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World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) for PC from Blizzard Entertainment, available through the Battle.net launcher.
You pick a race and class, choose the Alliance or the Horde, and level up a character across the continents of Azeroth through quests, dungeons, and raids alongside thousands of other players. Everything you build carries forward from one expansion to the next.
The scale is what still sets it apart two decades in. World of Warcraft’s newest expansion, Midnight, adds full player housing where every character gets a home with no lottery or real-money cost involved. You can decorate it with rewards earned in the world, share it across your account, and visit friends even if they play the other faction.
World of Warcraft launched in November 2004 and has received eleven expansions since, most recently Midnight in March 2026. It runs on Windows 10, Windows 11, and Mac through the Battle.net desktop app, with mouse and keyboard as the default control scheme and basic native controller support for players who prefer a gamepad.
Already playing? Tell us your main character’s class in the comments. Got questions before buying? Reach out to us directly.
What You Need to Know
- World of Warcraft is only sold through Battle.net, not Steam or Epic Games. You will need a free Battle.net account either way.
- You can try it for free up to level 20 with no time limit. Going further needs the Midnight expansion ($49.99) and an active subscription, currently $14.99 a month.
- The PC has a huge library of free addons that reshape the interface, track combat, and add navigation tools, none of which are required but many players consider essential.
Quick Facts
Quick Facts
| Price | $49.99 (Midnight) + subscription |
| Released | November 23, 2004 (Midnight: March 2, 2026) |
| Developer | Blizzard Entertainment |
| Publisher | Blizzard Entertainment |
| Genre | MMORPG, Fantasy |
| Players | Massively multiplayer online |
| Platform | Windows, Mac (via Battle.net) |
How to Download World of Warcraft on PC
World of Warcraft is sold only through Battle.net, Blizzard’s own launcher and store. There is no Steam or Epic Games version.
- Step 1. Go to the official Battle.net shop page and create a free Battle.net account if you do not already have one.
- Step 2. Install the Battle.net desktop app, Blizzard’s launcher for all its games.
- Step 3. Choose to start the free trial, or buy the Midnight expansion and add a subscription or game time if you want to play past level 20.
- Step 4. Wait for the 128GB download. An SSD (a faster type of storage than a traditional hard drive) is required, not just recommended.
- Step 5. Launch the game, pick a realm (Blizzard’s term for a game server), and create your first character by choosing a faction, race, and class.
- Step 6. Follow the in-game leveling path, or jump straight into Midnight content if you already have a max-level character.
💡 Your PC is too weak? Cloud gaming is an option. Try Boosteroid.
Editions and Subscription
World of Warcraft works differently from most PC games. You buy the current expansion once, then keep an active subscription or prepaid game time to keep playing past level 20. Here is what each Midnight edition includes.
| Edition & Price | What’s Included |
|---|---|
|
STD
Standard Edition $49.99
|
The Midnight expansion, a level 80 character boost, 500 Trader’s Tender (an in-game currency), and early access to Player Housing. |
|
HER
Heroic Edition $69.99
|
Everything in Standard, plus the Lightstrider transmog set (cosmetic armor appearance), the Lightwing Dragonhawk mount, and 1,000 Trader’s Tender. |
|
EPC
Epic Edition $89.99
|
Everything in Heroic, plus 2,000 Trader’s Tender, two pets, 30 days of game time, and 3 days of early access to Midnight itself. None of it is required to finish the story or reach max level. |
Subscription, $14.99/month
Required to play past level 20. Monthly billing costs $14.99, dropping to $13.99 a month on a 3 month term and $12.99 a month on a 6 month term. It also unlocks WoW Classic on the same account.
Free Trial
Free forever up to level 20, no time limit on how long you can play. Trial accounts cannot trade, join guilds, use the auction house, or hold more than 10 gold, but you can explore, quest, and try low-level dungeons at no cost.
Subscription pricing may vary by region and promotional offer. Check the official Battle.net shop for current rates.
What Is World of Warcraft?
World of Warcraft is an MMORPG, short for massively multiplayer online role-playing game, a genre where thousands of players share the same persistent world instead of separate matches.
You choose the Alliance or the Horde, pick a race and class, and level up through quests, dungeons, and raids across the continents of Azeroth and beyond.
The game has grown through eleven expansions since 2004, each adding new zones, systems, and story. Midnight, the current expansion, returns players to the elven kingdom of Quel’Thalas and introduces full player housing, where every character gets a customizable home shared across your account with no cost or lottery involved.
World of Warcraft runs on Blizzard’s own in-house engine, continually updated since launch. It supports basic native controller input for players who prefer a gamepad, though most players still use mouse and keyboard, and a large PC-only library of free addons lets you customize the interface far beyond what consoles or mobile devices allow.
Official Trailer
Watch the official Midnight launch trailer to see the new Quel’Thalas zones, the returning cast of characters, and the Voidstorm threat driving the expansion’s story.
Key Features
Player Housing
Every character gets a home in Midnight, free to claim, decorate, and share across your account, with public and private neighborhoods to choose from.
Return to Quel’Thalas
A redesigned Silvermoon City anchors four new and reimagined zones, including Eversong Woods and Zul’Aman.
Dungeons, Raids, and Delves
Eight new dungeons, three raids across nine bosses, and eleven Delves (solo-friendly instanced challenges) give every playstyle something to do.
WoW Classic Included
The same subscription unlocks WoW Classic, recreated versions of the original game and its early expansions on separate realms.
Deep Addon Support
Thousands of free, Blizzard-permitted addons reshape the interface, track combat, and add navigation tools no other MMORPG matches.
Two Decades of Story
Midnight is the second chapter of the Worldsoul Saga, continuing a story Blizzard has built across eleven expansions since 2004.
Is This Game for You?
You Will Love It If:
- ✅ You enjoy long-term progression MMOs with raids and dungeons
- ✅ You want deep character and home customization to work toward
- ✅ You like coordinating with a guild or friends over voice or text
- ✅ You are curious about one of the longest-running fantasy worlds in gaming
- ✅ You are fine testing the free trial before committing to a subscription
You Might Not If:
- ❌ You want a one-time purchase with no ongoing subscription
- ❌ You want a short campaign you can finish and move on from
- ❌ You are new to MMOs and want a gentle, systems-light entry point
- ❌ You want to play on Xbox or PlayStation, it is PC and Mac only
- ❌ Your PC cannot meet the 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD minimum
🎮 Our Take
World of Warcraft is over twenty years old, and Midnight is the first expansion in a while to add a genuinely new system instead of another gear treadmill. Player housing gives every character a home with no lottery or real-money cost involved, and the return to Quel’Thalas is a strong showing for one of the game’s more iconic regions. The subscription is still the real friction point. Free-to-play competitors do not ask for a monthly fee on top of a $49.99 expansion, and that combination is a real barrier for anyone new to the genre.
If you like long-term progression games built around raids, dungeons, and a home base to decorate, the free trial up to level 20 costs nothing and tells you quickly whether the core loop clicks. If a recurring subscription is a dealbreaker, or you want a shorter self-contained story, this is a harder sell. If your PC cannot hit the minimum spec, Boosteroid lets you stream your copy instead.
The Best World of Warcraft Addons
Addons are free, community-made add-ons that read game data to change how the interface looks or works, similar in spirit to mods in other PC games. Blizzard officially permits them and hosts an approved API (a toolkit that lets addons safely read game data) for them to use. Here are six of the most widely used, all free through CurseForge.
ElvUI
A complete overhaul of the default interface, action bars, unit frames, and inventory all redesigned into one clean, cohesive layout.
UI Overhaul
Details! Damage Meter
Tracks damage, healing, deaths, and interrupts in real time during a fight, the standard combat meter most raid groups expect you to run.
Combat Tracking
WeakAuras
Builds custom on-screen alerts for cooldowns, buffs, and boss abilities. Some of its real-time combat tracking was limited after Midnight’s API changes, but its core alert system still works.
Custom Alerts
HandyNotes
Adds your own custom notes to the world map, handy for marking treasure chests, rare spawns, or anything else you want to remember.
Navigation
TomTom
Drops a waypoint arrow that points straight to any coordinate you set, useful for following quest guides or finding a specific spot fast.
Navigation
Bagnon
Merges every bag, your bank, and your guild vault into a single searchable window instead of a row of separate bag icons.
Inventory
System Requirements
- OS: 64-bit Windows 10
- Processor: 4-core CPU at 3.0GHz or better
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: DX12-compatible GPU with 4GB VRAM (video memory, GeForce GTX 960 class or better)
- Storage: 128 GB SSD (hard drives are not supported)
- OS: 64-bit Windows 10 or 11
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8086K or AMD equivalent
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: GeForce RTX 2070 or better (8GB VRAM)
- Storage: 128 GB SSD
Tips for Getting Started
Use the free trial before you subscribe
Level 1 through 20 costs nothing and has no time limit, so you can see if the core gameplay clicks before paying for anything.
Install a starter addon pack early
ElvUI, Details!, and HandyNotes cover most of what new players want without overwhelming you with configuration on day one.
Use the free catch-up if you are returning
Blizzard streamlined leveling through the previous expansion, so returning players can jump straight into Midnight content without a long grind.
Claim your free player house early
Housing costs nothing to claim in a neighborhood, so grab a plot early and treat decorating it as a long-term side goal.
Join a guild or Discord before your first dungeon
Group content is built around teamwork, and a guild answers more questions in five minutes than any solo guide will.
World of Warcraft Screenshots
Browse the gallery below to see World of Warcraft running on PC, including the new Midnight zones and player housing.
World of Warcraft FAQ
Is World of Warcraft free to play?
Do I need to buy Midnight if I already play WoW?
What is the difference between the Standard, Heroic, and Epic Editions of Midnight?
Can I play World of Warcraft on Xbox, PlayStation, or through Xbox Game Pass?
Are WoW addons safe, and do I need them?
What is WoW Classic, and is it included with my subscription?
What are the system requirements for World of Warcraft on PC?
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