Summary

  • Players eager to join World of Warcraft: The War Within beta need to purchase the Epic Edition for guaranteed access, even with the Collector's Edition.
  • Beta access for WoW's expansion requires opting in on the website or pre-purchasing the Epic Edition.
  • Disappointed fans who bought the Collector's Edition can still secure beta access by purchasing the digital Epic Edition, but it comes with a $90 extra charge.

Despite coming with everything else in the Epic Edition, the Collector’s Edition for World of Warcraft: The War Within doesn’t include automatic beta access for the expansion pack. Players who bought the physical Collector’s Edition for the new World of Warcraft expansion should be aware that it won’t get them into The War Within beta on its own.

The beta testing period for World of Warcraft: The War Within is about to begin. Fans can get into this testing phase by being chosen randomly after opting in on the World of Warcraft website, but they can guarantee a spot by pre-purchasing The War Within Epic Edition.

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WoW The War Within: Beta Release Time

World of Warcraft's expansion, The War Within, is entering beta access on June 5, 2024. Here's everything you need to know about the release time.

By 

However, some World of Warcraft players are now realizing the physical Collector’s Edition box for The War Within doesn't include this perk. While the Collector’s Edition for WoW: The War Within includes most rewards from the Epic Edition, beta access is not included. This is because the product code for The War Within’s Epic Edition cannot be redeemed until the physical product arrives shortly before the expansion’s launch. WoW fans like Yiuon who purchased the premium box were disappointed to find out this was intentional, and that their $180 purchase wouldn’t get them into the beta alone.

How to Get Into the WoW: The War Within Beta

Luckily, there is technically a way for these players to get guaranteed beta access in World of Warcraft: The War Within. Fans who purchased the Collector’s Edition can buy the digital Epic Edition to unlock the digital rewards, including beta access, immediately. Upon doing so, the full total of the Epic Edition purchase will be immediately refunded to their account as Battle.net balance. While doing this is technically free, it does still require players to commit an additional $90 for future Blizzard purchases.

Needless to say, fans aren’t happy with this recent discovery. Many think World of Warcraft is punishing players for buying the most expensive version of the game, and that it should simply credit fans who purchase the physical Collector’s Edition with the digital Epic Edition, rather than force them to put down nearly $300 to get their digital rewards sooner. Unfortunately, all of World of Warcraft’s Collector’s Editions have worked this way in the past, so it is unlikely that it will change its methods any time soon.

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World of Warcraft: Dragonflight Tag Page Cover Art
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight
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MMORPG
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Systems
PC-1
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Released
November 28, 2022
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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World of Warcraft: Dragonflight was developed by Blizzard Entertainment and is the ninth expansion pack for the iconic massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft.

Dragonflight features an overhauled user interface, raises the level cap to 70, and introduces a new race and class. 

Developer(s)
Blizzard, Activision
Publisher(s)
Blizzard, Activision
Franchise
Warcraft
Platform(s)
PC
Genre(s)
MMORPG
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