WoW Forever name reservation from October 27: packs, times, rules
WoW Forever name reservation opens October 27 in Europe and North America. Regional start times, the three-character limit, eligible packs and Blizzard's installation steps.
The quick answer
Buyers of an upgrade pack can reserve names from October 27 through November 3, first come, first served, on the WoW account the pack was bought for. You can reserve up to three characters total across all rulesets. Each character has two names and only the full combination must be unique in your region.
Guide details and editorial record
- For
- Players planning character names for WoW Forever launch
- Prerequisites
- An upgrade pack bought on the WoW account you will play on
- Game version
- World of Warcraft: Forever; reservation start times and install announcement checked October 22, 2026. Earlier naming and support checks retained from October 19. No gameplay build published.
Responsible editor: Max · Editorial record: low risk · desk review · AI assistance: draft
Early Name Reservation for World of Warcraft: Forever runs from October 27 through November 3, 2026, for eligible upgrade purchases. Names are handed out first come, first served. The sections below follow Blizzard’s naming post, its Forever page and its naming policy.
Who can reserve and when
| Question | What Blizzard says |
|---|---|
| Window | October 27 through November 3, 2026 |
| Who | Eligible upgrade purchases. Blizzard’s page lists “WoW: Forever Early Name Reservation” in all three packs: Skyborne Heroic Pack, Skyborne Epic Pack and Warcraft Forever Collection |
| Which account | The benefit applies only to the specific WoW account it was purchased for |
| Order | First come, first served |
| Guarantee | Desired names cannot be guaranteed |
| Limit | Up to three characters total across all rulesets, not three per ruleset |
| Launch | November 4, 3:00 p.m. PST |
Blizzard’s reservation announcement, checked October 22, gives these regional openings. These are separate published times, not conversions of one global opening.
| Region | Reservation opens |
|---|---|
| Europe | October 27, 18:00 CET |
| North America | October 27, 1:00 p.m. PDT |
| Korea | October 28, 07:00 KST |
| Taiwan | October 28, 07:00 CST |
To reserve a character, Blizzard says to update the Battle.net desktop app, select World of Warcraft, then select World of Warcraft: Forever from the Game Version menu and choose Install. When installation finishes, select Play, choose your ruleset and create your character. Creating two characters on a PvP ruleset leaves one slot for another ruleset during the reservation window. This is the published workflow, not a Realm First client test.
The release date and price guide shows what else each pack includes. Blizzard’s page does not say whether you need an active subscription or game time during the reservation window; do not assume either answer.
How two-part names work
Instead of one name tied to a realm, each Forever character has two names, which Blizzard compares to a first name and a surname. The full combination must be unique within your region. Another player holding your first name does not make it unavailable, as long as the complete pair differs.
Blizzard’s examples are Asha Brightvale, Thalen Brightvale and Mira Brightvale, three characters that share a family-style second name. A guild or group can also share a naming theme, provided each full combination is still free in the region. The rulesets article explains why Forever has rulesets instead of realms.
If the full name you want is taken or fails the naming requirements, Blizzard says to choose another combination or use the in-game random name generator.
What Blizzard restricts
Character names must follow the in-game code of conduct for names. Blizzard adds that certain names, words, spellings and repeated-character patterns may be restricted, including names that could create confusion, impersonate Blizzard or the World of Warcraft team, or conflict with existing naming policies. The system can evaluate both parts together, so splitting a restricted word across the two names will not necessarily make it valid.
Blizzard’s support article, last updated about seven months before this check, sets these rules for current WoW:
| Name type | Length | Other rules |
|---|---|---|
| Character | 2 to 12 characters | Accented characters supported; numbers, symbols, mixed capitals and spaces not supported |
| Guild | 2 to 24 characters | Accented characters supported; numbers and symbols not supported; mixed capitals and spaces supported |
| Hunter pet | 2 to 12 characters | Mixed capitals allowed; numbers and symbols not supported |
| Companion pet | 2 to 16 characters | Spaces allowed; numbers and symbols not supported |
That article does not describe two-part names, so it does not tell you whether the 2-to-12 limit applies to each part of a Forever name. Role-play names fall under a separate Role Play Naming Policy article that Blizzard links from the same page.
For violations, Blizzard’s article says a player usually receives a warning and a randomly generated temporary name, plus an email with instructions for choosing a new one. In some cases action can be taken against the WoW game account. Guild name violations go to the guild leader.
Choosing a name
Blizzard suggests picking a first name that fits the character, then using the second name to add something specific, such as a family, a place, a reputation or a title-like word. Check each full combination against the restrictions above before the window opens.
The Realm First name generator produces candidates by race and checks a typed name against the published rules. It cannot tell you whether a name is taken; that is visible only in the game.
If you would rather not see the second name over characters in the world, Blizzard says to press Escape, open Options, then Nameplates, and tick “My Secondary Name”. The second name still appears in chat.
What is still unpublished
The checked announcement does not establish when the client download becomes available, its size, whether reservation needs an active subscription, or whether beta characters or names carry over. It also does not settle how the current WoW support article’s character limits apply to each part of a Forever name.