News Courtesy of WordPress.org:
WordPress 5.0 Beta 1 is now available!
This software is still in development, so we don’t recommend you run it on a production site. Consider setting up a test site to play with the new version, and if you are using an existing test site be sure to update the Gutenberg plugin to v4.1.
There are two ways to test the WordPress 5.0 beta: try the WordPress Beta Tester plugin (you’ll want “bleeding edge nightlies”), or you can download the beta here (zip).
WordPress 5.0 is slated for release on November 19, and we need your help to get there. Here are some of the big items to test so we can find as many bugs as possible in the coming weeks.
Ryan’s Take 
It’s been a long time coming. WordPress 5.0 is finally nearing release with an official release date of November 19th. Although I’m very curious how the backend will affect my productivity and performance, I can’t say I’m too excited about the Gutenberg block editor. I’ve grown so fond of WPBakery that it would take some significant advantages to pry me away from it.
Everything I’ve read about Gutenberg seems to put a tier below the premium visual editors. It’s nice that the WordPress developers are including a block editor as a free alternative. However, given the lack of interest in the Gutenberg plugin that was released, I sense that more people are concerned if it will break their current WordPress themes.
I believe there are a few options which will allow you to disable the Gutenberg editor. One such option is the plugin Classic Editor. It’s already compatible with the 5.0 beta and has over 400,000 active installations. The reviews for this plugin have been overwhelmingly positive. Due to this fact, I may just go this route to disable Gutenberg if it is such the hindrance I believe it will be.
Of course, a major release of WordPress wouldn’t be complete without a new stock theme. The not so surprisingly-named Twenty Nineteen is said to incorporate Gutenberg features heavily. Honestly, having not messed with the WordPress stock themes for over 5 years, I’ll probably stick to my tried-and-true premium themes. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it!
