Blizzard is taking its cross-game promotion to an entirely new level. The company has announced that it will allow players to trade in-game gold from World of Warcraft for Battle.net credits, which can then be spent on like real money on other Blizzard products.
This conversion from in-game gold to “real” money hinges on the use of the WoW Token, a tradeable item that allows players to convert gold into playing subscription time. Blizzard’s new update adds a second function to the Token, allowing players to convert it into $15 (roughly worth a one month subscription) worth of Battle.net credit instead.
Players can then use the credit for buying in-game items like mounts and pets; or in other games like Hearthstone or Overwatch. Technically, it also allows players to buy other Blizzard games should they amass enough gold.
It’s hard to say if this feature will get used much.The WoW Token was designed for players to be able to buy gold from others, while also allowing those with more time than money to effectively play for free. Grinding to afford more than one Token a month may take more effort than some people are willing to sink into the game. Then again, this could just be a way for paying subscribers to turn any extra gold into a bonus.
[Source: World of Warcraft]
