Is World of Warcraft Classic free? This throwback MMORPG has been a stellar success ever since its launch, but it comes from a time when you had to pay to play World of Warcraft. Since then, Blizzard Entertainment has released trial and free-to-play versions of the game. People might be wondering if there is a World of Warcraft Classic free-to-play edition (or any other way to play it without spending a dime), and we’ve got the answers!
Is World of Warcraft Classic free? | How to play WoW Classic free
So, is World of Warcraft Classic free? Well, it largely depends on your definition of “free.”
Let’s start by taking a look at the game’s official start page. It says that the starter edition gives you access to multiple races and classes up to Level 20, while a paid subscription gives you access to Level 110, six expansions, social features, and PvP content. Neither of the two editions addresses the question of whether or not WoW Classic is included.
However, we can get the answer over at the WoW Classic page. The answer is directly below the “Play Now” button:
*Subscription required. Includes access to World of Warcraft and WoW Classic.
This requirement is repeated further on down the page:
What do I Need to Play WoW Classic?
Access to WoW Classic is included in and available to all players with an active World of Warcraft subscription—no additional purchase required.
For now, it seems that access to World of Warcraft Classic is exclusively restricted to players with an active subscription to Blizzard Entertainment’s premier MMORPG.
While this may be upsetting, one has to consider the evolution of World of Warcraft’s subscription model over the years. You used to have to pay for every new expansion to catch up if you were out of the game for a few years, but you now only need to pay a one-time fee plus your subscription to get up to date. The trial version used to be time-limited and level-limited, but it is now only level-limited (along with some other restrictions on gameplay features). We may very well see a WoW Classic free trial at some point in the future—maybe just as soon as the developers are able to stabilize the servers.
