If you decide you like the game, you'll need a subscription. A WoW sub costs $15 per month (or less if you pay for 3, 6, or 12 months at once). Larger bundles sometimes include mounts or pets as bonuses, but if you're new, stick with a single month to WoW Classic 20th Anniversary Gold start.

Your subscription immediately unlocks all past expansions-everything except the newest one. As of 2025, that means you can play retail WoW up to level 70 and explore Classic versions of the game too.

If you want to access the newest content, you'll need to purchase the current expansion, The War Within. Only the Epic Edition includes 30 days of game time. Heroic and Base editions do not, which often surprises new players.

One unique feature of WoW is the WoW Token system. This lets you buy a token with in-game WoW Classic 20th Anniversary Gold from the Auction House and redeem it for game time or Battle.net balance. In theory, you can fund your subscription without spending real money-though it requires grinding enough gold to buy tokens.

Retail vs. Classic: Which Version Should You Play?

This is one of the most common questions new players ask. Here's the breakdown:

Retail WoW is the modern version with decades of expansions, quality-of-life improvements, and the largest player base. It's the best choice for new players.

Classic WoW recreates the original 2004 experience (and its later expansions). It's slower, more punishing, and designed around community interaction. Some players love its old-school charm.

Hardcore Classic features permanent death. If your character dies, it's gone forever. Fun for veterans, but not beginner-friendly.

Season of Discovery is a twist on Classic with experimental changes like Warlock tanks. Great for veterans wanting novelty, not for first-timers.

For beginners, start with retail WoW. You can always explore Classic later, since it's included in your subscription.

Choosing Your First Character

WoW offers a wide variety of races and classes. Here are the basics:

Faction choice (Horde vs. Alliance) matters less than it used to. Both factions can now play together in most content, so just pick whichever feels cooler to you.

Class choice is flexible. Every class has at least one DPS (damage) specialization, and some can also tank or heal. Don't worry about "meta" classes-balance changes frequently. Instead, pick a class that looks fun.

Specs (specializations) change how your class plays. For example, a Priest can specialize as a healer or a DPS caster. You can swap specs outside of combat, so feel free to experiment.

Racial abilities exist, but they're not game-breaking. Choose a race based on appearance and story rather than tiny combat bonuses.

If you're brand new, WoW will drop you into Exile's Reach, a streamlined tutorial island. You'll learn the basics, level to 10, and even run a practice dungeon with AI companions. From there, you'll move on to Dragonflight zones, which are beginner-friendly and packed with buy WoW Classic 20th Anniversary Gold fun content.