World of Warcraft Goes Free Online for 20 Levels
Bestselling massively multiplayer online fantasy role-playing game World of Warcraft is now free to play for new users, up to level 20.
New players who sign up for the game no longer have to pay a subscription fee until this milestone is reached, regardless of how much time is played. Creator Blizzard’s new demo program, dubbed World of Warcraft: Starter Edition, replaces the game’s previous 14-day trial period. The package, which requires players to subscribe for play starting at level 20, will also feature sample content from initial expansion The Burning Crusade.
A cultural touchstone with 12 million+ worldwide subscribers that’s given birth to massive fan conventions, cameos by Ozzy Osbourne and entire episodes of South Park, the popular online game obviously hopes to entice new users. With 3.3 million copies of most recent add-on pack Cataclysm having sold in just 24 hours, we’re guessing no shortage of players with a closet fetish for orcs and night elves will soon be signing up to enlist.