World of Warcraft no longer requires a game purchase, just a subscription

All of World of Warcraft’s available content — aside from the soon to be released Battle for Azeroth expansion — is now included in the game’s $14.99 monthly subscription fee. The Battle Chest — which used to include the base game and all previous expansions — is no longer available for purchase in Blizzard’s online shop. This change appears to be permanent.

Players, new and old, can now sign up for a subscription and play all the way through Legion, World of Warcraft’s sixth expansion. This change comes shortly after the pre-patch for Battle for Azeroth, World of Warcraft’s seventh expansion, which is scheduled to be released on Aug. 14.

This change lowers the barrier to entry for World of Warcraft, which has typically required that players purchase the base game to play. As long as players pay their monthly subscription, they can play all the way through level 110 without purchasing anything additional. However, for players who become interested in playing the latest and greatest World of Warcraft content, Battle for Azeroth will still cost a one-time fee of $49.99.

Polygon has reached out to Blizzard regarding an official statement or announcement of this new pricing structure.