WoW: Forever Hits Over One Million Beta Players

Satya Nadella just called WoW: Forever the biggest beta in franchise history on Microsoft's Q1 earnings call. Over one million characters were created, according to ClassicPlus.io, during the beta that ran Sep 17-Oct 23. Players could join by buying a $60 Forever premium bundle or by signing up for free, with Blizzard controlling slots. A free stress-test day also ran, though it's unclear if Nadella's claim includes that extra event. The beta was bundled with The War Within and Midnight expansions, ending the old opt-in-and-pray system. Developer Josh Greenfield called the turnout "the craziest numbers I've seen in 17 years at Blizzard." He added it's also the biggest surge in almost eight years on classic. The full game launches Nov 4 for anyone with an existing World of Warcraft subscription. In short, more than a million characters have already explored this alternate universe.