A Complete Guide to Transferring Gold in WoW
Released by Blizzard Entertainment as a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) in 2004, World of Warcraft (WoW) has become more than just a game among some of its most devout fans. For them, it’s a lifestyle. Within the realm of Azeroth, the theme of the game serves as a sequel to the highly successful series, Warcraft II: The Frozen Throne.
When this game was announced in 2001 and released as part of the 10th-anniversary celebration of the Warcraft franchise, it was the most anticipated game of its time. After the game officially launched on November 23, 2004, the World of Warcraft has seen eight major expansion packs that started with The Burning Crusade in 2007, then the Wrath of the Lich King in 2008. Cataclysm was the third expansion pack, released in 2010, followed by Mists of Pandaria in 2012, Warlords of Draenor in 2014, Legion in 2016, Battle for Azeroth in 2018, and Shadowlands in 2020.
About World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft’s game style is similar to other MMORPGs that are currently entertaining millions of players on the internet. WoW’s open-world gaming environment allows the player to enjoy either a first-person or third-person view through a character avatar they create at the beginning of the game.
The goal behind the game is to explore the landscape, fight off a variety of opponents in both quest and non-quest related interactions, and communicate with non-player characters (NPCs). This can either be done as a gamer playing solo or hooking up with a team of players that may be after the same goals as you.
There are also guilds a player can join, which is to the player’s benefit as there are guild-related quests and perks that can help enhance the overall gaming experience. There are also opportunities for you, as a player, to challenge other players of the game in what’s called PVP, should you feel the game’s collection of opponents isn’t enough.
The primary goal for the player is to earn valuable experience points as a means to keep leveling up. By moving up the ladder by level, the player will have access to better equipment, better weaponry, and more challenging missions as the character become more powerful. There are a number of in-game currencies that are also used to buy and sell items as a means to make whatever improvements you feel you need to better the character you’re playing. There are also crafting opportunities where you can experiment to acquire items needed to improve your gaming performance while playing.
The “WoW” Effect
Already a successful franchise as it was in 2004 when Warcraft engaged in the online gaming experience as World of Warcraft in 2004, it became the most popular MMORPG of all time as it reached as many as twelve million subscribers in 2010. there were over one hundred million registered accounts by 2014 and grossed over $9 billion USD in revenue by 2017.
This also makes WoW one of the highest-grossing video game franchises in history. Still to this day, World of Warcraft continues to earn critical acclaim as one of the greatest video games ever made. Even as newer MMORPG-related games continue to come out in hopes to share the same success level as WoW, the “grandfather” of massively multiplayer online role-playing games, none of them have yet to surpass all of its achievements.
Virtually every single MMORPG game in existence, past and present, has all copied the basic formula WoW has been using all this time. Many games striving to copy WoW’s success story have since disappeared from the limelight, but there have been some that have managed to do the same as WoW by maintaining the interest of long-term players by offering something new as often as possible. This includes the expansion packs that have been coming out every two years not long after the game first went online in 2004.
There are also subscription offers made, as well as the chance to go into VIP mode where the more dedicated players of the game enjoy extra perks they otherwise wouldn’t achieve. This is one of many methods why WoW has managed to stand the test of time, plus make so much money through microtransactions and more. Microtransactions are the biggest trend going on in the gaming world as a multitude of online games have all come to realize this is where the real moneymaker happens to be.
WoW Legacy
When World of Warcraft entered the MMORPG scene, it was not the first to do so, but it completely redefined the online gaming genre where its platform mimics a theme park far more than it does as a simulation. The variety of environmental layouts, plus the combination of serious and sometimes comedic lore are loaded with entertainment value that keeps players coming back for more.
There are cult followings of the game that are so dedicated to the World of Warcraft that they will attend conventions and other hosted events that are completely dedicated to WoW. There is so much versatility to WoW that it really is a world of its own. In some cases, players have become so addicted to the game that they sought help to stop playing.
On the flip side, there have been real-life stories of players meeting online, then in person, and developing relationships that even included marriage. The influence of WoW has been so great that it has been instrumental in how Microsoft, Sony, and scores of game developers look to it as a core platform to work from when it comes to some of their more intensive games such as Battlefield, Call of Duty, and Far Cry, just to name a few.
WoW Gold Transactions and Transfers
All MMORPG games, just like World of Warcraft, have different transaction platforms as a means to exchange for various items to enhance the gaming experience for players. Within the realm of World of Warcraft, Gold Transactions are used for players to transfer it for something that would be useful for them. In WoW, the WOW gold earned by a player within the game is typically used as a currency to transfer it to another character or server. There are four different methods to go about this, each with its own set of instructions you need to make in order to complete a successful transfer.
From Character to Character Gold Transfer
One of the simplest methods used to transfer gold is taking one of the characters you play of the same realm as another and performing a trade. This is normally done between friends playing on the same server without the two having to be online at the same time. The transfer process itself is instant while the notifications between the players and their characters have been known to take up to an hour.
The transfer, as well as the mail, will be done through a mailbox, which is usually located near the inns located in any World of Warcraft town or city. The procedure is to type in the character’s name of whom you wish to send to, plus how much gold you want to transfer. Within the pop-up that appears when you access the mailbox, there will be prompts where you input the information needed in order to perform the transaction.
Although the subject of the email and its message body is optional, it’s still recommended to put something in as reference, even if you’re submitting to yourself between two different characters you may be running. When it comes to transferring gold to other characters, make a point not to choose the C.O.D. option.
This particular transaction can only take place on the same server, as well as the same faction. Furthermore, be sure you really want to go through with this transaction as this also costs gold to complete. The price of it will show in the pop-up window when you choose the option to make the gold transfer.
From Server to Server Transfer
Should you wish to transfer WoW gold from one server to another, you would need to send your character to the other realm for a fee, which comes in the form of Blizzard credit. The limitations of this method mean you’re only able to transfer between realms and accounts of the same region. It also depends on the realm’s availability as a destination and some carried gold limits, which is also dependent on the character’s level.
For characters that are at least at level 100, it can carry a limit of 250,000 gold. Selling valuable items at WoW’s Auction House in your inventory can help subvert this limit after doing thorough research. Furthermore, you will not be able to transfer into a realm should you have a full character roster there, nor will you be able to transfer whatsoever when you have active auctions going or messages still left in your mail.
However, should you be able to perform this type of transfer, it costs $15.00 USD. Should you have any tokens in your inventory, you will need to convert them to credit first before transferring. Tokens still in your inventory will also prevent you from performing the transfer.
Guild Leader Transfer
Another gold transfer method is by making good use out of a guild perk, should your character happen to be the leader of one. This is a bit more expensive at $35 per transfer, but this allows everything within the guild’s bank and storage to be transferred. However, only the leader of a guild may do this and you need at least one other character in the guild to do this. The transferring will cause the guild to reset back to level one and the assigned character of your choice will become the next guild leader.
Market Transfer Method
Another method to transfer gold in WoW is to bring along items you wish to sell in the new realm you wish to move to. This method is a bit of a gamble as the market prices are not stable and differ from realm to realm. To make sure you don’t experience a serious loss, make sure to thoroughly research items prices before proceeding. Mistakes can be costly and this is something you don’t want. Another suggested method is players smuggling caged battle pets, but with the market price being as unstable as they are you may have to wait for other players to accept your price. However, in the end, it comes down to what is the most convenient option for you. In the end, it’s your gold, your choice. How you wish to transfer it is entirely up to you.
Additional Gold Transfer How-To Suggestions
World of Warcraft’s website, plus a number of affiliated sites and fan sites, usually have instructions laid out how to complete a gold transfer within the game, whether it’s between characters you personally manage as a player, or it’s a transaction you’re performing with another player for whatever reason.
Like any other transaction, transferring gold between characters or servers is something you need to make sure you aren’t making any mistakes that can prove to be disastrous. Should you engage in a gold transfer where there is a financial transaction that takes place between you and Blizzard Entertainment, you will need to visit their Battlenet website that features the World of Warcraft page.
What makes the World of Warcraft so special is the gaming community and how helpful some of the players and support staff can be whenever you need it. Either before or during a gold transfer, should you have any questions or doubts, there is always someone around to answer your question. Most of the time, you will encounter somebody in-game that has already done what you’re about to do. Usually, when chatting in the game, or at a forum, you will encounter more experienced players who have a really good grasp of what they’re doing and will be able to help you.
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