WoW Price Hike in One Region Announced
Summary
- World of Warcraft will increase fees for Australian and New Zealand players on all in-game transactions starting February 7.
- Blizzard states that World of Warcraft players who have recurring subscriptions as of February 6 will keep their current rates for up to six months.
On January 7, Blizzard announced that World of Warcraft players in Australia and New Zealand would soon see an increase in costs for all in-game transactions, including monthly subscriptions, due to global and regional market conditions. The price increases will take effect on February 7, providing players with just one month of advance notice.
This isn't the first time World of Warcraft has adjusted its fees and prices for services like WoW Tokens and monthly subscriptions. With the global economy driving up the cost of goods worldwide, Blizzard has been making price adjustments on a country-by-country basis to reflect these rising costs and market conditions. However, the monthly subscription price in the US has remained at $14.99 since the game's launch in 2004, though future changes remain uncertain.
While the US subscription rate has stayed consistent, players in Australia and New Zealand will soon face new rates. According to Blizzard community manager Kaivax's forum post, the monthly subscription will increase from AUD $19.95 to AUD $23.95 in Australia, and from NZD $23.99 to NZD $26.99 in New Zealand, starting February 7. The annual subscription cap will rise to AUD $249.00 and NZD $280.68. The WoW Token will also see a price hike to AUD $32.00 and NZD $36.00.
New World of Warcraft Service Prices for Australia and New Zealand (Starting February 7)
| Service | Australian dollar (AUD) | New Zealand dollar (NZD) |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Month Recurring Subscription | $249.00 | $280.68 |
| 6-Month Recurring Subscription / 180 Days Game Time | $124.50 | $140.34 |
| 3-Month Recurring Subscription / 90 Days Game Time | $67.05 | $75.57 |
| 1-Month Recurring Subscription / 30 Days Game Time | $23.95 | $26.99 |
| WoW Token | $32.00 | $36.00 |
| Blizzard Balance for WoW Token Redemption | $24.00 | $27.00 |
| Name Change | $16.00 | $18.00 |
| Race Change | $40.00 | $45.00 |
| Character Transfer | $40.00 | $45.00 |
| Faction Change | $48.00 | $54.00 |
| Pets | $16.00 | $18.00 |
| Mounts | $40.00 | $45.00 |
| Guild Transfer and Faction Change | $56.00 | $63.00 |
| Guild Name Change | $32.00 | $36.00 |
| Character Boost | $96.00 | $108.00 |
At the time of writing, the conversion rate of USD to AUD offers a five-cent discount in USD, aligning the price increases with the current US subscription rates after conversion. However, the strength of the Australian and New Zealand dollars remains volatile. Some World of Warcraft players have criticized Blizzard for these changes, while others believe it brings the prices in line with the US dollar in the short term. Blizzard has confirmed that affected players with recurring subscriptions as of February 6 will maintain their current rates for up to six months.
Blizzard emphasized that these changes were not made lightly. While World of Warcraft has a history of adjusting prices based on player feedback, the long-term impact of the price increases in Australia and New Zealand remains to be seen.
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