World of Warcraft Classic drove record quarterly increase in subscriptions

World of Warcraft Classic drove a record quarterly increase in the MMO’s subscriber base, according to Activision Blizzard.

Released in August to coincide with the franchise’s 15th anniversary this year, Classic lets World of Warcraft subscribers experience the early days of Blizzard’s MMO with an authentic recreation of the pre-expansion game.

During Activision Blizzard’s third quarter earnings call on Thursday, Activision president and chief operating officer Coddy Johnson said Classic’s boost to World of Warcraft subscriber numbers had carried over to the company’s fourth fiscal quarter, which began on October 1.

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“The World of Warcraft Classic launch in August drove a record quarterly increase in subscription plans with the player base remaining elevated into Q4,” Johnson said.

Blizzard announced World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, a new expansion for the MMO, at BlizzCon in early November. It will be available on or before December 31, 2020.

Activision also revealed on Thursday’s earnings call that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s first Battle Pass will launch in December.