Question about Buying Game

[sdorn]

I am considering purchasing World of Warcraft to try out. I went over to half.com to check out their inventory, and there are bunch of people selling brand new copies of the game without a key for less than $5. My question is, what is the key for? Do you need it to install or play the game? I know you have to create an account and pay the $15/month fee anyway, so I wasn't really sure what the key would be for. Cany someone help me out? The versions for sale that are brand new sealed boxes run around $20 or so.

Also, as a second question, if I buy a brand new copy of the game can I install it on two computers so that someone else can play with me at the same time online? Or do I need to buy two copies of the game? Could I just buy two of the copies at half.com without a key and still be able to play?

[mesonm]

I am considering purchasing World of Warcraft to try out. I went over to half.com to check out their inventory, and there are bunch of people selling brand new copies of the game without a key for less than $5. My question is, what is the key for? Do you need it to install or play the game? I know you have to create an account and pay the $15/month fee anyway, so I wasn't really sure what the key would be for. Cany someone help me out? The versions for sale that are brand new sealed boxes run around $20 or so.

Also, as a second question, if I buy a brand new copy of the game can I install it on two computers so that someone else can play with me at the same time online? Or do I need to buy two copies of the game? Could I just buy two of the copies at half.com without a key and still be able to play?

Yes, you need the key to be able to play.

You can install the game on multiple computers at the same time...But, all that does is to allow you to play the one account multiple places.

In order for a person to play with you, you each need a purchased copy, each complete with its own key.

[Xlorep DarkHelm]

I am considering purchasing World of Warcraft to try out. I went over to half.com to check out their inventory, and there are bunch of people selling brand new copies of the game without a key for less than $5. My question is, what is the key for? Do you need it to install or play the game? I know you have to create an account and pay the $15/month fee anyway, so I wasn't really sure what the key would be for. Cany someone help me out? The versions for sale that are brand new sealed boxes run around $20 or so.

Buying a used or previously-owned copy of WoW is not approved or authorized by Blizzard. The account key is a unique key, used to create your account -- every account must have a key, and the only way to get said key, is by purchasing a new copy of the game (ie: a sealed version of the game). Buying someone else's account is not only unauthorized, but I am fairly certain a bannable offense to boot, and if Blizzard discovers it, your account will no longer function.

Also, as a second question, if I buy a brand new copy of the game can I install it on two computers so that someone else can play with me at the same time online? Or do I need to buy two copies of the game? Could I just buy two of the copies at half.com without a key and still be able to play?

You must have a different account key for each account you wish to start. Only one character from any one account can be active at any one time, so if you and your friend/family member both want to play at the same time, you must have 2 copies of the game -- as you will need to have two accounts.

WoW is a strictly online game, and as other Massively Multiplayer Online Games are, has these restrictions on being able to play.

[sdorn]

Ok. Thanks. I just went ahead and ordered two copies of the game from amazon at 19.99 each w/free shipping and no sales tax.

I was thinking that since it was an online game that you had to set up an account for, they would just let you pay for the first month when you signed up rather than getting it free for buying the game at a store.

[kreyson]

Here is the easiest route to go. Go to fileplanet or filefront and you can down load for FREE a 10 day trial period of warcraft. WIth this, you will recieve a temporary key and everything. At the end of the 10 days, you will have to activate the account (pay $15/mo) and it will be like any other account.

This will save you the cost of purchasing the game. Once you have it downloaded (takes a good 3 hours), burn it to a DVD as a back up hard copy.

Blizzard started advertising and promoting this not too long ago.

Hope this helps.



Edit
You will get your temp key immediatly through the Email. WHen you boot up the game, go to account management. There you have to type in your key to activate it. Takes you through the Blizzards website for validation and activation.

[Chelica]

Here is the easiest route to go. Go to fileplanet or filefront and you can down load for FREE a 10 day trial period of warcraft. WIth this, you will recieve a temporary key and everything. At the end of the 10 days, you will have to activate the account (pay $15/mo) and it will be like any other account.

This will save you the cost of purchasing the game. Once you have it downloaded (takes a good 3 hours), burn it to a DVD as a back up hard copy.

Blizzard started advertising and promoting this not too long ago.

Hope this helps.



Edit
You will get your temp key immediatly through the Email. WHen you boot up the game, go to account management. There you have to type in your key to activate it. Takes you through the Blizzards website for validation and activation.

This does not work. My friends tried this route before and you actually need to purchase the retail version of WoW and enter the actual unused CD Key from the retail box you purchased.

[CrashCat]

This does not work. My friends tried this route before and you actually need to purchase the retail version of WoW and enter the actual unused CD Key from the retail box you purchased.It is, though, one way to get the client if you uninstall it for some reason and you lost your disks. You could probably just as well get the 'trial' disk from the store for $2 and install from that, though, because it's the key that's really the important part, and once you've used it it's tied to your account.

[kreyson]

Not sure what problems your friends had. I play the standard retail version, and my wife has been using the trial version just fine for three weeks now. At the end of the trial period, 10 days, I had to upgrade the account at the end of the trial period (just sign up and pay the standard $15/month). The key is unique to each trial account. Everything is done through blizzards website and explicit step by step procedures is plainly given by blizzard about the trial accounts and how to activate them for full account status. Only thing done outside of blizzards website is the client download from filefront or fileplanet.com.

Since it is free to download and try. You have nothing to loose.

Hope this helps.

[xDarkDrifterx]

This does not work. My friends tried this route before and you actually need to purchase the retail version of WoW and enter the actual unused CD Key from the retail box you purchased.

Well . . .We helped out a friends kid (he's 8) with downloading the game trial from the web . . . it did work, but we had to write Blizzard and ask for a trial key (came in a day or 2) . . .it didn't come with the download for some reason. Also, just download it and ask a friend who purchased it recently to give you one of the 2 trial keys that come in the retail box (little slips of paper - though only for 10 days I think) . . .then u can play until u have to make the account perm.

[Dynatos]

Well . . .We helped out a friends kid (he's 8) with downloading the game trial from the web . . . it did work, but we had to write Blizzard and ask for a trial key (came in a day or 2) . . .it didn't come with the download for some reason. Also, just download it and ask a friend who purchased it recently to give you one of the 2 trial keys that come in the retail box (little slips of paper - though only for 10 days I think) . . .then u can play until u have to make the account perm.

You must have misread. What kreyson is saying is that, once your trial has ended, you can just pay your monthly fee and it'll be upgraded to an official key, with no need to purchase a retail copy. What Chelica is saying is that you need an actual, official, purchased CD-key once the trial has ended.

Honestly, kreyson, I think you're full of bologna. The 10-day trials get put on your financial account as a "10-day trial". The key becomes inactive after the trial has finished; you have no option to pay for more game time until enter a new key (ie, purchase a retail copy of the game).

[Dynatos]

Ok. Thanks. I just went ahead and ordered two copies of the game from amazon at 19.99 each w/free shipping and no sales tax.

I was thinking that since it was an online game that you had to set up an account for, they would just let you pay for the first month when you signed up rather than getting it free for buying the game at a store.

Keep in mind that you'll also need to pay two monthly fees for both account to remain active.