When Blizzard launched Season of Discovery in November 2023, the team introduced restrictions on new accounts that had not yet purchased and consumed one month of game time. Restricted accounts could not send items or gold to other players through mail, trading, or the Auction House. New players could still receive gold and items from established players; only outbound transfers were blocked.
Some legitimate new accounts were affected erroneously when the system first rolled out. Blizzard resolved those cases promptly, and once an account passed the one-month threshold the restriction was permanently lifted.
Blizzard acknowledged the impact on genuine new players and said it would re-evaluate the restriction window if the change proved too disruptive. The team monitored data to gauge whether the adjustment created meaningful friction for Real Money Trade (RMT) operations while minimising harm to new entrants.
The primary goal was to reduce RMT, which had been driving in-game harassment, botting, and gold-selling that degraded Classic Era and seasonal gameplay for long-term players. Senior Game Producer Tom Ellis communicated the changes via a forum post, noting Blizzard's intention to keep the restriction as light as possible while still protecting the in-game economy.
Last reviewed 2026-06-12 against Season of Discovery Phase 1 (November 2023) — Maintained by WowCarry's WoW team.
