As with every WoW release, you have to expect server problems and client malfunctions with Shadowlands.
Finally the time has come. World of Warcraft: Shadowlands will be released punctually at midnight on November 24th and let you loose on the Shadowlands. So, theoretically you can play then. In practice, the servers and the client Battle.net always have to struggle with some problems and malfunctions at release, as the player load is extremely high.
We’ll give you some tips shortly before the release so that you can still play despite the big rush. But it should be said directly: in the vast majority of cases, it helps to wait and enjoy a hot drink of your choice.
For all the important information about the release, we recommend our guide:
WoW Shadowlands: time, preload, system requirements
Start preload now
Anyone who has actively played WoW in the last few weeks doesn’t have to worry about anything here, because with the pre-patch released on November 11th, all important data for Shadowlands was already installed. If you haven’t updated WoW since that date, you should do so now before the download rates plummet tonight due to the player load.
Even those who are new to the MMORPG with WoW Shadowlands should start with downloads and patches now to save time. During the download, we recommend our beginners and returnees guide for WoW:
WoW Shadowlands: Guide for beginners and returnees
Log into Battle.net & WoW now
To avoid long queues when logging into the client, you can try to log in now. You can do the same with WoW if you play on a particularly full server in order to avoid the queue here as well.
But be careful: Again, we cannot guarantee that both tips will work. It can also be that you have to restart WoW (for example because you are kicked out of the game or you still have to download data) and thus end up in the queue despite preparation.
Change Config.WTF
Should you be playing on a particularly busy server, it is worth taking a look at your WoW folder and adjusting the automatic server selection. To be on the safe side, please make a copy of the file that you are changing.
To do this, close WoW, navigate to your WoW folder and look for the WTF folder in which the config file »config.wtf« is located. Here you write the following line in the file: SET disableAutoRealmSelect “1”
This means that the game does not automatically assign you to your standard server, but lets you choose a server yourself. This has the advantage that you can play on smaller servers while the big ones collapse due to overload.
The only disadvantage: With the change of server you can of course no longer play your characters that are on the overloaded server. Therefore, this solution is more suitable for players who have multiple characters on different servers. Alternatively, you can of course start a new character and play at level 50. Our guide reveals the fastest way:
General tips
Of course there are also a number of general problem solutions. You can try your Improve Internet Connection Using These Tricks:
- Restart router
- LAN connection instead of using WLAN
- Check your own Internet speed with the Speedtest to rule out external problems
- Close all programs that you don’t need at the moment and that are unnecessarily taking up performance or bandwidth
- Restart Battle.net and WoW
Should all of these things not work, you have to be in good or bad Exercise patience and wait for the servers to stabilize again. Until then, for example, you can browse our WoW special so that you are optimally prepared for Shadowlands:
We hope, of course, that these tips will help you, or that the servers are kind to you. If you have any further tips or advice, please write us in the comments.
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