Hi all,
Looking for clarification on API Terms of Use Section 2(b) (“Applications
May Not Charge Premiums To Use The APIs”) as it applies to a few common
freemium patterns for community-run tools built on the WoW Game Data API
(character/profile lookups, Mythic+ keystone data, etc.).
The clause states that players can’t be charged to access features that
use the Blizzard Developer APIs. A few scenarios I’d like to confirm:
-
Charging a subscription fee to “organizer” accounts (e.g. community/
guild leaders) for administrative tooling — rosters, applications,
scheduling — where the underlying player data lookups via the API
remain free for all players regardless of the organizer’s payment
status. Does this fall outside 2(b) since the API-powered features
themselves stay free, or does it matter that payment is required to
activate the community/group those free features operate within? -
A tiered account model where basic use of API-powered features (e.g.
joining one community/group) is free, but a paid tier increases a
quantity limit (e.g. joining multiple communities/groups
simultaneously) rather than unlocking a feature that’s otherwise
completely inaccessible. Does gating quantity/scale of use, rather
than gating the feature’s existence, still count as “charging a
premium to use the API”? -
Whether requiring an active paid membership as a prerequisite to
register for an optional paid event/tournament (with its own separate
entry fee) is permissible, when the event’s participant eligibility or
seeding uses API-derived character data.
Any clarification — official or from others who’ve dealt with a similar
review — would be appreciated before we lock in a monetization model.
Thanks!
