World
Zones and new quests
Four new destinations, three new boat routes and more than a thousand new quests. Blizzard has said a lot about where the zones are and little about their quest flow, so each zone below says plainly what is and is not known.
Blizzard Confirmed CGN checked October 9, 2026
- New zones4Zephras Isle, Mount Hyjal, Shen'dralas, Riverglades
- New quests1,000+Woven through levels 1 to 60
- Riverglades quests150 to 200Blizzard says "more than 150" and "nearly 200"
- Boat routes3Two early, one to the Riverglades
At a glance
| Zone | Levels | Where | Reach it | Beta? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zephras Isle | 1 to 12 | A floating island home in Skywall, an elemental plane | Skyborne starting zone | Open since week 1 |
| Mount Hyjal | Not stated | The mountain of the Battle for Mount Hyjal. In Warcraft lore it is in Kalimdor; Blizzard has not said how the zone connects to the map | Not stated | Not listed |
| Shen'dralas | Not stated | A hidden region between Mulgore and Desolace, south of Desolace through the Valley of Bones | Overland | Not listed |
| Riverglades | Mid-30s to mid-40s (much of it) | A Stranglethorn-sized frontier in the Eastern Kingdoms, beside Burning Steppes, Redridge, Swamp of Sorrows and the Badlands | Boat from Tanaris to Powderfuse Port | Not listed |
"Not stated" means Blizzard has not published it. "Not listed" means Blizzard's beta notes do not list the zone as open.
Blizzard Confirmed Blizzard, Sep 12, 2026 ↗ · Blizzard, Sep 13, 2026 ↗ · Blizzard, Sep 17, 2026 ↗
Zephras Isle
- Levels 1 to 12, the Skyborne starting experience. Elemental, Skywall-inspired architecture with a classic Warcraft look.
- The story: the wind spirits that protected the island are gone, the pylons holding it together are failing, and parts of it are falling into ruin and darkness. The Windshapers, the High Order and the Al'Aketh are vying for control.
- You choose a faction at character creation, Horde or Alliance, and the starting quests differ.
- Beta changes: "Catching Wind" (High Order) was redesigned, the Nightclaw Cavern druids and "A Firm Response" quests had credit bugs fixed, and High Order Skyborne can learn Cure Poison through "Power Over Poison".
Blizzard Confirmed Blizzard, Sep 22, 2026 ↗ · Blizzard, Sep 13, 2026 ↗
Beta Build Blizzard, Sep 24, 2026 ↗ · Blizzard, Oct 1, 2026 ↗
Mount Hyjal
- The premise: the aftermath of the Battle for Mount Hyjal, where Archimonde was defeated. You explore Darkwhisper Gorge, meet emerging factions and help shape a recovering land.
- The raid: Hyjal Summit, the 20-player raid, sits at the top of the zone and unlocks December 9.
- Blizzard's label: an "anticipated" addition, a place players have long wanted to visit.
Not published: level range, quest hubs, how you reach it, and whether it is in the beta.
Blizzard Confirmed Blizzard, Sep 12, 2026 ↗ · Blizzard, Sep 13, 2026 ↗
Shen'dralas
- Where: a long-hidden area between Mulgore and Desolace. Blizzard's Found Photos recap says you reach it south of Desolace, through the Valley of Bones.
- Who: the story ties to the Shen'dralar, Eldre'Thalas, Dire Maul and the centaur tribes of the region. Desolace's centaur faction quests get extra content and faction rewards too.
- Spelling matters: Shen'dralas is the zone; Shen'dralar are the people.
Not published: level range and beta status. The two Blizzard descriptions ("between Mulgore and Desolace" and "south of Desolace") are both quoted above; CGN will not pick one until a map exists.
Blizzard Confirmed Blizzard, Sep 12, 2026 ↗ · Blizzard, Sep 13, 2026 ↗
Riverglades
- What it is: a rugged frontier of rivers, grasslands and trade routes, roughly the size of Stranglethorn Vale, built from a previously inaccessible part of the Classic world and connected to Burning Steppes, Redridge Mountains, Swamp of Sorrows and the Badlands.
- Levels: it carries much of the mid-30s to mid-40s experience, with 150+ quests (Blizzard has also said "nearly 200") for both factions.
- Getting there: the Steamwheedle Cartel boat from Tanaris to Powderfuse Port.
- Who you meet: gnoll camps, ogre threats, and groups such as the new Powderfuse goblins, the Twilight's Hammer and the Brotherhood of the Horse.
- Dungeon: Krol'dok Stronghold (levels 40 to 45) is the new dungeon community guides place here. Blizzard's own post gives the level range but not the location.
Blizzard Confirmed Blizzard, Sep 13, 2026 ↗ · Blizzard, Sep 12, 2026 ↗ · Blizzard, Sep 15, 2026 ↗
Community Observation Warcraft Tavern ↗ (dungeon location)
Not published: hub names beyond Powderfuse Port, quest arcs, gathering nodes, and whether the zone is in the beta.
New boat routes
- Stormwind Harbor to Auberdine: an early link between the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor.
- Menethil, Southshore and Auberdine: another route with more flexibility while leveling.
- Steamwheedle Cartel, Tanaris to Powderfuse Port: the route into the Riverglades.
Blizzard says the routes preserve the feel of crossing a large world while making it easier for friends to meet, quest together and explore at their own pace.
Blizzard Confirmed Blizzard, Sep 13, 2026 ↗
Found photographs: how Blizzard frames the new content
Blizzard describes new content as "found photographs": stories and places that feel as though they could have been in Classic Azeroth all along. It sorts additions into three kinds.
| Kind | What Blizzard means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Anticipated | Places players have long known about or wanted to explore | Mount Hyjal |
| New but familiar | Fresh stories grounded in Warcraft history and existing locations | The Riverglades |
| Unexpected | Surprises used sparingly, added to feel at home | Zephras Isle and the Skyborne |
Forever sits in its own "time bubble" in the early "Year 1" period, after Warcraft III: Reforged, Forsaken Kingdom and before Kazzak reopens the Dark Portal and before Molten Core opens, so new stories do not disturb Classic's foundations.
Blizzard Confirmed Blizzard, Sep 13, 2026 ↗ · Blizzard ↗
The 1,000+ new quests
Blizzard says there are more than 1,000 new quests across levels 1 to 60. It has not published a list, so CGN is grouping what it knows by type instead of pretending to catalog them.
| Type | What Blizzard has said | Known examples |
|---|---|---|
| New zones | Four new zones with their own questlines | Zephras Isle, Mount Hyjal, Shen'dralas, Riverglades |
| Classic zones with new quests | Starting zones get new NPCs, quests, recipes and profession hooks; Wetlands gains quests; Desolace's centaur faction quests get extra content | Valley of Trials, Shadowglen and other starting areas; Wetlands; Desolace |
| Class quests | New class stories where Forever adds options | The Forsaken Paladin Journey: it starts at Bandarion Keep in the Whispering Wood of Tirisfal Glades, and at level 60 Forsaken Paladins get an epic mount quest "in the name of Retribution" |
| Profession quests | Camping introduces profession quests in starting zones | The free "Camping 101" quests (community report); Skinning, Alchemy and the rest each have one |
| Dungeon quests | Dungeon quest bonus XP was cut 50% in the October 1 build. Community guides add that most dungeon XP now comes from the questline rather than repeat runs | Hall of Thanes, Ruins of Lordaeron, Excavation Site and the rest |
| Tribute and story quests | Small, specific stories added with care | "Kyle's Gone Missing!" in Mulgore (see below) |
Blizzard Confirmed Blizzard, Sep 12, 2026 ↗ · Blizzard, Sep 13, 2026 ↗ · Blizzard, Sep 13, 2026 ↗
Kyle's Gone Missing!
The Mulgore quest "Kyle's Gone Missing!" was added to the beta in the October 1 build, according to Blizzard's development notes. Players had asked for it on the official forums, and press coverage before October 1 had reported it as missing.
The quest and its dog Kyle the Friendly date back to Burning Crusade. Warcraft Wiki records that the dog was created at the request of Ezra Chatterton, who toured Blizzard's offices with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. That origin is a community-wiki account, not something Blizzard's notes say.
Beta Build Blizzard, Oct 1, 2026 ↗
Community Observation Warcraft Wiki ↗
What we don't know yet
- Level ranges and quest hubs for Mount Hyjal and Shen'dralas, and which zones open in the beta.
- Maps, flight paths, rare spawns, vendors and quest rewards for all four new zones.
- Faction divergence beyond the starting experience, and the full list of Classic zones with new quests.
Sources on this page
- World of Warcraft: Forever What's Next Panel Recap ↗ Blizzard, Sep 12, 2026
- World of Warcraft: Forever Found Photos Panel Recap ↗ Blizzard, Sep 13, 2026
- The World of Warcraft: Forever Beta Now Live ↗ Blizzard, Sep 17, 2026
- WoW: Forever Meet the New Skyborne ↗ Blizzard, Sep 22, 2026
- WoW Forever Beta Development Notes (September 24 build) ↗ Blizzard, Sep 24, 2026
- WoW Forever Beta Development Notes (updated October 1) ↗ Blizzard, Oct 1, 2026
- Krol'dok Stronghold (Blizzard forum post with the nine dungeon level ranges) ↗ Blizzard, Sep 15, 2026
- Dungeons guide (Warcraft Tavern) ↗ Warcraft Tavern
- Carve a New Path with World of Warcraft: Forever (pre-purchase and BlizzCon recap) ↗ Blizzard
- World of Warcraft: Forever Deep Dive Panel Recap ↗ Blizzard, Sep 13, 2026
- Kyle the Friendly (Warcraft Wiki) ↗ Warcraft Wiki
Labels: Blizzard Confirmed Beta Build Beta Data Developer Interview Press Report Community Observation Survey / Concept Only Not Yet Known