The countdown to World of Warcraft: Forever is entering its final stretch. Blizzard has announced that Early Name Reservations open next week, letting eligible players lock in names for up to three characters before launch, and the ongoing beta is getting a short extension.
Blizzard shared the news yesterday (October 20th) with a little Futurama flair:
When Name Reservations Open
Early Name Reservations run from next Tuesday (October 27th) through the day before launch (November 3rd). Start times vary by region:
- North America: October 27 at 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Europe: October 27 at 18:00 CET
- Korea: October 28 at 07:00 KST
- Taiwan: October 28 at 07:00 CST
During that window, eligible players can create and reserve names for up to three characters in total across all Rulesets. Blizzard gives an example of how that limit works. If you make two characters on a PvP Ruleset, you will only have room for one more on a Normal or Role-Play Ruleset. That three-character cap only applies during Early Name Reservation.
Who Can Reserve Names
Name reservations are a pre-purchase perk. According to Blizzard, players who pre-purchase the Skyborne Heroic Pack, the Skyborne Epic Pack, or the limited-time Warcraft Forever Collection will have access. The fine print also says a WoW: Forever Digital Upgrade or Collector's Edition is required, and the benefit only applies to the specific account it was bought for.
Names are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis, and Blizzard is clear that your desired name is not guaranteed. Anyone with a classic name like Arthas or Thrall in mind should be ready right when the window opens.
How Names Work In WoW: Forever
That should be a little less stressful than usual, thanks to the new naming system. WoW: Forever uses a realmless Azeroth, so instead of a single name tied to one realm, every character gets two names, essentially a first name and a surname. What has to be unique is the full combination within your region.
That means the first name you love may still be available, as long as you pair it with a second name nobody else has used. Blizzard's own examples include characters named Asha Brightvale, Thalen Brightvale and Mira Brightvale, who share a family-style surname. Guilds and roleplayers can use the same idea to build shared naming themes.
If you would rather keep things simple, you can hide your secondary name in the game world through the Nameplates section of the Options menu. It will still appear in chat.
The usual rules still apply, too. Names have to follow the in-game code of conduct, and certain words, spellings and repeated-character patterns may be restricted, including anything that impersonates Blizzard. The system checks both names together, so splitting a banned word across the two parts will not necessarily get it through.
How To Get Ready
Blizzard recommends updating your graphics drivers and installing the Battle.net desktop app ahead of time. From there, select World of Warcraft, choose World of Warcraft: Forever from the Game Version menu above the Play button, and install it. Once it is done, you can pick a Ruleset and create up to three characters with your chosen names.
The Beta Gets A Few More Days
Beta testers also have a little extra time. The beta was set to end today, but Blizzard has extended it to 10 a.m. PDT on Friday (October 23rd). It has been an eventful test so far, with Blizzard adding weather effects like lightning storms and confirming that there will be no low-level protection from ganking on PvP Rulesets.
World of Warcraft: Forever launches in two weeks (November 4th).
Will you be up early to grab your favorite name on day one, or are you happy to roll the dice with the random name generator at launch?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.