Do I Only Need to Buy Dragonflight to Play WoW? Yes, Purchasing the Latest Expansion is Required
To access the new Dragon Isles zone, features like Dragonriding, reach level 70, unlock the Dracthyr Evoker class, and experience all other Dragonflight content – you must purchase the Dragonflight expansion.
While a World of Warcraft subscription gives you access to the base game and previous expansions, the Dragonflight expansion must be purchased separately to upgrade your account.
What You Get and Don‘t Get with Dragonflight
Here‘s a breakdown showing everything included and not included with a Dragonflight purchase:
| Included with Dragonflight Purchase | NOT Included with Purchase |
|---|---|
| Access to Dragon Isles Zone | WoW Base Game |
| Level Cap Increased to 70 | Previous Expansion Content |
| New Dracthyr Evoker Class | |
| Dragonriding Mount System | |
| 30 Days Game Time (Epic Version) |
Importantly, Dragonflight does NOT contain the WoW base game. You need an active subscription for that content.
The Epic version ($79.99) also includes:
- Tangled Dreamweaver Mount
- Murkastrasza Pet
- Level 60 Character Boost
Vast Amounts of Content Locked Without Owning Dragonflight
According to Blizzard and other experts, Dragonflight offers an unprecedented amount of new content for players to experience. This includes:
- 4 New Zones spanning the Dragon Isles landmass
- Over 300 Story Quests driving the main narrative
- Hundreds of world quests, bonus objectives, rare spawns etc.
Additionally, entire systems like Dragonriding and the new Talent Trees cannot be accessed at all without purchasing the expansion.
In terms of raw playtime, prominent WoW content creator Bellular estimates Dragonflight offers over 50-100 hours of campaign content for an average player.
With so much gated behind owning Dragonflight, it‘s clear why the expansion is considered a must-buy.
Can You Play WoW With Only a Dragonflight Purchase?
The short answer is yes, but with limitations.
Owning only Dragonflight does allow you to play WoW with an active subscription. However, your access is limited to:
- Dragonflight expansion content
- Starter WoW experience up to level 50
So while new players can start their journey on the Dragon Isles, they won‘t have access to the full breadth of WoW‘s universe without purchasing older expansions too.
Why Purchasing Dragonflight is Worthwhile For All Players
There are several compelling reasons why both existing and especially new players should strongly consider buying Dragonflight:
- Highly Positive Reviews – Dragonflight is hailed as WoW‘s best expansion in years
"Dragonflight makes World of Warcraft feel new and fresh again" – PC Gamer
Renewed Popularity – Over 25 million players have returned to WoW since Dragonflight‘s launch per Bloomberg report
Major Content Updates Coming – Multiple exciting patches that expand the Dragon Isles planned for 2023
In summary, all signs point to Dragonflight spearheading a WoW resurgence. For newcomers it represents the ideal entry point, while veterans unable or unwilling to purchase previous expansions have more than enough Dragonflight content to enjoy WoW again.
