Blizzard Entertainment announced it will run a free, limited-time stress test for World of Warcraft: Forever, giving players without a subscription or beta access the chance to try out the upcoming MMORPG ahead of its November 4 launch, according to GameSpot.
The WoW: Forever stress test begins October 19 at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET and requires no subscription or beta access, Blizzard said. The studio described the goal as putting the game’s servers through their paces ahead of launch.
“This is a highly valuable event, since you’ll participate in our discovering of issues that would have otherwise happened on launch day,”
Blizzard Entertainment, announcing the stress test via post
To install the test, players need the Battle.net launcher installed along with an account. After selecting WoW: Forever from the list of games, they can choose to install the stress test under the “Game Version” drop-down menu.
There is a catch, however. According to Blizzard, the stress test will only run for a “few hours,” and exactly how long it lasts remains unclear; the studio said the window “may end earlier or run later as needed.” During the test, the game’s closed beta will be offline but returns once the test concludes. All characters created during the stress test are deleted afterward.
The free access offers a way for curious players to try WoW: Forever without purchasing the $60 Skyborne Epic Pack required for a beta code. The beta itself runs only until October 21, after which it shuts down and characters are deleted to make way for early name reservations ahead of the full game’s launch on October 27.
Multiple Blizzard developers have commented that the game’s popularity has already broken records, with indicators pointing toward WoW: Forever’s beta being a massive success, signaling a potentially large launch.
The beta hasn’t been without controversy. Multiple issues have stirred the community over the course of the beta, revealing WoW: Forever has a streamer problem. Illicit gold-buying scandals in the beta have pushed Blizzard to crack down harder than ever before, adding new in-game restrictions and warnings. Separately, one controversial streamer is seeking to create the biggest guild ever seen and dominate the game’s sole PvP server.
In a recent interview with GameSpot, Blizzard shared more details about WoW: Forever’s future and how it aims to “push the envelope” on what players expect.
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