How to sign up for WoW Cataclysm beta

World of Warcraft Classic Cataclysm is due for release in early 2024, but what if you could skip the wait and play it earlier? Well, lucky for you, Blizzard has opened up a beta test for enthusiastic WoW fans to try Cataclysm before launch, and I’m here to help you sign up for it.

The highly anticipated Classic expansion was first announced in BlizzCon 2023, with executive producer Holly Longdale promising a long list of improvements over its 2010 version. In 2024’s Cataclysm, not only can you expect to level up faster, but you can also look forward to a faster content cadence, an expanded collections system, revamped guild features, and more. If you’re wondering, all these features will be available for you to try in the WoW Cataclysm Classic beta before its final launch.

How to sign up and play WoW Cataclysm Classic beta

Registrations for the WoW Cataclysm Classic beta opened on Dec. 19, and anyone with a WoW subscription or valid game time can sign up for a chance to participate. Note that access to the beta isn’t guaranteed, so after you sign up, you have to wait for Blizzard to drop a selection mail in your inbox. 

You can sign up for the WoW Cataclysm Classic beta via the Blizzard website. While on the beta announcement page, click on Beta Opt-in and then on Request Beta Access to complete the process.

If your Battle.net account is selected for the beta, you’ll be able to download the beta client for WoW Cataclysm Classic from the Battle.net launcher and play the game when the beta access goes live. At the time of writing, the dates for the beta haven’t been revealed, but the 2024 roadmap says it’s due sometime this winter, so it shouldn’t be far off.

If you’re not subscribed to WoW yet and are planning to buy game time for Cataclysm, you might want to invest in the Blazing Epic Upgrade for $79.99. Besides offering 30 days of game time, the upgrade comes with plenty of amenities, including an Avatar of Flame Flying mount, a Lil’ Wrathion pet, a Level 80 character boost, and more to enhance your new Azeroth experience. If you have the subscription already, you can go with the Blazing Heroic Pack, which includes everything in the Epic Upgrade except character boost and game time and costs just $29.99.