The team wanted to add a new kind of elf
In a new GameSpot interview reported by GamesRadar, Greenfield says the Forever team knew early in development that it wanted to explore another elf concept. The developers brought multiple ideas and variations into discussions while trying to find something that would feel distinct enough for Forever.
Chris Metzen encouraged the team to push the idea further
According to Greenfield, the team developed the concept together with Warcraft veteran Chris Metzen. Metzen supported taking the idea in a more unusual direction rather than simply adding another familiar elf variant, and the design process eventually became the Skyborne.
This new interview is useful context for the race’s visual and lore direction, but it does not change the gameplay facts already confirmed for launch: Skyborne begin on Zephras Isle, choose Alliance or Horde, and have faction-dependent caster access alongside shared class options.
Skyborne remain part of Forever’s paid upgrade packs
Access to the Skyborne race and the Zephras Isle starting experience is included in Blizzard’s WoW Forever upgrade packs rather than the base subscription-only experience. Our beta and pack comparison tracks the current Heroic, Epic and Warcraft Forever Collection contents and regional pricing notes.
What still needs beta verification
The origin story does not settle every question about the new race. Exact racial tuning, the final class matrix, quest text, faction-specific story differences and the way Skyborne lore is introduced in the live client are still important beta targets.