Summary
- World of Warcraft, an MMORPG released in 2004, has seen both an increase and decrease in popularity over the years, but one fan has held onto their account creation printout from 2005.
- The account creation process for World of Warcraft has remained somewhat similar since 2005, with players needing to purchase the game, enter their information, and pay a monthly membership fee, which has increased over time.
- The Reddit user Cbmason shared a photo of their account creation page, providing a glimpse into the MMO's early days and the original website's design before subsequent expansions and changes. This snapshot showcases the game's humble beginnings.
A World of Warcraft fan has rediscovered their account creation printout from 2005. World of Warcraft has seen its popularity increase and decrease over the years, but this player has held onto a relic of its early days.
Blizzard released World of Warcraft in 2004 and since then, it has undergone several changes. On its launch, World of Warcraft had 240,000 players, and the fan base reached as high as 12 million during the Cataclysm expansion. Though there were far fewer players during its first few years than it amassed with subsequent expansions, the community worked together in dungeons, raids, and more. Account creation worked slightly differently than it does now, with Blizzard recommending that players print out the confirmation screen. This World of Warcraft fan has kept this internet printout from the MMO's second year.
Reddit user Cbmason recently shared a photo of their World of Warcraft account creation page. Differing from what new players would see today, the printed information includes art from the MMO's original website. The World of Warcraft website was redesigned during the Wrath of the Lich King era, with Cbmason's printout highlighting what it looked like before The Burning Crusade was released. With the private information censored, the printout includes Blizzard's contact information, tips on getting started, and Cbmason's payment method. Near the top of the page, Blizzard recommends new players print the web page for their records, resulting in the sheet shared by Cbmason.
While it has changed somewhat over the years, World of Warcraft account creation is similar to how it was in 2005. To make a new World of Warcraft account, prospective players need to purchase the game and enter information regarding their region, chosen account name, and more. In 2005, the game required discs to install, but players can download the modern client directly from Battle.net. Like in 2005, a monthly membership is required to keep an account active, but it has increased in price over the years. The last price increase World of Warcraft saw for its monthly membership was in July 2023, and it currently costs $14.99.
Despite being over a decade old, Cbmason's World of Warcraft account creation page is barely weathered. Although most modern World of Warcraft players wouldn't have seen this exact page, Cbmason's post provides a snapshot of the MMO's humble beginnings. While World of Warcraft Classic was released in 2019, the original website has been gone for many years.
World of Warcraft
- Released
- November 23, 2004
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Crude Humor, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence (online interactions not rated)
- Developer(s)
- Blizzard
- Publisher(s)
- Blizzard
- Engine
- Unreal Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- pc, ps
- Cross Save
- yes
