WoW Forever Name Reservations
Early name reservation for World of Warcraft: Forever runs October 27 through November 3, 2026 - up to three characters, first-come first-served, for anyone who bought an upgrade edition.
TL;DR: To reserve a name in WoW Forever, install the game through Battle.net (Game Version: World of Warcraft: Forever), press Play, pick a ruleset and create your character - you can claim up to three names until November 3. Eligibility needs a Skyborne Heroic Pack, Skyborne Epic Pack or the Warcraft Forever Collection. Hitting errors or delays? See the troubleshooting section below.
When did name reservation open? (times by region)
The official opening times - some regions went live late, which is why "name reservation delay" searches spiked.
| Region | Reservation opened |
|---|---|
| Europe | October 27 at 18:00 CET |
| North America | October 27 at 1:00 p.m. PDT |
| Korea | October 28 at 07:00 KST |
| Taiwan | October 28 at 07:00 CST |
If your region's reservation opened late or you hit errors right at the opening, that was the launch-day surge - retrying now usually works. The window closes November 3 in every region.
How to reserve a name in WoW Forever - step by step
- 1Update your graphics drivers
Blizzard's own checklist starts here - fresh drivers avoid launch-week crashes.
- 2Open the Battle.net desktop app
Install it if needed and let it update itself fully.
- 3Select World of Warcraft, then switch Game Version
In the Game Version menu above the Play button, choose World of Warcraft: Forever and press Install.
- 4Press Play and pick a ruleset
Choose between Normal, PvP and Role-Play rulesets.
- 5Create up to 3 characters
The full character creator is open during reservation week. Your three characters can be split across rulesets - two on PvP leaves one for Normal or RP.
How naming works - it's a two-part name
WoW Forever doesn't use classic single names. Every character has a first name and a surname - the combination must be unique within your region.
Two names, one identity
If your first name is taken, a different surname still makes the full name unique - far more combinations stay available than in old WoW.
Format rules
Each part is 2-12 characters, standard capitalization, accented letters allowed. No spaces, hyphens, numbers, symbols or triple-repeated letters.
First come, first served
Names can't be guaranteed - if your combination is taken or breaks the rules, you need another one (or the random name generator).
Errors, delays and known bugs
The reservation rush broke records and a few things along the way. These are the issues players are actually hitting.
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| "No realms are currently available" | The realm list itself won't load - usually servers still spinning up under load, or a stale client cache. | Fully exit game and Battle.net, relaunch, retry. Detailed walkthrough in our WOW51900309 fix guide. |
| WOW51900102 / WOW51900319 | You got disconnected mid-login or mid-session - mostly login-server overload right now. | Restart everything, retry off-peak. See WOW51900102 and WOW51900319 guides. |
| Reservation delayed in your region | Some regions opened late on October 27-28 while Blizzard worked through the queue. | If the option still isn't there, check that Battle.net shows World of Warcraft: Forever as an installed game version and that your edition qualifies. |
| Name reservation bug reports | Players report stuck creation screens and names appearing lost after disconnects. | A disconnect doesn't lose a confirmed name - relog and check the character list. Unconfirmed picks aren't held, so claim them again quickly. |
FAQ
Who can reserve a WoW Forever name?
Anyone who pre-purchased a Skyborne Heroic Pack, Skyborne Epic Pack or the Warcraft Forever Collection. Subscription or game time is needed at launch, but the reservation itself is gated on those editions.
How many names can I reserve?
Three characters total across all rulesets - and the limit applies to Early Name Reservation only. After launch you can create more characters normally.
Is the name reservation time the same worldwide?
No - Europe opened October 27 at 18:00 CET, North America 1:00 p.m. PDT the same day, Korea and Taiwan on the morning of October 28 local time. Everyone's window closes November 3.
What if my name is taken?
Change either half - first name or surname. Only the full combination needs to be unique in your region, so "Arthas" + a different last name still works.
Reservierung auf Deutsch - Wie reserviere ich einen Namen?
German-speaking players find this same guide by searching "wow forever namensreservierung": buy an upgrade edition, install WoW Forever via Battle.net, and create up to three characters before November 3.
Can I change or delete a reserved name?
Deleting the character frees the name, but there's no guarantee you can reclaim it - someone else may grab it instantly. Don't delete unless you're sure.
Do I keep the name if I disconnect during creation?
Yes if the confirmation went through - log back in and check your character list. An unconfirmed pick isn't held.