World of Warcraft can be played for free in various ways. We explain how well the different options work.
World of Warcraft is still one of the largest MMORPGs in the world even after nearly 20 years. Many still feel the urge to dive into Blizzard’s MMORPG. However, the monthly subscription costs seem outdated and no longer up-to-date for many. So the question arises: Can you test World of Warcraft or even play it for free?
Both are possible. We answer the most important questions about playing World of Warcraft for free.
The trailer for the WoW expansion “The War Within”:
Playing WoW “free” with the Starter Account
Like almost all major MMORPGs, World of Warcraft offers a trial version (“Free Trial”), which is sometimes called a “Starter Account”. This version is fundamentally free of charge, and you only need to create a Battle.net account, download the Battle.net client, and then install World of Warcraft.
After that, you can create dozens of different characters, try out all classes, complete quests, and explore the game world.
However, the trial version has a whole range of restrictions:
- Characters can only reach a maximum level of 20.
- Each character can have a maximum of 1,000 gold.
- You can only participate in chat to a limited extent. Voice chat is disabled.
- You cannot send or receive mail and cannot trade in the Auction House.
- Pet battles cannot be fought.
- Guild functions are not available.
- You cannot create groups.
- The latest expansion is not available.
These restrictions are quite drastic, but they are intended to protect players from “spam bots” and similar issues that would undermine the gaming experience with starter accounts.
However, the fact is that a large part of the social components that make an MMORPG an MMORPG are only very limited or not available at all with a Starter Account.
Is the trial version of World of Warcraft worth it? World of Warcraft has a relatively conservative trial version that only covers a very small part of the game. Up to level 20, many classes feel similar, and you can hardly get a sense of how the class feels in the later stages of the game.
However, the trial version is useful if you want to check out the game’s graphics, the basic combat system, or get a glimpse into the various gameplay elements.
If this impression is not enough for you, a one-month subscription may be worthwhile to experience the “full” functions of World of Warcraft more extensively. However, keep in mind that it can take up to 24 hours after the subscription is completed until the restrictions of the trial account are lifted. Usually, this happens much faster.
By the way: If you have had a subscription and it expires, your account will be downgraded to the settings of a trial account. You can then only play characters below level 20 and the same restrictions (for example, for chat) apply as for other trial accounts. After resubscribing, you will regain access to all characters.
Play World of Warcraft for free with the WoW Token
There is another option that allows you to really play World of Warcraft “for free” and with all the features the game offers. Because within World of Warcraft, there is an option to earn playtime with ingame gold: The WoW Token.
In essence, the WoW Token is a legal variant of gold selling in the game.
Here’s how it works: Who has little gold in the game and does not want to buy it can purchase a “WoW Token” in the in-game shop for 20 euros. This is then sold in the game’s auction house for gold to other players.
Savers can take advantage of this and use their ingame gold to buy a WoW Token from the auction house.
You can then redeem the WoW Token. Either for 30 days of gameplay for your WoW account (essentially a monthly subscription) or for 13 euros as credit for your Battle.net account. With this credit, you can also purchase the latest WoW expansion or other games from Battle.net.
In other words: Anyone with a particularly large amount of gold in the game can bypass the subscription costs for World of Warcraft and play completely for free.
Is the WoW Token worth it? Earning the subscription costs of World of Warcraft through farming ingame gold seems like a lucrative solution in theory when finances are tight. However, one must be aware that this option is only realistic if at least one of the following factors is met:
- Extremely much free time for farming.
- High gameplay level to pull other players in content and sell these services.
- Very good market knowledge and time to earn gold in the game’s auction house.
These factors are likely available to only a fraction of all players. For the vast majority, it is not realistically achievable to cover subscription costs through gameplay. At the same time, you should have fun with your chosen method. Otherwise, 13 € per month is probably the better investment.
“Free Weekend” – Free weekends with full access
A third option to play World of Warcraft for free is only available at certain times. Occasionally, World of Warcraft runs a “Free Weekend” event. For a period of 3-4 days, the entire game is available, and all accounts can temporarily access all features.
However, these weekends usually only occur 1 or 2 times a year and are often announced at short notice.
These dates are especially suitable if you have taken a longer break from World of Warcraft and want to dip back into the current content. However, you must also be well informed about the date and have the time available. Therefore, it is less suitable for a spontaneous “test”. If you want to know more about getting started in World of Warcraft, we have our beginner’s guide to WoW here.
