World of Warcraft to Hike Prices in Australia and New Zealand
Effective February 7th, Blizzard Entertainment will increase the cost of all World of Warcraft in-game transactions for players in Australia and New Zealand. This price adjustment, announced on January 7th, reflects current global and regional market conditions.
While players with active subscriptions as of February 6th will retain their current rates for up to six months, the changes will affect various services, including monthly subscriptions and WoW Tokens. This isn't the first time Blizzard has adjusted WoW pricing globally; however, the US monthly subscription rate of $14.99 has remained unchanged since 2004.
The new pricing for Australia and New Zealand will see monthly subscriptions rise to AUD 23.95 and NZD 26.99 respectively, with annual subscriptions capped at AUD 249.00 and NZD 280.68. The WoW Token will increase to AUD 32.00 and NZD 36.00. Other services, such as name changes, character transfers, and boosts, will also see price increases (see table below).
At the current exchange rate, these increases would roughly align with US pricing. However, given fluctuating currency values, the long-term impact remains uncertain. This decision has sparked mixed reactions from the WoW community, with some criticizing the move while others argue it brings pricing closer to US dollar equivalents.
Blizzard emphasized that this decision wasn't taken lightly and acknowledged player feedback in past pricing adjustments. The long-term consequences of these price changes are yet to be determined.
Revised World of Warcraft Service Prices (Australia & New Zealand - Effective February 7th)
| Service | Australian Dollar (AUD) | New Zealand Dollar (NZD) |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Month Recurring Subscription | $249.00 | $280.68 |
| 6-Month Recurring Subscription | $124.50 | $140.34 |
| 3-Month Recurring Subscription | $67.05 | $75.57 |
| 1-Month Recurring Subscription | $23.95 | $26.99 |
| WoW Token | $32.00 | $36.00 |
| Blizzard Balance for WoW Token Redemption | $24.00 | $27.00 |
| Name Change | $16.00 | $18.00 |
| Race Change | $40.00 | $45.00 |
| Character Transfer | $40.00 | $45.00 |
| Faction Change | $48.00 | $54.00 |
| Pets | $16.00 | $18.00 |
| Mounts | $40.00 | $45.00 |
| Guild Transfer & Faction Change | $56.00 | $63.00 |
| Guild Name Change | $32.00 | $36.00 |
| Character Boost | $96.00 | $108.00 |
