Blizzard giving 7 days of free play to lapsed accounts
by Anne Stickney 
Nov 15th 2010 at 6:00PM
Cataclysm is fast approaching, and Blizzard is offering seven days of free play to lapsed subscriptions in preparation for the upcoming expansion. Players who have quit the game are being offered this seven-day promotion via email, and although it hasn't been mentioned on the official site, the email and the promotion are both completely legit. The full text of the email is as follows:
Claim your 7 free days of game time!The earth-shattering rage of Deathwing will soon be released upon the lands of Azeroth. Return to the battlefields with 7 days of FREE game time! Simply click below to claim your time and prepare for Cataclysm ... but act fast, as this offer will expire on Dec 1st, 2010.
Prepare for Cataclysm™, the next expansion to World of Warcraft®, whose features include:
Two New Playable Races – Adventure as one of two new races: the feral worgen with the Alliance or the resourceful goblins with the Horde.
Classic Zones Remade – Familiar zones across the original continents of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms have been altered forever and updated with new content, from the devastated Badlands to the broken Barrens.
Flying Mounts in Azeroth – Explore Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms like never before!
Level Cap Increased to 85 – Experience new quests and dungeons as you seize ever greater abilities and tap into new talents!
New High-Level Zones – Explore newly opened parts of the world, including Uldum, Grim Batol, and the great Sunken City of Vashj'ir beneath the sea.
Guild Advancement – Progress as a guild to earn guild levels and guild achievements.
Archaeology – Master a new secondary profession to unearth valuable artifacts and earn unique rewards.
New PvP Zone & Rated Battlegrounds – Take on PvP objectives and daily quests on Tol Barad Island, a new Wintergrasp-like zone, and wage war in all-new rated Battlegrounds.
And much more...
We look forward to seeing you back in Azeroth.
- The World of Warcraft Team
This game time is only valid for inactive accounts, rather than accounts that are set up with a paid subscription, according to blue poster Harlsoco. As with any email claiming to be official, though, it is recommended that players log into their Battle.net accounts and check their Account Management page to verify the promotion rather than clicking any email links, just to avoid any possible hacking attempts.
If you've taken a break from Azeroth, check your email -- you may have a free week to get back into the swing of things before Cataclysm's launch.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it; nothing will be the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion (available Dec. 7, 2010), from brand new races to revamped quests and zones. Visit our Cataclysm news category for the most recent posts having to do with the Cataclysm expansion.Filed under: News items, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Magma Nov 15th 2010 6:07PM
I literally just renewed yesterday.
....
Fuck
Matthew Nov 15th 2010 6:27PM
think of it this way - it is just 7 days, not a whole months.
Newbs Nov 15th 2010 6:43PM
I did about 6 hours ago. FML.
Falcom Nov 15th 2010 7:08PM
Missing out on $3.50 is worthy of saying FML? *shrug*
lord.laer Nov 15th 2010 7:25PM
I paid my sub last thursday, and i receive a mail with 7 more day to play =)
jam Nov 15th 2010 7:29PM
I never understand rewarding those who have left the game with free playtime instead of those who faithfully play and pay every month.
Well, I guess I understand why they're doing it... but I don't really like it.
Sean Nov 15th 2010 7:26PM
My account has been inactive (Frozen) for months and I never got this email. Looks like I got screwed.
Lasher Nov 16th 2010 2:20AM
They aren't rewarding them. It's a marketing thing ... they want ppl to come back, and a bit of free time to hook them up again is a pretty good way to do it.
Shinhan Nov 16th 2010 7:26AM
EVE Online does the same thing for every expansion.
Except that expansions there are free, come twice a year and its 5 days instead of 7. And first month of resubscription is bit cheaper than a normal month.
QQinsider Nov 16th 2010 10:06AM
"I never understand rewarding those who have left the game with free playtime instead of those who faithfully play and pay every month."
I don't think you understand how business works then.
If you're going to play and pay regardless, why should they give you anything? The bottom line is money, and giving you free playtime isn't going to make them any more money, whereas attracting back lapsed customers is.
Fierna Nov 15th 2010 6:09PM
Ah another tool to drag more of my friends and co-workers back into Azeroth - Thank you Blizzard
Noyou Nov 15th 2010 7:22PM
This move could backfire. Imagine not playing for a month or year then coming back to all the changes. Let say you were on the border of buying cata you log on for a few days and decide this new format is not for you. Just saying. I think anyone that has been there for 5-6 years should get a free totally unique pet or mount. I would not feel slighted in the least. After all you guys are what is allowing them to have a lively hood. Put their kids through school, etc. etc.
bcraig Nov 15th 2010 7:28PM
@noyou
You get a brand new unique pet every time your account is active durning an anniversary.
Wes Nov 15th 2010 7:42PM
I agree, especially with the new Flexible Raid Lockout System that limits raiders to being able to raid 'either' 10 man or 25 man but not much raids during the same time period. That's going to cause some people to go 'ohh, half the raiding as before...wth?' and feel a bit peeved or like they've been ripped off when resubscribing b/c they really are getting half the value/playtime they did before. Or at least that's the way I felt.
Wee! Half the raiding, same monthly fee. Lameee. I like the idea/concept of being able to continue a raid on a later night with any other group that's downed the same bosses or is head of where you left off. That idea feels like smart-thinking. The merging of 10 + 25 raids feels silly. Nobody will do 25-man raids come Cataclsym when 10-man raids are way easier to organize and will drop the same gear. 25-mans are dead. 40-mans are dead. How long until 10-mans are removed from the game in favor of more 5-man content to keep casual players happy? since finding 5 ppl takes evennn less time than 10 people! Weee!
Noyou Nov 15th 2010 9:02PM
@bcraig
Maybe I should have used Rare rather than Unique. I don't consider something Unique however that everyone gets for logging in.
jbodar Nov 16th 2010 4:44AM
@Wes
You know you're allowed to play more than one character, right? More time to raid on your alts.
Andy Talbert Nov 15th 2010 6:11PM
Just today I was thinking, maybe I should resub now but I was too lazy to. This would be very convenient, however I don't see the email. My account has only been unsubbed for a couple weeks though, so maybe thats the problem.
Nipah Nov 15th 2010 7:06PM
Yeah, same goes for me... I was hopeful I could wring a free week out of big Blue, but seeing as I only took a small break about a week ago, I doubt they'll be climbing over themselves to get ME back before Cataclysm.
SunGod228 Nov 15th 2010 7:44PM
Unsubscribed or Frozen? They are not the same thing
Murmel Nov 16th 2010 1:13AM
My account has been frozen for the last 2 weeks and I haven't gotten any emails. Do you think they take into account how long you've been frozen before sending out the emails? Also, where in the account management would I find the promotion?