Microsoft Should Tie World of Warcraft Subscriptions With Xbox Game Pass
World of Warcraft was once the unbeatable kingpin of the MMORPG genre. Many competitors have launched and died in the time World of Warcraft has been around, but times are changing with other high-quality MMOs pulling players in, a loss of faith by many players, ongoing lawsuits, and now Microsoft's acquisition of Activison Blizzard. This is a turbulent time for the aging MMO, which makes it the perfect time for Microsoft to shake up its formula.
World of Warcraft invites players into an expansive fantasy world with a story spanning 28 years, starting in 1994 with Warcraft: Orcs & Humans. This world is known as Azeroth, and has created fun memories and countless Internet memes for millions of players. The game has changed with eight different expansion packs, but one thing has remained constant throughout the entire lifespan is its the cost of entry.
Now's the Perfect Time to Bring World of Warcraft to Consoles
To access the world of Azeroth, players must spend $15 USD per month, or they can purchase a multi-month subscription with discounts. On top of the subscription cost, whenever a brand-new expansion rolls around Blizzard asks for anywhere between $40 to $80. If that wasn’t enough, there is also the option to purchase certain mounts, cosmetics, items, and pets through a shop with real-world money.
This cost to enter isn’t unique to World of Warcraft. Elder Scrolls Online has a subscription option for $15 USD/month, Final Fantasy 14 Online charges $15 USD/month, and even the classic MMO RuneScape has an option for $11 USD/month. The monthly cost that these games charge usually go to server maintenance, content creation, and all the employees that run a game of that magnitude. It allows the developers to keep creating
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