World of Warcraft players will soon be able to pay for their subscriptions with in-game gold through WoW Tokens, newly announced by Blizzard. Conversely, WoW Tokens can be purchased through the in-game shop with real money and then sold through the Auction House for gold, providing a sanctioned alternative to buying gold from illegal farming operations.
WoW Tokens enter the economy when players purchase them for real money from the in-game shop, which currently offers a selection of mounts and vanity pets for purchase. The cost for tokens has not yet been announced. Players can then sell these Tokens through a dedicated market on the Auction House for gold at a rate set dynamically by supply and demand. Although the price fluctuates, players are guaranteed the price quoted to them when initially searching. Every region has its own exchange.
This is the only way to exchange Tokens, and they can only be traded once. After that, they are Soulbound to the character that purchased it, and may only be redeemed for game time. Tokens are worth 30 days of play time. They do not expire and cannot be accidentally deleted.
No date was given for rolling Tokens out, but Blizzard promised “soon.” Find out more at the official announcement and FAQ.