If you want to instantly upgrade your World of Warcraft character to level 90, it'll cost you a hefty amount. The level 90 boost is currently priced at $60, the same amount you'd have to pay for a new console game.
The character boost was added with patch 5.4.7, which went live today. The boost can't actually be purchased yet. However, MMO Champion reports that players were able to access the interface for a few minutes and find the price.
Level 90 is the current cap for WoW characters. The level cap will be raised to 100 for Warlords of Draenor, the next expansion pack for the MMO. It's in Blizzard's best interest, then, to let players get to 90 as quickly as possible. If a player has a level 90 character, they're more likely to buy the expansion so they can continue their adventure.
A free level 90 boost will be included with the purchase of Draenor. However, Blizzard confirmed earlier this month that they're going to allow players to purchase boosts on their own.
"We’ve also heard feedback from players that they’d be interested in boosting multiple characters to 90, including alts they play with friends on other factions and realms," Blizzard said at the time. "We’ve been evaluating ways to make that possible without having players go through roundabout methods (such as purchasing multiple boxes and performing multiple character transfers)."
Sixty bucks is expensive, particularly if you're buying multiple boosts. It's only slightly cheaper than buying an additional copy of Draenor (probably $40 like other expansions) and then spending $25 to transfer your bonus level 90 character to your main account.
Maybe it's a good thing to keep the price high, though. It means that reaching level 90 "the old-fashioned way" is still worthwhile. Leveling is quicker and easier than it once was, thanks to experience-boosting heirloom items and streamlined low-level zones, but it's still a time-consuming process. If it only cost $10 or $20, would new players even bother with the 1-90 grind? Blizzard can't set the boost price too low or they risk making large chunks of their game irrelevant.
It's worth noting that Blizzard hasn't officially announced the price of the character boost yet. The $60 price could just be a placeholder. They might even adjust it depending on gamers' reactions. If you think the price is too low/high, you should let them know before they make anything official.
Warlords of Draenor will add a new planet for high-level players to explore and allow them to build their own fortresses. The expansion doesn't have a release date yet. Blizzard says that they plan to discuss beta and pre-order details soon, though.
