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Wrath of the Lich King Beta FAQ

Amanda Dean
Updated ·8 min read

Blizzard has posted the official word that the Wrath of the Lich King beta invites are going out via email even as we speak. I'll be checking my mailbox compulsively. They have posted an official Beta FAQ on the website. The entire text of the FAQ is posted after the break, but here's the short version:

  • You can still opt in for the Wrath of the Lich King neta

  • Beta testers will need to create a temporary Blizzard account

  • You can copy up to 4 characters to beta, or make a new one (Death Knight)

  • Beta play has no impact on the live realm status of your character

  • You are expected to report bugs and leave feedback

  • There is no non-disclosure agreement for the beta


What is the Wrath of the Lich King beta?
The Wrath of the Lich King beta is the final stage of testing for the next expansion to World of Warcraft, Wrath of the Lich King. It allows participants to preview and test the content, gameplay, and features of the new expansion and give feedback to the developers before the retail release.
How do I get into the beta?

You must have registered for our beta opt-in program, in which you enter a World of Warcraft account into the running to participate in the Wrath of the Lich King beta. If the account is selected, you will receive an email from Blizzard with further instructions. Players who have been promised beta access through a promotion (such as by purchasing the Dell XPS M1730 World of Warcraft Edition laptop) or contest (such as the Frostmourne Art Contest) do not have to opt in.

I didn't opt in before the beta started! Is it too late?
No. The opt-in will be available until the beta closes. You can opt in now if you'd like a chance to be invited to participate at a later date.

How are beta participants selected?
Beta invitees are selected through a random process involving all players who chose to opt in. If you opted in early, it doesn't necessarily mean you'll be invited before someone who opted in after you.

If I receive an invitation to the beta, what do I need to do to play?
If you have received a beta key in an email, you must follow several steps before you can begin your journey into Northrend. First, you must upgrade the World of Warcraft account you use to a Wrath of the Lich King beta account. Next, you have the option to copy characters to the beta realms. Third, you must create a temporary Blizzard Account, which you will use to log in to the beta client. Finally, you must download the beta client itself. These steps are detailed on the Wrath of the Lich King Beta Homepage.

What is a temporary Blizzard Account?
The Wrath of the Lich King beta test is taking place within our test-realm environment, and so testers will need to create a temporary, limited-use Blizzard Account to log in to the test realms. A Blizzard Account is different from a World of Warcraft account and is used to manage your Blizzard products and make purchases from the Blizzard Store. However, the normal functions of a Blizzard Account are disabled on the temporary account you create for the beta. To learn more, refer to the Temporary Blizzard Account section of the FAQ below.

How do I copy a character?
From the beta homepage, navigate to the character-copy section. After logging in with a World of Warcraft account, you will be able to select the characters you wish to copy and initiate the copy process. Make sure you upgrade this account to a beta account before attempting to copy any characters.

How many times may I copy characters?
You can make up to four character copies for the beta. Characters on Player-vs.-Player realms will be copied to the Player-vs.-Player beta realm, and characters on Normal and Role-Playing realms will be copied to the Normal beta realm. Deleting a character from the beta realms will not allow you to perform an extra character copy. You can copy the same character multiple times, but each time will count as a separate character copy.

Can I create a death knight on the beta realms?
Yes, we encourage you to try the new death knight hero class. If you wish, you can create a new character of another class as well.

Do death knights have their own starting area?
Yes, the death knight starting area is called Archerus, the Ebon Hold. It is located in the eastern part of Eastern Plaguelands.

Besides the death knight, what other new content can I preview and test in the beta?
New class talents and abilities, zones, quests, dungeons, the floating city of Dalaran, the barber shop, the achievements system, and much more are available. Refer to the full beta patch notes that display upon starting the beta client for the first time for complete details.

If I was in a previous stage of testing for Wrath of the Lich King, will characters I played during that testing phase automatically transfer to the beta?
Yes, but all characters from previous phases will be locked and unplayable for several weeks after the launch of the beta. Once the transferred characters become unlocked, you can resume playing them from where you left off.

Will the progress characters make on the beta carry over to the live game?
No. Progress made by characters on beta realms will not be transferred back to characters on the live realms when Wrath of the Lich King is released.

If I find a bug or want to leave feedback in the beta test, what should I do?
Typing /bug into your chat window or clicking an icon on the mini-map will open the Blizzard Feedback interface. Here you can provide feedback on specific parts of the game, such as individual quests, or fill out a bug report. Your input is highly valuable to us during this important stage of the game's development.

What are the system requirements for the beta?
The final system requirements for Wrath of the Lich King have yet to be determined. However, if your computer can run The Burning Crusade, it will likely be able to run the Wrath of the Lich King beta as well.

Are there forums for the beta test?
Yes, there are special forums for the Wrath of the Lich King beta where you can get technical support, give feedback, and join discussions with other beta testers. To access the forums, you'll need to log in with the World of Warcraft account you use, not the temporary Blizzard Account you created to log in to the beta client.
Is the beta protected by a non-disclosure agreement (NDA)?
No, there is no NDA for the beta of Wrath of the Lich King. Feel free to discuss the specifics of the beta with others!

Temporary Blizzard Account FAQ

What is the purpose of a Blizzard Account, and how is it different from a World of Warcraft account?
The Blizzard Account is a new way to manage your Blizzard Entertainment products and make purchases from the Blizzard Store. You can use the Blizzard Account to download and play Blizzard Entertainment games that you have registered online. The Blizzard Account will also keep track of your entire order and billing history, and save multiple addresses and payment methods for easy access. This is just the beginning of what the Blizzard Account offers, and it will expand as we continue to add more features and functions in the future. To learn more about the Blizzard Account, please read our Blizzard Account FAQ. Please note that the normal functions of a Blizzard Account are unavailable in the temporary Blizzard Account you create to log in to the Wrath of the Lich King beta.

When will the temporary Blizzard Account I created to access the Wrath of the Lich King beta test expire?
The temporary Blizzard Account will only be active during the Wrath of the Lich King beta test. Once the beta test is completed, the temporary Blizzard Account will expire.

Does this mean we'll be logging in to World of Warcraft with a regular Blizzard Account in the future?
We plan to make the Blizzard Account the standard login for World of Warcraft beginning with Wrath of the Lich King.

Are there any additional fees or charges associated with creating this new account?
There are no fees or charges when creating a Blizzard Account.

Can I make the Blizzard Account name the same as the World of Warcraft account name I use?
No. The Blizzard Account name is an email address, so it has to be different from the World of Warcraft account name.

Will I lose existing World of Warcraft characters by switching to a Blizzard Account?
No, existing World of Warcraft characters will not be affected by creating a Blizzard Account.

Will I have access to the World of Warcraft forums with a Blizzard Account?
For the time being, you will continue to log in to the official forums and the beta-test forums (if you are participating in the beta test) using an active World of Warcraft account. Should there be changes to this process, we will notify the community.