World of Warcraft is one of the most popular MMORPGs of all time. This massive game stretches all the way back to 2004, and since then, it has gained a hefty amount of players. Throughout this time, we've seen a whopping nine expansions as well.
If you are new to World of Warcraft, you may not be sure where to dive in, or if it is even worth playing. Here, we are going to take an in-depth look at the big question: is World of Warcraft worth playing? First, let's go over some reviews of this MMO.
Review
Understandably so, World of Warcraft has a rich story that spans nine expansions and nearly 20 years. These expansions take players across the world to new locations, such as distant planets or the Dragon Isles.
Rather than picking a race and class, and then joining everyone else, you will pick a class that is aligned with either the Horde or Alliance. For example, as a Dwarf, you will be in the Alliance. Orcs, on the other hand, are part of the Horde. Due to this split, the storyline for each faction is different.
Here at TheGamer, Features Editor Eric Switzer reviewed Shadowlands, which was released back in 2020. Eric emphasized the excitement of traveling to new places in each expansion, bringing tons of new things to engage with. Shadowlands garnered an impressive perfect rating, with the only downfalls being unbalanced covenant abilities and a long intro.
Now, with the most recent expansion of World of Warcraft, Eric Switzer doubles down on the love for this MMO, stating that "Dragonflight represents a refinement for WoW’s systems more than an evolution, and it puts the MMO in a fantastic position for the future".
When I log-in, I don’t feel the pressure to get on the grind and keep up with an ever-increasing gear level through dungeons and raiding. The world is so much more open than ever before, and I feel like I can head out in any direction and find something worthwhile to do.
Overall, World of Warcraft has evolved into a beautiful MMORPG, filled with a seemingly endless amount of content fit for new players and veterans alike.
Time Expenditure
As an MMO, World of Warcraft can pretty much be played forever. Each expansion can take hundreds of hours to complete; in addition to the main storyline, expansions have end-game content that you can grind away at.
According to HowLongToBeat, players report that Dragonflight takes around 30 to 40 hours to complete. If you aim to 100 percent this expansion and do everything, you are looking at nearly 200 hours. Each expansion is similar; in total, you can expect well over 1,000 hours of content, with more to come. At no point will you run out of content, especially within the newer expansions like Shadowlands and Dragonflight.
Cost
World of Warcraft is a subscription-based game starting at $14.99 USD per month. You are able to pay on a monthly basis, but you can also opt to purchase a subscription for larger chunks of time. For example, a six-month subscription will cost around $77.94 USD, which equals out to $12.99 USD a month.
Fortunately, you don't have to start paying right away! World of Warcraft has a free trial that will take you up to level 20. With a free trial, you can make a character and join either the Horde or Alliance. Once you make it to level 20, you can then convert your account to the paid version, retaining your character.
In the in-game shop, you can purchase a WoW Token for $20 USD. This can be sold for gold, or used in lieu of a month's subscription. Although this costs more than the subscription itself, you can use gold in the game to buy these tokens from other players. Essentially, this means that if you have enough gold in the game, you can buy one month of a subscription.
Although there are nine expansions in the game, you don't need to purchase all of them. When purchasing a subscription, you will gain access to every expansion besides the newest one. So, if you choose to pay $14.99 USD, you will get everything up to Shadowlands.
Dragonflight will need to be purchased separately, which has a base price of $49.99 USD. You can also purchase the Heroic Edition for $69.99 USD or the Epic Edition for $89.99. These latter two editions bring additional content, but they are not essential to playing Dragonflight.
What Players Are Saying
You Won't Find Better - Branden Lizardi
There's a reason that World of Warcraft is the premiere name in MMORPGs, having lasted as long as it has. It's struck that perfect balance of mechanics, progression, and stylistic flavor. It's tremendously expansive without overwhelming new players, too. And with their free-to-play introductory levels, it's certainly worth a try.
Return To A Triumphant Azeroth - David Duffy
Dragonflight has revitalized a lot of what made World of Warcraft great at its peak. There's so much to do across all the expansions that you'll never really get bored, while the retooled leveling process means it's no longer such a grind to access the newer content either — especially if you're starting from scratch. All in all, it's a welcoming world for both casual and committed player alike, one well worth getting lost in.
Classic For A Reason - Jacqueline Zalace
If you are looking for a classic MMORPG experience, look no further than World of Warcraft. It's incredibly simple to get into, letting you play for free before switching to a subscription. With two main factions, creating new characters can bring a new perspective to the story. While it may not be as polished as other MMOs like Final Fantasy 14 (with the ability to switch your class whenever you like), World of Warcraft definitely has a unique charm that will leave you sitting at your computer for hours.