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Blizzard Sells Skyborne Race Separately for World of Warcraft: Forever

Locking the Skyborne and its starter zone behind paid bundles raises questions about what Blizzard will include in a standard subscription going forward.

Overview

  • Blizzard’s Battle.net store requires a separate purchase to play the Skyborne race and enter their Zephras Isle starter zone rather than granting access through the regular World of Warcraft subscription.
  • Three tiered bundles are listed: a $30 Heroic pack with a mount, cosmetics and housing items; a $60 Epic pack that adds beta access and 30 days of subscription; and an $80 limited edition that includes those extras plus a copy of WarCraft III: Reforged.
  • Coverage and forum posts report strong community debate, with some players calling the decision unfair and others saying the bundles are optional and can be skipped.
  • Commentators note sticker shock at the $30 price and warn that selling a playable race separately could set a precedent for charging for future races or classes rather than including them in core releases.
  • Because playable races and starter zones have historically been part of WoW’s core content, this sale is a notable shift in how Forever is monetized and could change how players plan and spend on future updates.