*This was an April Fools' Day story. WoW is not free, but you can play the free trial:
World of Warcraft 10-Day FREE Trial
World of Warcraft: Now Free to Play Forever!
No More Subscription Fees for Blizzard's Best-selling MMORPG - Blizzard Entertainment® today announced that effective immediately World of Warcraft® and World of Warcraft®: The Burning Crusade™ will be Free To Play Forever™! In addition, the full client will now be available as a free download. All players will have permanent, unlimited free access to all content in Azeroth, Outland and future expansions. All current accounts will be converted to free accounts and outstanding subscription payments will be refunded. New subscribers can simply download the free client, create a new account without a CD key and start playing.*
"By eliminating all subscription fees, Blizzard is proud to usher in an unprecedented, new era of high quality, free MMORPG entertainment," said Mike Morhaime, president and co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment®. "This historic shift in our business model wouldn't have been possible without the overwhelming positive support of our worldwide players. By opening up the World of Warcraft® to a wider audience, we expect the community to grow even stronger and more dynamic. Blizzard is committed to giving our millions of loyal fans what they want and we are confident this move will lead World of Warcraft® to even greater record-breaking heights.”
Subscription revenue will be replaced by a combination of in-game advertising, micro-transactions and third-party licensing of the World of Warcraft® brand. Advertising will be unobtrusive and tailored to the environment, with posters on town and dungeon walls, billboards in the wilderness and sponsors' logos integrated into the design of each end boss. The new micro-payment system will allow certain upgrades and conveniences to be purchased in-game or on the website. For example, exclusive, unlimited stat buffs will be available at an hourly rate. Tiered pricing will allow players to pay as little or as much as they like. Financing is available for qualified borrowers. The design team is confident that these bonuses will have no effect on gameplay balance.
One of the most exciting licensed products for 2007 is the World of Warcraft®: The Burning Crusade Bedpan™ (
pictured here). The TBCB™ will allow dedicated gamers days of uninterrupted gameplay without having to step away from the keyboard to answer nature's call. A gold-plated TCBC Limited Collectors Edition™ will also be available for the most elite fans.
Since debuting in North America on November 23, 2004, World of Warcraft has become the most popular MMORPG around the world. Today, World of Warcraft is available in seven different languages and is played in North America, Europe, mainland China, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.
For further information on World of Warcraft, please visit the game's official website at
www.worldofwarcraft.com. Information on World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade can be found at
www.worldofwarcraft.com/burningcrusade.
About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® series, Blizzard Entertainment® (
www.blizzard.com), a division of Vivendi Games, is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating many of the industry's most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard's track record includes ten #1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company's free Internet gaming service, Battle.net®, reigns as the largest in the world, with millions of active users.
*Offer not valid in North America, Europe, Australia, China, Asia, South America, Africa, Antarctica or uncharted islands in international waters. Gold farmers will be limited to ten (10) free accounts each. Happy April Fools' Day!
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World of Warcraft® and Blizzard Entertainment® are all trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment in the United States and/or other countries. These terms and all related materials, logos, and images are copyright © Blizzard Entertainment. This site is in no way associated with or endorsed by Blizzard Entertainment®.
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