Hey Warcraft 3 friends, in this guide I will show you how to install classic WC3 with online Battle.net functionality.Blizzard has published the official version of Warcraft 3 Reforged (Patch 1.32.01) and the old classic ROC/TFT is not available anymore.
Step by Step Guide How to play the old classic Warcraft 3 client:
Disclaimer: I don’t know how long this method will work, but while writing this (February 2020) it is working. Thanks to @AaronK, he found the workaround! 🙂 Have fun!
Steps you need to do:
- Download the official Warcraft 3 PTR Client (PTR = Public Test Realm). You can get the download here, scroll to the bottom.
Info: The Public Test Realm has been uploaded by Blizzard in June 2019 to give everyone the chance to test WC3 Patch 1.31. They didn’t take the server offline yet.
- Simply install the PTR client, it needs no updates.
- Start the game and you will see the lovely old client! 😉 Welcome back to Classic WC3!
- You can play online in the Battle.net, everything is working fine. Create a new account and start playing. Of course you can just play with others who have the exact same version of Warcraft 3.
Is the WC3 PTR Battle.net really working?
Yes, I can confirm it, while writing this in February 2020 it’s working.
But is the PTR Battle.net playable?
Not really, there are not enough users to play with, you can try to search a 1on1 if you have patience, but team games are nearly impossible.
Moreover, the ping is too high. It’s just a PTR and players from all over the world get matched, this can end in games with a ping of 150ms.
What is the reason to play the classic version instead of Warcraft 3 Reforged?
- The PTR is one of the current rare solutions to play the old classic Warcraft 3 version.
Blizzard killed the latest live version of ROC and TFT and replaced it with Reforged. That means if you want to anything, that is not yet working with Reforged, then you can use the PTR build. - You can’t play Reforged offline: Even to get through the main menu, you need to log in.
- The custom games and the world editor changed the complete copyright model, everything you create in Reforged belongs to Blizzard. WC3 has other rules.
- Warcraft 3 Reforged has no LAN functionality (yet).
- A lot of content has been removed (temporarily?), like voice-overs.
- Reforged is still full of bugs, the classic client is quite stable.
- More reasons to use the classic server: Playing custom games together, playing custom campaigns, playing the campaign, single-player matches, watching replays – and if there are enough players, playing online in a working matchmaking system.
Spread the word, let others know! If we get the server full, we can play! 😉
is it playble on battle.net or not , becouse you contradict yourself.
how about recent now ? still made to play reforged ?
30G? Is it really The Frozen Throne?
Yep. Here it is.
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO MAKE A PRIVATE SERVER FOR THIS SHIT
doesnt work anymore. they removed PTR, launching PTR automagically launches reforged instead.
This makes me mad. Why would they even do this??? I’m using an old computer and don’t have 30GB space and i’m pretty sure i can’t run reforged 60fps… this is stupid man i’m searching for a solution for weeks this just made my life much worse
its dead now, when prompted to install from 3.00 GB to 29.3GB. everything is forced to be f#$@$# reforged. i hope someone can share with us the files
Did you try it?
I had PTR installed on and off it’s been working, tried it tonight, it wants to update to 1.32 HELP!!!!!!!!
i cant install 1.31 the game will link with my battle net and auto update to wcr 1.32
Same here HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is this still working in May 2020? I have not been able to get it to work. Maybe its because I’m on a mac version 10.13.6?
You’re a superstar!
After installation I was asked for a CD key…. How to get around this?
>Warcraft 3 Reforged has no LAN functionality (yet).
That is not true. ESC->Go offline and then creating a game is LAN. Same if you have no internet, it goes directly in this mode
you tested LAN with friends?
if you want move customs from usual wc3 go to C:\Users\”username”\Documents\Warcraft III Public Test\maps
what if this folder doesnt exist in that directory?
Is there a way to play custom games using this method? I tried basically everything and didnt work. Can’t find the Map folders anywhere and wouldn’t be suprised if it is somehow disabled.
yes its works its patch 1.31
yes folder is C:\Users\username\Documents\Warcraft III Public Test\Maps
yes folder is C:\Users\username\Documents\Warcraft III Public Test\Maps
what if this folder doesnt exist in that directory? I have no folder for maps at that location…
C:\Users\username\Documents\Warcraft III Public Test\Maps