NEWS · 29 OCTOBER 2026

Blizzard: a major patch every 4 months, and what comes next

One week before launch, Blizzard explained in an interview and on the official podcast what Forever's pace will be, where it could go and how the servers will work. Here are the key points.

• About 4 months (17 weeks) between major patches, roughly three times a year. In Season of Discovery they went every 8-10 weeks and felt it was too fast.
• Within each patch things will unlock after one, two or three months, so not everything comes out on day one.
• PvP seasons will also last 4 months.
• It fits the calendar we already know: raids on 9 December and the first major update in early 2027. Calendar.

• The classic path: Molten Core, Blackwing Lair and Ahn'Qiraj will come, but more spread out than in Classic.
• New places that «fit», like the Riverglades: future dungeons and raids will go there too.
• Very different things, like the Skyborne and Zephras Isle.
• The Dark Portal, Northrend and Pandaria exist, and there could be short trips there (a dungeon or a quest that takes you and brings you back), but not soon. You will always return to the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor.
• No housing in Forever.
• Two talent loadouts are enough for them for now.

• No realms: you choose a ruleset and play with people from all over Europe.
• Fewer forced phase changes: joining a group no longer moves you instantly; you get a prompt and some time to choose when.
• You are grouped with your community: the game tries to place you with your guild, your friends and people you have played with.
• People may still vanish when crossing zones, although it has improved. On day one there will be many more players in Durotar than in Orgrimmar and they will keep adjusting it.
• Huge PvP battles: they are looking into servers detecting them and giving them more capacity. What you saw at the end of the beta is what launch will have.
• More details and what is still just an idea: Half-confirmed.

Sources: IGN interview with Kris Zierhut and Tim Jones (Blizzard), 29 October · official podcast, episode 6 · Wowhead.