Is WoW Legion Free in 2024?

No, World of Warcraft: Legion is not free to play in 2024. However, it is included for subscribers as part of the WoW Complete Collection bundle which costs $69.99.

When Legion launched in 2016, it retailed for $49.99 as a standalone expansion. Fast forward to 2023, and you can now get Legion bundled with all previous WoW expansions (Base Game, Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor) as well as 30 days of game time with the Complete Collection for $69.99.

What You Get in the WoW Complete Collection Bundle

The WoW Complete Collection bundle includes the following at time of writing in 2024:

• Base Game
• Burning Crusade Expansion
• Wrath of the Lich King Expansion
• Cataclysm Expansion
• Mists of Pandaria Expansion
• Warlords of Draenor Expansion
• Legion Expansion
• 30 Days of Game Time
• Level 60 Character Boost
• Hazelnut Saber Mount
• Enchanted Dreamcatcher Pet

So while Legion is not free, you do get the entire WoW package up till the latest Dragonflight expansion, with 30 days to experience all the content.

A Breakdown of the Costs

Here‘s a breakdown comparing the standalone costs historically vs what you pay today:

As you can see, if you were to purchase all expansions separately today, it would cost you $19.99 for the Base Game and around $259.94 worth of expansions.

However, with the Complete Collection Bundle costing $69.99, you essentially get Legion and the rest for $50 when compared to standalone prices. This represents tremendous value, working out to savings of over 80%!

Why Bundling Works

Bundling all the expansions makes perfect business sense for Blizzard. Once new players get invested into WoW‘s universe, recurring subscription fees become the profit driver over the long term.

Attracting new players requires lowering the initial barrier to entry while preserving WoW‘s incredible profitability. Some numbers to showcase WoW‘s immense value:

• Over 1 billion dollars in revenue annually, every year since 2015
• As many as 12 million subscribers at its peak in 2010
• Around 3 million subscribers expected even in 2024

For potential new players on the fence, bundling expansions including Legion at a huge discount is the nudge they need.

As an invested WoW player myself since Burning Crusade, I believe lowering re-entry barriers for returning players is equally crucial for Blizzard. Offering returning fans an affordable way to catch up on missed expansions gets them resubscribed faster.

The Verdict – Yay or Nay?

So should you shell out $69.99 for the WoW Complete Collection in 2024?

As a new player – Absolutely, yes! You would need to spend $260 otherwise for the same amount of content. And if you get hooked, Legion itself provides over 100+ hours of gameplay to level a single character up to 110 and experience the stories, quests and endgame content.

As a former player who missed Legion – Again, it‘s a no brainer. Re-experiencing beloved characters like Illidan Stormrage and unlocking iconic armor sets for $50 is great value. You may even want to boost a Level 60 character and be raid-ready faster.

The only downside is further investment required in future expansions like Dragonflight. But cost-wise, from the thousands of hours I‘ve sunk into Azeroth since 2005, I can assure you WoW offers more bang for buck than any other game once it grips you!

So in summary, while Legion is not free, what you get for $69.99 makes it totally worth it in 2024 both for new heroes venturing forth and returning veterans heeding the call once more!