Blizzard raised it from 20 with the October 1 update, a new build that also adds the Excavation Site: Wetlands dungeon and opens Razorfen Downs and Uldaman.
Blizzard raised the World of Warcraft: Forever beta level cap from 20 to 30 on October 1, 2026. Community manager Kaivax confirmed it on the official forums: the beta went offline for maintenance that morning, Pacific time, and returns several hours later with a new build of changes and fixes.
Blizzard posted the change list at 22:56 UTC in the beta development notes thread. The build adds a new dungeon, Excavation Site: Wetlands (26-31), opens Razorfen Downs and Uldaman, and cuts dungeon quest experience. Our October 1 patch notes summary covers every change.
On This Page
What Blizzard Said
Kaivax wrote that the beta would go offline on the morning of October 1, Pacific time, and come back with an updated build. He opened the Beta Update Maintenance - October 1 thread at 00:17 UTC on October 1, which was 5:17 p.m. on September 30, Pacific time. His post reads:
Blue post, Kaivax
Several hours later, the Beta will resume with an updated build that includes changes and fixes, with the level cap raised to 30.
At 17:12 UTC he said the beta would go offline "in about 45 minutes,"
which puts the shutdown close to 11 a.m. PDT.Blizzard: Beta Update Maintenance - October 1, Kaivax, checked Oct 1, 2026. Neither post gives a time for the beta to come back.
What Level 30 Means for Beta Testers
Beta characters can now level from 20 to 30. That is the second and, by the developers' account, last step for the test. In a September 13 interview, developers said the cap would move to 30 after "a couple weeks" and stay there for the rest of the beta. The raise came exactly two weeks after the September 17 start.
"PLAY UP TO LEVEL 30."October 1 is the day it arrived.Blizzard: Blizzard, What's Next Panel Recap
None of it carries over. The same developers said launch starts fresh at level 1, and Blizzard's own account replied "It will be fresh servers." Treat levels 20 to 30 as a test of zones, quests, talents, and dungeons you will replay on November 4.
Ten more levels means more talent points to spend and deeper rows to test. Plan a build in our talent calculator before you log in.
What Blizzard Has Not Announced
- The hour the beta comes back up
- When the new battleground opens for testing
- A Server Slam date
- Beta characters: wiped or kept through the test
Blizzard's notes name the new dungeon, Excavation Site: Wetlands, for levels 26 to 31. They also open Razorfen Downs (25+) and Uldaman (30+).
Leveling 20 to 30
Start with our leveling guide and leveling zones page, which map the Forever route so far. Players who want turn-by-turn directions can compare the two guide addons building for Forever. RestedXP sells Forever routes it says are still being built, and Zygor Guides says its Forever guides arrive at launch. Zygor vs RestedXP sets them side by side.
Earlier Beta Builds
Catch up on the September 24 build and the beta basics:
| Page | Detail |
|---|---|
| September 24 beta patch notes | the first class-tuning build, Cooldown Manager, and 1 silver respecs |
| Beta access and dates | who gets in and how long the test runs |
| WoW Forever beta hub | status panel, what is in the test, and known issues |
Sources
| Source | Details |
|---|---|
| Beta Update Maintenance - October 1 | Kaivax, Blizzard official forums, posts 1 and 191, retrieved 2026-10-01T19:30Z. |
| WoW Forever Beta Development Notes, Updated September 24 | Kaivax, retrieved 2026-10-01T19:30Z; not yet updated for October 1. |
| The World of Warcraft: Forever Beta Is Now Live | Blizzard, September 17, 2026; level-20 opening cap and October 21 end. |
| Pre-Purchase World of Warcraft: Forever Upgrades | Blizzard; November 4, 3:00 p.m. PST launch. |
| What's Next Panel Recap | Blizzard; roadmap graphic, "PLAY UP TO LEVEL 30" and October 22. |
| What Is World of Warcraft Forever? Blizzard Explains Everything | Destin (YouTube), September 13, 2026, 00:10:01 to 00:10:14; developer interview on the cap plan. |
Quest Log, 27/51
- WoW Forever Beta Testers Get 16 Free Legacy Points on October 8Beta
- WoW Forever Beta Level Cap Raised to 30 in the October 1 UpdateBeta
- WoW Forever Live Q&A: The Confirmed AnswersNews
- WoW Forever Beta Patch Notes, September 24: Class Changes and Cooldown ManagerBeta
- WoW Forever Beta Started September 17Beta