World of Warcraft (WoW) launched The War Within expansion, and for the first time, they made flying accessible from the start—a refreshing change. They also introduced Warbands, making multi-character management less time-consuming. It finally felt like WoW valued my time as a player. For the 20th anniversary, I thought these changes meant a celebration, especially as someone who’s been playing since the beta in June 2004.
Then, I opened the game launcher and saw a $90 mount for sale called Trader’s Gilded Brutosaur.
I stared at the launcher for a while. Something broke within me. I clicked “Play” and logged into a main city. There, about ten players sat, proudly displaying their new mount, which includes a mailbox and auctioneer. The goal of the mount: not having to return to the city to check mail or manage auctions. I logged out.
Activision Blizzard, now part of Microsoft, has every right to include whatever they want in the game. Likewise, players are free to spend their money however they wish. I want to make that clear.
I purchased WoW’s first microtransaction mount. It was $25.00. I fell in love with it when I first saw it. When I purchased it, I was placed in a queue for at least 20 minutes. Their credit card processor could not handle the volume of people ordering it. I bought it because it was a gold flying dragon. The first of its kind. I flew it for months. Do I fly it now? No, but I might start. A reminder of the good old days.
Why It Matters if a Subscription-Based Game Offers Expensive Microtransactions
For me, it’s about trust and respect for players. A subscription-based model should cover future content without players needing to pay extra. There was a time when WoW rewarded loyalty. For example, during the 10th anniversary, players subscribed for the entire decade received a commemorative statue.
These gestures helped foster a sense of loyalty and respect. Now, with items like the $90 mount, it feels like players have been love-bombed by a narcissist. After giving players long-awaited quality-of-life improvements, they unveil this high-cost mount, asking us to pay a premium on top of years of investment. The mount costs as much as the highest edition of the expansion itself. Why should we pay for something we never truly own?
Remember, players don’t own their WoW accounts. One day, the servers will go offline. Why ask players to spend an outrageous amount of money on a mount? Don’t tell me it’s optional. To me, it’s disrespectful to loyal players, especially when they’re already paying for a subscription and the full game cost.
Microsoft, one of the richest companies in the U.S., now owning Activision Blizzard, the decision to charge $90 for a mount feels even more…wrong. Loyal players are already paying for subscriptions and expansions. Why does this new ownership seem to come with a steeper price tag?
I waited before writing this to see if my feelings would change. But when I logged in almost a week later and saw those mounts in the city, my feelings remained the same. Just because something can be done doesn’t mean it should be done. Since this approach was successful, it WILL happen again. I’ve lost my desire to play, and unless something changes, I won’t be renewing my subscription.
Trading Post Disappointment
To make matters worse, with the start of a new month, WoW added new Trading Post goals. Considering it’s the game’s 20th anniversary, the rewards are disappointing: only cosmetics, with no mounts or pets. This decision only deepened my frustration about what my subscription is funding.
Comparing to Genshin Impact
This situation reminded me of Genshin Impact, a popular free-to-play, single-player gacha (pay to win) game. I hadn’t played it in months, but it was still installed on my computer. When I looked up information on Genshin Impact, I found a video about a player who spent over $100,000 on their account.
Their account is maxed out. Impressive. Genshin Impact’s model doesn’t bother me because it’s a free-to-play, single-player game. I don’t see other players’ progress in my game. Free players can still advance, and those who spend help keep the game free for everyone. It’s a balanced approach.
The Rising Costs of Gaming
Game companies continue pushing game costs higher as their expenses have decreased. This is not a consumer-friendly practice. Digital distribution has eliminated physical costs, yet prices are rising. While I understand a company’s goal is to make money, I’m becoming more cautious about where my money goes. If the CEO gets a bonus, my point will be more than proven. For me, the $90 mount was the breaking point. Unless WoW returns to a model that respects player loyalty without gouging for cosmetic items, I won’t be renewing my subscription.
