When Blizzard announced The War Within expansion for the iconic MMORPG World of Warcraft, fans were blindsided by a bombshell that wasn’t related to all the new content they’d be experiencing.
The company revealed it would be offering early access to the DLC for an additional $40, on top of the regular cost. It’s been months since that announcement, but the shock remains. As the expansion’s release date approaches, Blizzard is finally sharing its reasoning behind this decision. Is there any chance it’s reconsidering this controversial move?
World of Warcraft: The War Within Will Continue With Early Access Charge
In a recent interview with IGN, game director Ion Hazzikostas made it clear that Blizzard has no plans to reverse course.
Despite the backlash, it’s going to make hardcore players pay what looks like ‘tax‘ to get into the new content 72 hours earlier than everyone else.
While three days might not seem like much to some, for the most dedicated players who’ve been grinding away at this game for years, those extra hours can make a huge difference.
When asked about the decision, Hazzikostas didn’t mince words:
We have sold epic editions with that expectation. That is a commitment we’re going to meet. It is a bit of an experiment.
World of Warcraft expansions might follow the same early-access monetization model from here on out if this proves to be successful. Considering how many hardcore fans the game has, it might very well work.
Hazzikostas pointed out that in previous expansions like Dragonflight, certain perks were only available with the Heroic Edition.
This time around, Blizzard has made the boost part of the baseline offering without raising the overall prices. To keep the higher tiers attractive, it had to come up with something new, and early access was the answer.
Blizzard Hasn’t Forgotten Its Other Players
So, what about those players that can’t afford early access, or would simply rather not pay for it? With backlash emerging around some disappointing aspects of the DLC, Blizzard is already walking on thin ice.
However, the director assures the studio is aware of how some might find the situation unfair. Thinking ahead of time, the team has structured the early access period in a way that minimizes any real advantage.
According to Hazzikostas, endgame content—like mythic dungeons, rogue dungeons, and weekly quests—won’t be available until the first weekly reset, meaning those extra 72 hours are more about getting leveled up and ready than anything.
The goal, as he explains, is to level the playing field so that by the time the endgame content unlocks, everyone can start on even footing. He says there shouldn’t be a major difference between early-access players and those who didn’t opt for it.
Do you think introducing early access to World of Warcraft is a fair monetization model, or does it feel predatory? We’d love to hear your opinions about it in the comments below!
