World of Warcraft's 20th Anniversary Brings a Lavishly Priced Brutosaur Mount, Shifting In-Game Economics

World of Warcraft is marking its 20th anniversary with the introduction of a $90 version of a mount that had been priced at $475 six years ago, significantly impacting the MMO's economy.

To provide some context: back in 2018, coinciding with the release of the Battle for Azeroth expansion, the impressive Reins of the Mighty Caravan Brutosaur mount made its debut. This majestic creature was not only visually striking but also required five million gold from vendors, equating to roughly $475 in real money at that time.

This remarkable mount is unique in that it can accommodate two NPC vendors who offer goods or repair equipment. More intriguingly, it grants players remote access to the Auction House, allowing them to avoid a trek back to the main cities, making it a lavish yet practical addition to any adventurer's collection.

However, as the Battle for Azeroth transitioned into the Shadowlands expansion in late 2020, the ability to purchase the Brutosaur from vendors was removed. It can occasionally be found on the Black Market Auction House, but the entry price remains steep at five million gold. Recently, a player even placed a bid of 9,999,999 gold for the original version of the mount, highlighting just how valuable it has become.

Now, for devoted World of Warcraft enthusiasts, there’s a new opportunity. Blizzard has unveiled the Trader's Gilded Brutosaur mount, available for $90 as part of the anniversary festivities. This new version serves a similar function to its predecessor but is notably smaller and elegantly adorned in gold to celebrate the milestone. Players have until January 6, 2025, to secure this mount, as it's a temporary addition to the game.

The community's response has been varied. Some players feel that $90 is a significant sum, while others acknowledge that it’s considerably less than the previous price of $475.

Despite differing opinions, the new Brutosaur mount is gaining popularity rapidly, which is having an impact on World of Warcraft's in-game economy. There are two main methods to acquire the mount: one is by purchasing it outright for $90, and the other is by using WoW Tokens available at the Auction House, which can be converted into $15 in Battle.net store credit. Ideally, acquiring six WoW Tokens would allow players to buy the new Brutosaur, but due to fluctuations in token pricing and its current unavailability, this has proven challenging.

Is it concerning that a World of Warcraft mount could outprice the latest expansion? Not necessarily. Will this deter me from acquiring the latest Brutosaur? Absolutely not.

The well-known cancellation graveyard of Blizzard games includes ambitious projects such as a sci-fi take on Diablo and a Warcraft-themed version of Helldivers.