World of Warcraft could adopt a free-to-play model by making the base game and older expansions free, while monetizing through a combination of selling new expansions, offering a battle pass, and selling optional cosmetic items and account services. This approach would lower the barrier to entry, attract a larger player base, and generate revenue from cosmetic purchases that do not affect game balance, similar to models used by other MMOs.
Proposed free-to-play model changes
base game and older expansions free:
Make all existing content up to the latest expansion free to play to attract new and returning players.
Monetize through optional purchases:
Cosmetics and pets: Sell a wide variety of cosmetic items like mounts, transmogrifications, and pets. This is a proven revenue stream in other games, as evidenced by the success of early cosmetic mounts in WoW.
Account services: Offer services such as character transfers, race changes, or server changes.
Continue selling new expansions:
Keep the traditional model of selling new, large expansions to provide a continuous revenue stream for major content updates.
Implement a battle pass:
Introduce a seasonal battle pass that rewards players with in-game items and currency for playing, encouraging daily engagement.
Potential benefits
Increased player base:
removing the subscription cost would likely attract a large number of new and lapsed players who are unwilling or unable to pay a monthly fee.
Higher community engagement:
A larger, more diverse player base can lead to a more active and vibrant community, which is a key strength of the game.
Adaptation to market changes:
This shift would align WoW with the expectations of a new generation of gamers accustomed to free-to-play and other monetization models in the modern gaming landscape.
As you can see. Wow already meets many of the requirements.