Blizzard Entertainment Offers 'World of Warcraft: Legion' Preorder Perks

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Blizzard Entertainment announced the preorder availability of the next expansion for its massive multiplayer online (MMO) PC adventure game, World of Warcraft: Legion. The company is offering substantial incentives to preorder, with an instant character boost, in-game bonuses for other Blizzard game titles, and early access to the new Demon Hunter class before the game launches.

World of Warcraft: Legion was announced back in August, with Blizzard revealing a plethora of new features, including Artifact Weapons, Order Halls, a level cap of 110 and a new hero class: the Demon Hunter. This time around, it's not for the horde or the alliance, but for all of Azeroth, as you fight to stop Gul'dan from summoning the Legion's powerful overlord, the Dark Titan Sargeras.

The struggle to save Azeroth will bring you to the depths of Helheim (Vrykul hell) and immerse you in the Emerald Nightmare (about time). Plenty of familiar faces that were made popular in the fan-favorite Burning Crusade expansion return with new purpose and power, giving long-time World of Warcraft players chills at the mere mention of characters such as Illidan Stormrage, Alleria and Turalyon.

Blizzard didn't skimp out on incentives for players to pay early for Legion. Preordering the standard edition of the new expansion will net Warcraft subscribers an instant boost to level 100 for any of their characters on any realm. If you missed out on Warlords of Draenor, the character boost is a great opportunity to catch up and enjoy the remainder of the current expansion while you get ready to rumble with the Legion next year.

In addition, preordering Legion will earn players early access to the Demon Hunter hero class prior to the game's release (presumably in the final patch a few weeks before launch). The Demon Hunters of the Illidari will shape the events that will follow in the new chapter of World of Warcraft, and a head start to grinding experience and mastering their awesome abilities sounds like a decent perk.

The Digital Deluxe edition of Legion features in-game rewards such as an Illidari Felstalker mount and Nibbles – a hooved companion pet to tag along at your side as you explore the new zones of the Broken Isles. Digital Deluxe copies will also include additional bonus gifts for other Blizzard titles, including some Wings of the Betrayer (a set of Illidan's wings to display on your character) for Diablo III, character portraits (Illidan and Gul'dan) for Starcraft II, and a felstalker mount for Heroes of the Storm.

Blizzard expects World of Warcraft: Legion to release on or before September 21, 2016, making some question why the game is available for preorder so early. Although the current expansion continues to receive patches (most recently with new Timewalker dungeons and cross-realm Mythic raid difficulty modes), some players also seem to feel it gets somewhat mundane, especially without any more raid content slated for the remainder of the current installment of the game.

Blizzard seems to be making a play for new and returning players with a pre-holiday bid to give you a max-level character instantly by preordering Legion. Early access to a new hero class sweetens the deal.

You can preorder World of Warcraft: Legion at Blizzard's Battle.net store, with the standard edition priced at $49.99 and the Digital Deluxe edition available at $69.99.

Derek Forrest is an Associate Contributing Writer for Tom’s Hardware and Tom’s IT Pro. PC gaming, graphics hardware and VR devices are among his favorite topics to cover. He is a lifelong PC enthusiast, former IT administrator and a custom PC builder with a penchant for creating music, voice acting and all things geek.

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Derek Forrest
Derek Forrest
Derek Forrest is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He writes hardware news and reviews gaming desktops and laptops.
13 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Anarkie13
    What I've never understood is the whole "buy a character" or being given a max level character. Isn't leveling up a part of the game anymore? Imagine Skyrim where you just walk through the game because you're essentially in instant god-mode. No more playing the game, more like watching it.
    Reply
  • Larry Litmanen
    That is a smart strategy. You encourage people to buy before any significant reviews come out.

    The hype is there because it is a big game, much like Starwars and Cod (both got about 70% rating from PC Gamer), but buyer is locked in before the final review.

    These game developers are smart people.
    Reply
  • jkhoward
    What I've never understood is the whole "buy a character" or being given a max level character. Isn't leveling up a part of the game anymore? Imagine Skyrim where you just walk through the game because you're essentially in instant god-mode. No more playing the game, more like watching it.
    What I've never understood is the whole "buy a character" or being given a max level character. Isn't leveling up a part of the game anymore? Imagine Skyrim where you just walk through the game because you're essentially in instant god-mode. No more playing the game, more like watching it.

    Unfortunately WoW has changed quite a bit. Leveling is so quick from 1-100 that it is a joke. The questing areas are completed so fast you don't experience the full story before moving onto the next area. With looking for dungeon auto groups and such it just isn't entertaining at all. They also want to bring back old players that quit so they can play with their friends.
    Reply
  • hdmark
    16970482 said:
    What I've never understood is the whole "buy a character" or being given a max level character. Isn't leveling up a part of the game anymore? Imagine Skyrim where you just walk through the game because you're essentially in instant god-mode. No more playing the game, more like watching it.

    it depends what you want to do in the game. for me (and ive been playing since the game came out), I only do end game content. I leveled through a few times with a few characters, but I never want to level again. it gets REALLY boring by the time youre on your 4th or 5th character. I know the storyline and don't want to grind through again. the free character boosts are nice because you can jump into the game at current content (or close to current) and enjoy the character without spending 2-3 weeks grinding .

    the 2 things I do not like about it ... 1- you get players who have never played that class trying to join groups and failing hard because they never learned how to play that class while leveling. and 2- new players to the game don't get to level up and learn the game at all .

    for me... I love it because ill bring up a new class that ive never tried but would never want to level :D

    Reply
  • knowom
    pay 2 win
    Reply
  • esco_sid
    Orrrrrr just play for free on nostalrius on a vanilla server and have actually good game not this garbage their doing since cata.
    Reply
  • Bob_8_
    Sept 2016? In 1 year the game will be available?
    Reply
  • XaveT
    Wasn't Sargaras supposed to be the last WoW boss ever? I think I read that years ago.
    Reply
  • Linda_13
    The struggle to save Azeroth will bring you to the depths of Helheim (Vrykul hell) and immerse you in the Emerald Nightmare (about time). Plenty of familiar faces that were made popular in the fan-favorite Burning Crusade expansion return with new purpose and power, giving long-time World of Warcraft players chills at the mere mention of characters such as Illidan Stormrage, Alleria and Turalyon.
    Reply
  • cats_Paw
    Of course game devs are smart, they make games people want to play.
    And of course it makes sense for blizzard to allow you to buy a character at max level:
    You get bored of the game sooner and dont cost them money in server costs.
    And you still paid the full price+the character+the level.

    But because noobs see hardcore gamers showing off at how good their gear and chars are, they want to be respected the same way and buy stuff for real money.

    Here is the catch: the respect comes from hard work, not from buying out.

    In other words, its a genius move from devs, of course immoral or unethical as well, but if people didnt want it, they wouldent buy it, right?
    Reply