Do you need to purchase retail to play WoW classic?

Halya-korgath · August 17, 2019, 5:11am

My brother wants to try WoW classic when it comes out, but he does not own any of the previous WoW titles.
Can he just donwload the client and download wow classic and buy a subscription to play or would he have to purchase one of the games to have access to WoW classic?

Canyonero-emerald-dream · August 17, 2019, 5:12am

He has to purchase it.

Shaytime-proudmoore · August 17, 2019, 5:12am

i read that all you need is a sub.

Ogderawm-proudmoore · August 17, 2019, 5:12am

I thought the base game was free?

Ilshenar-wyrmrest-accord · August 17, 2019, 5:13am

You only need to pay the $15 sub. You do not need to buy any expansions.

Angrykytten-moon-guard · August 17, 2019, 5:13am

All a player needs is a subscription or game time added to their account.

Base game is free.

You might find some good deals online for 90 day game cards (which is what I did).

Canyonero-emerald-dream · August 17, 2019, 5:13am

Well I’ve been wrong once or twice before lol. Still though I was sure you’d need the latest version of WoW. Perhaps not.

Halya-korgath · August 17, 2019, 5:14am

Thanks for the speedy replies!

Ilshenar-wyrmrest-accord · August 17, 2019, 5:14am

Nah, it wouldn’t make sense to need the latest version in order to play the old version.

Canyonero-emerald-dream · August 17, 2019, 5:15am

So can anyone just play the game for free(minus sub) to level 110?

Angrykytten-moon-guard · August 17, 2019, 5:16am

You are thinking “Retail” and that is currently free up to lvl 20.

Morgonha-tol-barad · August 17, 2019, 5:16am

I didn’t buy retail and I can confirm you don’t need it for Classic.

Baelkar-frostmourne · August 17, 2019, 5:17am

“All players with active World of Warcraft subscriptions or game time on their accounts have access to WoW Classic at no additional cost.”

Canyonero-emerald-dream · August 17, 2019, 5:17am

You said base game is free. What is the base game?

Mizterdots-gorgonnash · August 17, 2019, 5:17am

All accounts new or existing will have Legion as the base game. Add a sub to that account, you will have access to Classic.

Ogderawm-proudmoore · August 17, 2019, 5:18am

Up to legion is completley free with an active sub. You dont need to purchase,anything at all. Unless you wanna play BFA. Otherwise its just a sub.

Grunz-uther · August 17, 2019, 5:18am

Blizzard specifically posted that Classic is only free to those that have an active subscription. By that definition it would still require the paid retail version of the game, otherwise you’re paying $15 for a $60 game.
But on the other side of that, adding game time without having the expansions is possible.

The only way to know is to try it

Ilshenar-wyrmrest-accord · August 17, 2019, 5:18am

Classic is the base game

Grunz-uther · August 17, 2019, 5:19am

So Blizzard is charging a minimum of $15 for Classic.

Canyonero-emerald-dream · August 17, 2019, 5:19am

Well that’s not right lol