Patch 5.3 interview with Ghostcrawler
Mystery of the Unborn Val'kyr
The latest patch 5.3 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsScroll of Resurrection revamp active, includes free level 80 character
by Alex Ziebart 
Mar 6th 2012 at 3:30PM
This is just one more way that Blizzard is aggressively attempting to reverse the subscriber bleed that only just recently came to a halt. Lowering the barrier to reentry for returning players will go a long way toward getting those people to check back in, especially if it means those players will get to see the other faction for the very first time. It could very well mean a brand new gaming experience for some of those returning players.
The new Scroll of Resurrection would also explain the level 80 armor sets that were datamined on the patch 4.3 PTR. Boosting a character from level 12 to level 80 wouldn't be all that useful if that character were still using level 12 gear. Receiving a full set of level 80 gear in the mail after your boost would solve that little problem.
We assume you'll also get the spectral mounts included in the aforementioned teasers, possibly as a perk for the one doing the recruiting rather than for the recruited. Images of both of the spectral mounts are below if you're interested in that sort of thing.
Note: The service was live when we began writing this news post, but the service was taken down for maintenance while we were in the process of writing it. We assume it will be active again later this afternoon.
Filed under: News items
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 9)
Armill3 Mar 6th 2012 4:10PM
Yeah, lousy blizzard! Only giving many of us a fancy mount and Diablo 3 for committing to stick around. They never do anything for us!
Oh wai
Callace Mar 6th 2012 4:16PM
@Armill3: Believe me, if it wasn't for their financial benefit in the longrun, it wouldn't happen.
Imnick Mar 6th 2012 4:22PM
@Callace: And this... isn't for their financial benefit?
Callace Mar 6th 2012 4:29PM
@Imnick: That was the point I was making. They are relying on gimmicks to keep subscribers rather than develop the content necessary to keep them. They are concentrating on staying afloat when they should concentrate on succeeding at what they do...making games.
Khirsah Mar 6th 2012 4:31PM
@Callace...If it wasn't in their financial benefit in the long run, none of it would happen. They would end Cata and scrap MoP tomorrow if it started costing them money.
They expect that the new incentive to return program to pay off in the long run, too. They are definitely not doing it just to be good guys.
Blizz, like every business, is in business to make money. Some companies do it by making cars, or chairs, or toothbrushes, or whatever. Blizz does it by making video games, but what they actually make is money. That is as it should be.
threesixteen Mar 6th 2012 4:33PM
@Armill3. i dont want to play diablo dude. i want to play wow.
maybe you disagree, but my feeling is that boosting a lvl1 to lvl 80 is worth a heckuvalot more to me than a free mount.
Callace Mar 6th 2012 4:36PM
@Khirsah: I wasn't questioning their ability to make money, or their ability to make games, but rather, their ability to make money without making games. They're stringing their WoW subs along on hot air at this point. No new content within sight on the horizon.
Glaras Mar 6th 2012 4:41PM
I'm afraid I'm also seeing this as bribery for those who left. Me, I've been leveling alts in the game. Since Cata dropped, I leveled my main to cap, my primary alt to cap, geared both for DS, and then:
leveled 2 PVP toons from 1 to 85 (one of whom I geared as a backup raider)
brought an 80 out of mothballs, leveled to 85, now geared for DS
leveling a mage for the first time, currently in her 70's in Northrend
toying with doing an Ironman toon
I stuck around in WoW. I didn't run off to Aion, Rift, SWTOR. So I won't get to boost a toon to 80 and get free gear. I won't get any mounts, won't get free transfers... won't get anything. Gee, I feel very valued right now.
loop_not_defined Mar 6th 2012 4:43PM
Damn Blizzard, enticing my friends to come back and play with me! Those jerks! /shakefist
Artificial Mar 6th 2012 4:47PM
@Callace: "They are relying on gimmicks to keep subscribers rather than develop the content necessary to keep them." False. They are using promotions ("gimmicks" if you prefer that term, sure) AND developing new content. Successful companies do both at the same time. Pretending there's some false dilemma at work here does not make for a valid argument.
Bronwyn Mar 6th 2012 4:55PM
You're not the only one. I've been playing nonstop since BC and I only suspended my scrip for about a month when I was homeless (sort of), so I'd like some recognition there darnit.
That said, I'm already thinking "OK who do I know who hasn't played for a while..." and calling dibs XD
Imnick Mar 6th 2012 4:58PM
Yeah I am not sure why you think this is what they are doing instead of developing content when there's less than two weeks until their big Mists of Pandaria media reveal
Or is a new expansion not enough content for you?
Callace Mar 6th 2012 4:59PM
@Artificial: You are correct.
Blizzard has always used tactics like this, but there is a reason they are going overboard with them this expansion cycle. I wonder why that is?
Noyou Mar 6th 2012 5:03PM
I'd gladly give them back their winged horse and beta entry for a free server/faction transfer. Hell, or a free re-customization.
Callace Mar 6th 2012 5:08PM
@Imnick: They promised earlier expansions for a reason. The same reason they are still losing subscribers. Are you content to run the same raid and three dungeons every day for the next six months? Of course it isn't enough content.
Imnick Mar 6th 2012 5:15PM
Which would you prefer, more raids and dungeons or a sooner release of the new expansion?
You can't have both.
Callace Mar 6th 2012 5:21PM
@Imnick: I'm not worried about getting both.
I'm worried about getting neither.
Imnick Mar 6th 2012 5:49PM
that's a bit of a silly thing to worry about to be honest
Firestyle Mar 6th 2012 3:52PM
How do you quit if you signed up for the annual pass?
thedoctor2031 Mar 6th 2012 4:25PM
You cannot quit. It is part of the contract you entered into with Blizzard. You can cancel the credit card that you use to subscribe which is technically a breach of contract but more than likely blizzard will do nothing about it.