GamesRadar+ has published a hands-on preview of World of Warcraft: Forever ahead of the game’s announced Nov. 4 launch. The preview combines beta gameplay, interviews with Blizzard Entertainment developers and background on how the new version is intended to sit alongside the existing World of Warcraft experience.
A new version of Azeroth
GamesRadar+ describes World of Warcraft: Forever as a separate major pillar of the franchise rather than a spin-off. The preview examines a version of the game that revisits the world as it appeared during the 2000s before extending that setting in a new direction.
The outlet distinguishes the project from World of Warcraft Classic. Its preview presents Forever as a return to an earlier era of Azeroth with additional development beyond a straightforward recreation of the original game. GamesRadar+ also frames the experience as an entry point for both long-time players and people approaching the MMORPG for the first time.
“our hope is to grow the audience, not to fracture it” — a Blizzard lead, as quoted by GamesRadar+
What the preview covers
GamesRadar+ said its coverage is based on extensive time with the beta and conversations with the developers working on the project. The outlet’s preview package includes several parts:
- Developer access: interviews about building a new version of World of Warcraft that can stand alongside Vanilla and Classic.
- Hands-on coverage: gameplay from the beta and the outlet’s assessment of the game ahead of launch.
- Deep dives: additional coverage of the MMORPG’s structure and its place within the wider World of Warcraft universe.
- Class coverage: a feature focused on the Skyborne class.
The outlet also identifies the game’s long-running community as part of the development challenge. Blizzard developers discussed the franchise’s history, the expectations attached to a new version and preparations for the upcoming release, according to GamesRadar+.
GamesRadar+ said it will continue updating its World of Warcraft: Forever Big Preview during the week leading up to launch. The coverage also includes a video and additional features about the game’s development, audience and relationship to earlier versions of World of Warcraft.
World of Warcraft: Forever is scheduled to launch on Nov. 4. GamesRadar+’s preview presents the game as a new version of Blizzard’s MMORPG built around a reimagined 2000s-era world while retaining a connection to the broader World of Warcraft setting.
