Why do people think there's going to be a sub cost?

[anon5123]

forget it, nobody is even going to read the OP post, why even have it

[Nnyco]

because people will pay for anythin nowadays if it just has a tiny bit notalgia linked to it

[Phuongvi]

Because BaF looks pretty bad and alot of retailers don't want to play that shit.

[Twdft]

Because they can.

Classic will have a realm tab next to Tourney servers. You will probably be able to play to lv20 with a starter edition there too, but real play will need a sub.

[OreoLover]

Because it's WoW.

That's about it.

[Fritters154]

Honestly. I don't see any reason to charge a monthly subscription for a 15 year old game, when there's no active development on it; no new content being added.

The subscription isn't necessarily for active development, it is also for keeping those servers running. It will undoubtedly have a sub cost as the fee for server maintenance and uptime, although I don't think it should be near as high as retail since the overall resources needed to run and maintain it should be less than the current full game.

[Airlick]

There's enough people that will be perfectly willing to re-sub for Blizzard to slap a sub on Vanilla, at least initially. I hope they don't and just go SC: Remastered route and make it B2P. They'll get enough sales for cutting a nice profit with B2P alone, either way. I don't really believe in Blizzard going with altruistic approach of either B2P or heavily reduced sub cost for Vanilla alone, though. It makes the most sense from economical standpoint to have Vanilla included in standard sub.

[Coconut]

Thank you for the hearty LOL. They didn't have to agree to classic servers in the first place, now you want them for free? Development costs money, servers, community managers and GMs also cost money. You will pay a monthly sub like everyone else, and you will get to choose what kind of server you want to play on. Guess what, people who didn't buy Legion or won't buy BFA still have to pay a sub to play the game. It's beyond ridiculous to expect anything else.

[Sesshomaru]

The subscription isn't necessarily for active development, it is also for keeping those servers running. It will undoubtedly have a sub cost as the fee for server maintenance and uptime, although I don't think it should be near as high as retail since the overall resources needed to run and maintain it should be less than the current full game.

Considering FFXI, or Final Fantasy XI Online is currently in it's 16th year, having had the pen-ultimate update back in May 2015 with the release of the main scenario Rhapsodies of Vana'diel.
Might want to notice the last expansion which came for FFXI Online was in 2007 with the release of Wings of the Goddess.

Classic will be a subscription based game (unless they want to throw out tons of fundings, which I think Activision won't allow), although whether or not it will be linked to the current progressive version is another beast to discuss.
While discussing topics like this, it's best to wait for whatever information Blizzard comes with, so we do not have a 2nd Battle For Azeroth reputation flying requirement "discussion".

[Kralljin]

Unlikely there will be one, maybe Blizzard pulls a cheap shot on people that don't want to play Retail but only Vanilla by making it free if you have an active subscription for Retail but making *just* Vanilla not an option.

Honestly, i think it will be one time thing for people without active sub, perhaps it will be free altogether as long as you are subbed to Retail.

[Sesshomaru]

Unlikely there will be one, maybe Blizzard pulls a cheap shot on people that don't want to play Retail but only Vanilla by making it free if you have an active subscription for Retail but making *just* Vanilla not an option.

Honestly, i think it will be one time thing for people without active sub, perhaps it will be free altogether as long as you are subbed to Retail.

That may be the solution Blizzard eventually present, however we sit at little to no information regarding that issue at this point of time.
From a business standpoint, you wouldn't want to repel loyal customers by showing them another (nostalgic) product and make them pay more for the access of it.
It will likely be made as having an account either "flagged" and granting access through another client or access classic servers through the realm selection, although the latter is less likely unless they can run on the same client.

[Skirdus]

Subscription costs existed because of the nature of MMORPGs, being constantly and consistently updated with new content. That's not the case for vanilla. There's no new content to develop, just bug fixes and other minor patches. Once they do their once-over of bug fixes and such, there's going to be very little, if any development to do for the game; just regular upkeep of server maintenance and GM work.

Your argument is equivalent to "after an expansion's final patch is released players shouldn't have to pay a monthly sub between then and the following expansion's release."

You don't pay a monthly sub for the content. You buy an expansion for its content. You pay a monthly sub to play the game.

[PuppetShowJustice]

If they're smart they will wrap Classic client and sub into the main retail subscription. There's really no reason to make them separate as it limits engagement with WoW. Some people will absolutely come back for Classic after having been gone from retail for a decade or more and if there's no further barrier to entry they will eventually click in to check the BFA servers. That's how you sell more copies of BFA and eventually cash shop mounts and minipets, renew interest in BFA, and try to keep your community together.

I suspect Classic will be a one-time purchase and you can access it as long as you have an active subscription. But who knows. Blizzard will be Blizzard.

[Echocho]

Because vanilla had a sub fee. #nochanges

[RoKPaNda]

Because they have to make money off it somehow. They're not going to make it for free lmao.

[Aeula]

It makes perfect sense. Both MMO’s will support each other if they share a sub rather than being in competition with each other.

Y’all are clearly desperate for an official Classic experience, might as well charge you for it and try and get you into their current product at the same time.

Maybe you haven’t played retail since Wrath, you come back and sub for classic, then one day you decide you want to take a look at your original Main for some of that nostalgia. That’s all they need to reel a few people back.

It’s just smart business.

[zoddzero]

You gotta be pretty naive to believe that it's gonna be free to play. What in "alternative Classic server option" says "alternative free option" to you?

[Kantoro]

I am too cheap to pay $0.50 a day

Fixed it for you.

[The Stormbringer]

Because vanilla had a sub fee. #nochanges

I laughed.

I can honestly see them doing a one-time buy for this, like $60 for access to Classic, but I think it's more likely it'll be bundled with a normal subscription. So, if you want to play Classic, you'll have to pay for Retail.

[klaps_05]

WoW crowd are famous for being unable to vote with their wallets and just ate up everything.