Microsoft Should Tie World of Warcraft Subscriptions With Xbox Game Pass

Microsoft Should Tie World of Warcraft Subscriptions With Xbox Game Pass

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As World of Warcraft player numbers drop and Xbox Game Pass subscribers rise, Game Pass may be the perfect way to save the aging MMORPG.

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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.

The Cost of World of Warcraft

Microsoft Should Tie World of Warcraft Subscriptions With Xbox Game Pass

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 without filling the experience with microtransactions. However, when that game content begins to falter, players become less inclined to pay the fee.

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World of Warcraft’s Falling Fanbase

Microsoft Should Tie World of Warcraft Subscriptions With Xbox Game Pass

In recent years, many conversations around World of Warcraft have been players airing their grievances. People have expressed feeling forgotten, that the game has become too focused on keeping players logged in with a blander story. Some have been leaving to other titles they feel provide the content that World of Warcraft is missing, which has contributed to the rise of Final Fantasy 14 and The Elder Scrolls Online.

World of Warcraft has also begun to time gate certain content. Instead of allowing players to complete the content how and when they want, the game has put barriers up so they cannot complete it until real-world time has passed. This applies to story chapters that last for weeks, the need to max out faction reputations before gaining power, or even daily quests that are needed to progress.

The world of Azeroth also feels a lot smaller to players as each expansion throws them into a completely new area, ignoring all the previous landmasses that make up the world. The current expansion, Shadowlands, brought players to an entirely different dimension. To some it feels no longer like the World of Warcraft, but instead the Islands of Warcraft.

When players feel abandoned by a game, they’re less likely to justify paying $15 per month. While active player counts are not clear after Blizzard stopped sharing them in 2015, it’s likely World of Warcraft fans have been dropping the game. The last time Blizzard reported the numbers was around 5.5 million players, a nine-year low for the game. Since then, the fanbase has only gotten louder.

Ongoing Activision Blizzard Lawsuits

Microsoft Should Tie World of Warcraft Subscriptions With Xbox Game Pass

Last year the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard over sexual harassment and a “frat boy” culture at the company. There were calls to boycott Activision Blizzard games, which includes World of Warcraft. Virtual sit-ins and log-outs alike were staged across the MMO, and many content creators even begun focusing on other titles.

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The lawsuits are still ongoing, with Activision Blizzard attempting to rebuild its critical public image by hiring, firing, and changing policies. But the damage has been done, and angry fans who wanted to leave World of Warcraft were given a bigger reason to do so.

Game Pass Could Save World of Warcraft

Despite that aforementioned news, early this year Microsoft announced it will purchase Activison Blizzard in the gaming industry’s largest acquisition ever. This worried many, as it has a huge effect for some of the largest video game franchises on the planet, but it may just be the perfect thing for World of Warcraft.

With an irate fanbase, huge competitors, and the ongoing Activision Blizzard scandal, World of Warcraft player numbers have no doubt taken a hit, but those could be given a boost by adding World of Warcraft to Xbox Game Pass. Xbox Game Pass just crossed 25 million subscribers and is a powerhouse in the gaming industry. Old games have found new life on the platform, and new games such as Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite have found enormous success with day-one launches.

World of Warcraft is one of PC’s best-known franchises, and adding it to the powerhouse Xbox Game Pass could reinvigorate its success. Xbox Game Pass subscribers could jump in at no extra cost and old players may be more willing to return, especially with the added benefit of the Game Pass library. It would also take the burden off keeping people subscribed to the game, leading to more focus on keeping them come back for more content.

World of Warcraft is available now on PC.

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