Xbox has made it clear that Blizzard’s popular and long-running MMO World of Warcraft will not be joining the Game Pass lineup. This comes after a recent marketing email was sent to users that suggesting it might be headed to the service. The confusion arose when an email from Microsoft advertised the iconic MMORPG as part of the subscription service, sparking excitement among fans. For many, this seemed like a cost-effective way to access the game, which requires its own monthly subscription to play.
Released all the way back in the ancient time of 2004, World of Warcraft remains one of the most influential MMORPGs of all time. With major expansions in the double digits under its belt, including last year’s The War Within, the game continues to thrive with millions of subscribers still paying to play every day. This legacy makes WoW a huge revenue driver for Blizzard Entertainment, which may explain why it won’t be included in Game Pass, considering Blizzard is making little money on anything else with how Overwatch is doing.
The news got fans so worked up that Xbox took to social media to address the mix-up, calling the email a “mistake on our end” and apologizing for the confusion. For now, World of Warcraft remains a standalone experience, requiring its own subscription. While the Game Pass dream may be over for now, the game’s dedicated community shows no signs of slowing down. Now if only Blizzard could make literally anything else as good, that would be great.
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