What Does WoW Game Time Include? A Comprehensive Guide
So, you’re diving into the world of Azeroth, or perhaps you’re a returning adventurer looking to refresh your understanding of how World of Warcraft access works? Understanding WoW game time is crucial for accessing the game and all its glorious content. Simply put, purchasing game time grants you access to play World of Warcraft up to the most recent expansion (excluding the current one), the Classic Era realms, and the Classic branches, including Wrath of the Lich King Classic. This means that with just game time, you can explore the vast landscapes, engage in thrilling quests, and experience the rich story that spans across multiple expansions.
It’s important to distinguish game time from a subscription. Game time is a one-off purchase, usually available in 60-day increments, that provides you with a set period of play. Once the 60 days are up, you must manually purchase more game time to continue your adventures.
Think of it as purchasing access to an entertainment service, but instead of a movie, you get to journey through Azeroth. Let’s delve into the specifics and uncover all that game time encompasses.
Game Time vs. Subscription
Understanding the difference between game time and a subscription is paramount for managing your World of Warcraft access.
Game Time: The One-Time Pass
As previously mentioned, game time is a one-time purchase. These are commonly found as 60-day cards or purchased digitally, and once activated, they grant you access for the specified period. After this time expires, you’ll need to manually purchase more game time if you wish to continue playing.
Subscription: The Auto-Renewing Access
A WoW subscription is an automatically recurring payment that continues until you cancel it. Subscriptions offer a different level of flexibility, allowing you to choose between monthly, three-month, and six-month billing cycles. The subscription will automatically renew as long as there are sufficient funds available, meaning you’ll never lose access to the game due to an expired period. Often, subscriptions can grant additional perks such as in-game rewards or items.
Choosing What’s Right For You
If you are looking for a commitment-free option or wish to play for shorter periods, game time provides a straightforward approach. However, if you plan to play consistently, a subscription might be the more convenient choice due to its auto-renewal feature.
What Do You Actually Get?
Purchasing game time opens the doors to the following:
- Retail World of Warcraft: This includes all content up to the most recent expansion. You’ll have access to all zones, dungeons, and raids, letting you enjoy hundreds of hours of content. However, the latest expansion will require an additional purchase.
- Classic Era Realms: Experience World of Warcraft in its original form with the Classic Era servers. These are server-specific recreations of how the game was back in the day.
- Classic Branches: Enjoy the WoW Classic experience, including Wrath of the Lich King Classic. Experience the nostalgia of these legacy servers.
- Leveling up to 60: With game time, you can level your characters up to level 60, enabling access to a significant portion of the game’s content.
- Access to all base content: With this access, you can play all base content which was included before the most recent expansions.
- No need to buy old expansions: All previous expansions are integrated into the base game for players with an active game time or subscription, excluding the current expansion.
What Game Time Does Not Include
While game time gives a significant amount of access to the game, it’s important to know what is not included:
- The Latest Expansion: To access the most recent expansion, you will need to purchase it separately. This is the case regardless if you have game time or not.
- Exclusive subscription rewards: Some special mounts or exclusive rewards are only granted to subscribers, not game time users.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To further clarify the ins and outs of WoW game time, here are 15 frequently asked questions:
1. Does WoW game time include all Classic versions?
Yes, a single game time purchase covers access to all WoW Classic branches, including the original Classic servers, and Wrath of the Lich King Classic.
2. Can I play WoW Classic for free?
You can try WoW for free up to level 20 but you’ll need either game time or a subscription to advance beyond that level and experience more of the game.
3. Is game time the same as a subscription?
No. Game time is a one-time purchase, typically for 60 days, while a subscription is an auto-renewing payment.
4. Does a WoW subscription include game time?
A subscription provides ongoing access, which is similar to game time but it automatically renews at your chosen rate. Subscriptions are available at different billing cycles (monthly, 3 months, 6 months).
5. How do I purchase game time?
You can purchase game time with a credit card from the Battle.net Shop or via your Battle.net account page. Game time cards can be purchased from retailers.
6. How much does a WoW subscription cost?
Subscription costs vary depending on the billing cycle. Typically, a one-month subscription is around $14.99, three months is roughly $13.99 per month, and a six-month subscription is around $12.99 per month.
7. Can I play WoW after my subscription ends?
Yes. Your account will remain playable until your current game time expires, even if you cancel the subscription, you will still have access to the game during the time you paid for.
8. How do I check my in-game playtime?
Use the chat command “/played” in-game to display your total playtime for that character.
9. Can I buy WoW instead of a subscription?
You can choose to purchase a 60-day game time instead of a recurring subscription. This allows you to play without automatic renewals, however, some subscription benefits may be missed by doing this.
10. Do I need to buy all the WoW expansions?
No. All previous expansions are now considered part of the base game, included with your game time or subscription. You’ll only need to purchase the latest expansion separately.
11. What is the difference between “base game” and “latest expansion”?
The term “base game” refers to all the content, zones, dungeons, and raids that are included up to the previous expansion. The latest expansion is a separate purchase, that provides new content.
12. Is WoW worth playing in 2023?
Absolutely! World of Warcraft remains a very popular game with a very large player base, and continues to receive content updates and expansions.
13. How do I redeem a game time code?
Log into the Battle.net website, navigate to your Account Overview, and select “Redeem a code”. Enter the code, and the time will be added to your account.
14. Why does WoW have a monthly fee?
The monthly fee helps fund the development of new content, and expansions, and ensure that the game is constantly being updated. It helps to maintain servers and the overall operation of a large MMO.
15. What if I haven’t played in a long time?
If you haven’t played for a while, you can simply resubscribe, purchase game time and continue your adventure right where you left off. Your characters will still be waiting for you.
Conclusion
Understanding WoW game time is essential for navigating the expansive world of World of Warcraft. Whether you choose the flexibility of one-time game time purchases or the consistent access of a subscription, knowing what each option entails will enhance your gaming experience. With access to all the content up to the most recent expansion, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to explore, level, and conquer the challenges of Azeroth. Now, go forth, adventurer, and may your journeys be legendary!