Can you buy World of Warcraft (WoW) permanently?

World of Warcraft (WoW), a massively multiplayer online game released by Blizzard Entertainment in 2004, has attracted millions of players over the years. With daily player counts of over 4 million and active subscriber counts of 12 million in 2010 after the release of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm.

WoW is often the first game that comes to mind when players think of MMO games. The subscription format is particularly appealing to new players, as they can experience a significant amount of gameplay freedom without immediately having to pay for it. Blizzard’s recent change is a permanent one that has made World of Warcraft more accessible to players worldwide.

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You don’t need to buy WoW permanently

Blizzard has made a significant change to its revenue model for World of Warcraft. It removed the requirement for players to purchase the game before subscribing. Instead, players can now access all currently available content simply by subscribing, with the exception of future expansion packs, including the Battle for Azeroth. Polygon reported that Blizzard quietly removed the Battle Chest Box from its online store, and a subscription now grants access to all content up to Legion.

World of Warcraft subscriptions

Players can now access the base game of Wow for $14.99 as well as The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor, and Legion. This change not only lowers the barrier to entry for new players, but also eliminates potential confusion by simplifying the pricing structure. Players no longer have to worry about purchasing individual expansions at their respective release dates.

The Battle for Azeroth expansion is the one exception to this new pricing structure. The Standard Edition costs $49.99, the Digital Deluxe Edition $69.99, and the Collector’s Edition $99.99. Blizzard’s decision to remove the need to purchase the base game is a long-awaited change. Because World of Warcraft has been following this revenue model since its release in 2004. The new structure allows players to experience a significant amount of gameplay freedom without having to pay upfront for the base game. This change comes shortly after the pre-patch for Battle for Azeroth, World of Warcraft’s seventh expansion.

Players, both new and old, can now sign up for a subscription and play through Legion without purchasing anything additional. However, for those interested in experiencing the latest World of Warcraft content, they will still have to pay the one-time fee for the Battle for Azeroth expansion. It remains to be seen whether Blizzard’s gamble will pay off in terms of revenue, but it’s clear that they’re taking steps to keep World of Warcraft relevant in an ever-changing gaming landscape.

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