Maybe the video gaming Gods are listening to the RepoMan? In a previous post, we chronicled how Valve was onto something by making their Team Fortress 2 game a free to play event. We argued that such a move would, in the long run, enable valve to make more per player by allowing them to purchase perks and in game items, and in the short term would get more newbies interested in the game.

Well, it appears that the boys over at Blizzard have decided to make their famous digital ‘crack-tastic’ MMORPG free play up to level 20 for all new gamers. This move should allow Blizzard to “New Jack City” these new players by giving them a taste for free to get then hooked.

According to Techland, “The company behind World of Warcraft has changed the structure of its free trial offer to ensure that becoming addicted to the online role-playing game becomes so much easier.
Blizzard explained the changes in an official statement like this:
“We’ve removed the previous 10- and 14-day trial time restrictions, and players who are interested in trying out World of Warcraft can now play the base game for free up to a maximum character level of 20, including draenei and blood elf characters—all they need is a Battle.net account and an Internet connection.”
And once players have hit their free limit, Blizzard has also made it cheaper than before to get hooked on the paid version, offering both the original WoW and first expansion The Burning Crusade for just $19.99 as part of a new “digital Battle Chest.”

While I won’t be going all Mr. T Night Elf on everybody, it is good to see some companies attempting to provide real entertainment value in these tough economic times. Good job, Blizzard!