No, World of Warcraft Isn't Going Free-To-Play
...but it was a tidy bit of speculation for a few days, wasn't it?
Blizzard Community Manager Bashiok clarified things a bit on the official forums today, saying that the datamined "Veteran's Edition" wasn't a hidden upcoming free-to-play option, as some speculated, but rather a way for veteran players to get back into the game for free.
To summarize, when patch 6.1 hits, anyone who has previously had an account and subscription will be able to log into the game for free, with restrictions identical to that of a Starter Edition account, with the ability for sub-level-20 characters to join guilds. So it's really not much more free-to-play than it ever has been; you just don't have to create a new Starter account to kick around for free if you're a former player.
I'll probably jump back into WoW for a bit to look around when this goes live. How about you?
Related Articles
About the Author

Jason Winter is a veteran gaming journalist, he brings a wide range of experience to MMOBomb, including two years with Beckett Media where he served as the editor of the leading gaming magazine Massive Online Gamer. He has also written professionally for several gaming websites.
Read Next
Nosgoth Creeps Into Open Beta Jan. 21
Square Enix's free-to-play vampires-vs.-humans battler Nosgoth goes truly free-to-play on Wednesday, when the game heads into open beta.
By Jason Winter - 8 years agoYou May Enjoy
Tomorrow's Update For The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Brings Several Key Adjustments
The patch addresses various issues and gameplay enhancements.
By Matthew D'Onofrio - 1 week agoHere's What You Need To Know About Warhaven, Nexon's New PvP Game That's Launching Today
You have a sword, but no bow...and no axe.
By Matthew D'Onofrio - 5 days agoLeaks Were True: New Character Coming To SMITE: Mage Assassin Maman Brigitte
She excels in the jungle with her damage-over-time abilities.
By Matthew D'Onofrio - 6 days agoThe Elder Scrolls Online Endless Archive Spins On Forever On The PTR Along With Update 40
If you love the game, provide feedback and report bugs!
By Matthew D'Onofrio - 5 days agoTitanfall 2’s Multiplayer Is Back, And So Are Players, As An Unexpected Fix Hits Servers
A surprise update has it working properly.
By QuintLyn Bowers - 6 days ago"Buying Expansions Is P2W": New World Answers Your Hot Takes And Questions About Rise Of The Angry Earth
It's time for another Q&A from New World.
By Troy Blackburn - 6 days ago
I thought it would be a restricted buy to play... but nope, I have the privilege of playing the demo like everyone
omg tks blizzard... ¬¬
USS:NO!
YOU:Its not F2P Q_Q …but it was a tidy bit of speculation for a few days, wasn’t it?
USS: -_- No shit Captain obvious!
Blizzard Sending Gift to Veteran Accounts
It looks like Blizzard is planning to send some kind of gift players that have had an account for ten years. A few players have received a notification that a package from Blizzard will be arriving tomorrow. There was a support article about the gift that was taken down shortly after it was posted.