Can I Merge Two WoW Accounts Into One? The Ultimate Guide
The short and direct answer is: No, you cannot directly merge two World of Warcraft (WoW) accounts into a single WoW account. While the idea of combining your characters, achievements, and progress from multiple accounts into one might seem appealing, Blizzard Entertainment does not offer a feature for merging entire game accounts. However, the situation isn’t completely static, and there are nuanced ways to manage multiple accounts and even transfer individual characters. Let’s delve into the complexities surrounding this common question.
Understanding Battle.net Accounts and WoW Licenses
It’s crucial to first understand the relationship between Battle.net accounts and WoW licenses. Your Battle.net account is your central hub for all Blizzard games, including World of Warcraft. Each WoW account (sometimes also referred to as a ‘game license’ or ‘sub-account’) is a separate purchase that is linked to your Battle.net account. Think of your Battle.net account as the bookcase, and each WoW account as a different book on that bookcase.
You can have multiple WoW accounts attached to a single Battle.net account. This is how many players have a “WoW1,” “WoW2,” and so on. However, these different WoW licenses function as independent entities. This distinction is the key reason why directly merging them is not an option.
What You Can Do: Character Transfers
While you can’t merge entire accounts, you can move individual characters from one WoW account to another. This is done through the Character Transfer service, which allows you to relocate a character from one WoW license on your Battle.net account to another.
Key Considerations for Character Transfers:
- Same Account Holder: Both the source and destination WoW accounts must be registered under the same Battle.net account holder name. This prevents transferring characters to accounts owned by different people.
- No Inter-Game Transfers: You cannot transfer characters between Modern WoW, WoW Classic, and Wrath of the Lich King Classic. Transfers are limited to the same game type. For instance, you can’t move a character from Retail WoW to Classic WoW.
- Paid Service: Character Transfers are not free. There is a set fee for each transfer (currently around $25 USD), which can vary slightly based on your region.
- No Game Progress Transfer: The character transfer service only moves your characters; it does not merge the game progress, achievements, or collections of different WoW licenses.
- Forced Rename: After a Character Transfer the existing name of the character is taken, and you are forced to rename the character, unless the character is transferred onto an account on a different region from the source account, which will still allow the same name.
- Gold Limit: There is no limit to the amount of gold that a character can take during a Character Transfer.
- No Race Change: The Character Transfer service does not provide a Race Change.
How Character Transfers Can Benefit You:
- Consolidation: Transferring all your active characters onto a single WoW account can make management easier.
- Retirement: After a Character Transfer, you can effectively ‘retire’ an old WoW account and no longer pay the monthly sub.
Why Merge Isn’t Possible
The lack of a merge feature is rooted in how Blizzard manages accounts, game licenses, and data. A merge would involve complex interactions with databases, achievement systems, and other game-related structures. Essentially, it’s not as simple as copying and pasting information; a complete re-architecture of how accounts are handled would be necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I merge my Classic WoW account with my Retail WoW account?
No, you cannot. WoW Classic and Retail WoW are considered separate games with distinct licenses. Characters cannot be transferred or merged between them.
2. Can I transfer characters between different Battle.net accounts?
No, you cannot transfer characters to another person’s Battle.net account. The source and destination accounts must be under the same Battle.net account holder name.
3. How much does a character transfer cost?
The cost of a character transfer is typically around $25 USD (or the equivalent in your local currency). These prices can sometimes vary based on location, and sales or promotions may exist.
4. Can I have two Battle.net accounts with the same email address?
No. You cannot use the same email address for multiple Battle.net accounts. Each Battle.net account requires a unique email address.
5. Can I link multiple WoW accounts to a single Battle.net account?
Yes. You can link multiple WoW accounts to a single Battle.net account. When logging into WoW, you’ll have to select which WoW license you wish to use.
6. What happens to my old game license if I transfer all my characters out?
If you transfer all your characters out of a particular WoW license and don’t use that license for subscription, it will just be inactive. It will not be automatically deleted.
7. Can I delete a WoW account from my Battle.net account?
You cannot delete individual WoW accounts from your Battle.net account. The only way to remove a WoW license is by deleting the entire Battle.net account.
8. Do inactive WoW accounts get deleted?
No, Blizzard does not delete inactive WoW accounts simply because they are not in use. The game licenses remain tied to your Battle.net account indefinitely.
9. Why do people have multiple WoW accounts?
Players might have multiple accounts for various reasons such as:
- Trading: To trade with themselves across the neutral auction house.
- Storage: To have more character slots for professions or storage.
- Guild Participation: To have alt characters in the same guild without relying on others.
- Multiboxing: To play two characters at the same time.
10. Can I play two WoW accounts on one computer?
Yes, you can. You can run multiple WoW accounts on the same computer by using the Battle.net desktop app, but you need to launch each separate license.
11. Can I get a free Character Transfer?
Generally, Character Transfers are paid services. Free transfers are rare, and are mostly provided when there are realm migrations. WoW Classic Hardcore realms are an exception, where free transfers are available but final and not reversible.
12. Can I use a WoW Token on an inactive account?
In Modern WoW, you can purchase a WoW Token from the character select screen on an inactive account provided you have enough gold on one character in that region.
13. Is it legal to sell WoW accounts?
No, selling or trading WoW accounts is a violation of the Terms of Service and can result in a permanent ban. Blizzard considers your account property, not yours.
14. How many characters can I have on one WoW account?
You can have the following maximum number of characters across all realms on a single WoW account:
- 60 in Modern WoW.
- 50 in WoW Classic Era.
- 50 in Wrath Classic.
15. Can I restore deleted characters?
Yes, deleted characters can be restored within specific time frames:
- 90 days for normal characters.
- 120 days for higher level characters, or characters on other expansion servers.
Conclusion
While directly merging two WoW accounts isn’t possible, the Character Transfer service offers a practical solution to consolidate your characters onto a single account. Understanding the distinction between Battle.net accounts and WoW licenses, along with the limitations of the transfer service, can help you manage your accounts effectively. Keep in mind that Blizzard continues to update and revise its policies, so staying informed through official channels is always advisable. This comprehensive guide will help you make better, more informed decisions about your WoW accounts.