How to play
Everything you need to go from this page to your first login on RealWoW: account, launcher, first character and the answers to the questions new players ask most.
Getting started
- 1
Create your game account
Open Create account, choose an account name and password (1–16 letters or digits, not case-sensitive) and enter your email. We send a confirmation link; the account only exists once you open it, so check the spam folder if nothing arrives within a few minutes.
- This account name and password are what you type on the game's login screen.
- One account per player. You can create several characters on it.
- 2
Download the RealWoW Launcher
Go to Download and save RealWoW-Launcher.exe. It is a small program that installs the game and keeps it up to date; you never edit realmlist files by hand.
- Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit. Nothing else needs to be installed.
- Windows may show "Windows protected your PC" the first time: click More info → Run anyway. The launcher is safe; it is just not yet signed by a big certificate authority.
- 3
Install the game
Open the launcher, pick an install folder with about 56.9 GB free (an SSD makes loading screens much faster) and press Install. The full game is 54.2 GB, so let it run; you can close the launcher and continue later, it resumes where it stopped.
- Already have a Conquest of Azeroth or Ascension client on your disk? Choose that folder as the install folder: existing files are reused and only the differences download.
- Slow download? Add
connections=6to launcher.ini next to the launcher to use more parallel connections.
- 4
Press Play and log in
When the bar reaches 100% press Play. The game opens on the RealWoW login screen: enter your account name and password, pick the RealWoW realm and you are in.
- Next time only press Play: the launcher checks for updates in seconds and starts the game.
- Always start the game through the launcher. Starting the game exe directly shows a message and closes, because only the launcher knows the realm.
- 5
Create your first hero
Choose a race and one of the 21 Conquest of Azeroth classes. Every class has three specialisations with its own abilities and resource, so have a look at the class guide before you decide: you can filter by Tank, Healer or Damage.
Your first hours
Learn your class
Abilities are learned automatically at the levels shown in the class guide; no trainer visits needed. Open the spellbook (P) after each level-up.
Follow the Path to Ascension
Open the Path to Ascension book in game (Collections window, Shift+P): a guided checklist of your first dungeon, first mount and more, with rewards for each step.
The whole game is open
Azeroth, Outland and Northrend with every dungeon and raid up to Icecrown Citadel. Check Dungeons & Raids for the level ranges and Server info for the rates.
Earn shop points by playing
There is no pay-to-win: points come only from playing. Spend them in the Shop; items arrive in your in-game mailbox.
Climb the Hall of Champions
The rankings update live. The top three wear titles on the home page and the podium; the PvP ladder counts your honorable kills.
Need help?
Join our Discord or open the in-game Help menu (Esc → Help) to send a ticket or a bug report straight to the admins.
Frequently asked questions
My antivirus flags the launcher. Is it safe?
Yes. Windows Defender sometimes shows a generic "Wacatac" machine-learning warning for small unsigned programs. Choose More info → Run anyway, or in Windows Security open Protection history and pick Allow. The launcher only downloads game files and starts the game.
The download stopped or the launcher closed. Do I have to start over?
No. Open the launcher again and press Install; it checks the files you already have and continues with the rest. Only broken or missing files are downloaded again.
I already have a Conquest of Azeroth / Ascension client.
Pick that folder as the install folder in the launcher. It compares every file and downloads only what differs from the RealWoW client, which saves most of the 54.2 GB.
The game says "Unable to connect" or the realm list is empty.
- Start the game through the launcher, not from the exe: the launcher sets the realm every time.
- Check the home page: if the realm shows Offline, the server is restarting or under maintenance. Try again in a few minutes.
- Firewalls or VPNs can block the game ports; allow the game exe or try without the VPN.
I forgot my password / want to change my email.
Sign in on My account to change the password or the email. If you cannot sign in at all, contact the admins on Discord with your account name.
Which class should I pick?
Anything you like: all 21 classes can solo the levelling content. If you want to be wanted in groups, tanks and healers are always short. The class guide shows the roles of each class and every ability.
Can I play with friends on the other faction?
Grouping follows the standard faction rules, so pick the same faction as your friends. Check Server info for the current cross-faction settings.
Can I use addons?
Yes. Put them in Interface\AddOns inside the install folder as with any 3.3.5a client. The Conquest of Azeroth interface addons that come with the game are required and are re-enabled by the launcher on every start.
How do I report a bug or a player?
In game press Esc → Help → Report a bug or Talk to a GM. Reports land directly with the RealWoW admins, or post in Discord.