begin fully investing into class talents and Legacy traits, but in early leveling, it's hard to feel the progression benefits of these systems.

Nonetheless, Forever possesses a unique charm in offering long-term "Classic" enjoyment enhanced by upgraded graphics and refined systems. True to the developer statement that "Azeroth itself is the main character," the game faithfully delivers the thrill of exploring the world as a member of Azeroth before being a solitary protagonist.

Ultimately, Forever is close to an upgraded version of WoW Classic. For players accustomed to modern "retail" leveling, Forever's slow pacing, deliberate combat, and the hands-on process of learning professions, mining ore, and crafting potions might feel tedious.

However, if approached not as a rush to raid end-game content, but as an immersive role-playing experience—clearing elite quests with strangers, tackling dungeons, and discovering Azeroth's hidden lore—it delivers proven fun with substantial added value. For fans invested in Warcraft lore, uncovering previously unrevealed backstory and exploring alternate history ("what if") branches unique to Forever offers enjoyment far beyond simple nostalgia.

With developers promising not to release subsequent expansions like The Burning Crusade or raise the level cap, the overall progression pace is likely to differ significantly from retail. Once Forever officially launches, I recommend stepping back from hyper-efficient leveling and end-game grinding to relax and enjoy the world and atmosphere of Azeroth.