World of Warcraft Removes All Game Time Purchase Options Besides 60 Days
The latest changes to World of Warcraft come in terms of Game Time purchases, eliminating all-but the 60-day option. World of Warcraft, which birthed the MMO era, still has an incredibly strong player base and consistent updates to the game. First revealed at BlizzCon 2021, the Shadowlands’ Chains of Domination update for World of Warcraft was released last month. With it came a continuation of the Shadowlands’ narrative, and plenty of new raids and dungeons for players to experience. The release of new content is always telling of a game’s current status, and it seems as though WoW isn’t falling victim to time, but rather maintaining its presence among fans. Despite its success, Blizzard has made serious changes to purchasing options that limit how players interact with the well-known title.
World of Warcraft requires players to either subscribe to the game, gaining access by paying recurring fees, or by purchasing pre-allotted Game Time, which was originally available in 30, 60, 90, and 180-day options. Despite the expense to play the game, World of Warcraft still has millions of players. Now, however, Blizzard has eliminated many of the Game Time options, leaving only the 60-day purchase available.
On a forum on its website, Blizzard announced that Game Time options in the Blizzard Shop would be limited, as only the 60-day option is left for players to purchase. This change came after a recently conducted review of the services Blizzard offers, a decision that might best serve the community and Blizzard as a whole. The post notes that subscriptions and token purchases for World of Warcraft will remain unaffected, but that is subject to change. Also, any Game Time purchase already made will be unaffected.
Game Time options differ from subscriptions because it is a one-time purchase of allotted time for players to play the game. With only the 60-day option left, players will be forced to pay the heftier 60-day price or turn to cheaper alternatives such as the semi-annual option that saves players $24 per year (but still requires a significantly higher investment). World of Warcraft is an expensive game to play, and players are already questioning Blizzard’s decision. Memes and backlash fill the forum page where the announcement was made, and one user makes note of Blizzards' use of “currently” in its post, which might entail a future change to the subscription and token purchase models.
This change affects those who are not avid WoW players, as they are more inclined to take breaks and may not want to invest in an entire 6-month subscription to the game. This change pigeonholes players into subscribing or forces them to drop more money on the 60-day Game Time purchase. This change might work in Blizzard’s favor, getting players to spend longer in the World of Warcraft universe, or it may backfire and finally send players away from the game permanently.
Source: Blizzard
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