Game · High risk
Is World of Warcraft safe for your child?
Age guide
Teen 13+
We advise World of Warcraft from age 13 and up. Overall risk 7/10 (high risk).
- 5-8
- This game is not recommended for young children due to its complex mechanics, mature themes, and extensive online social interaction.
- 9-12
- Children might be drawn to the fantasy world and character progression, but the game's open chat, player-versus-player combat, and subscription model require significant parental oversight.
- 13-15
- Teenagers can engage with the cooperative gameplay in 'dungeons' and 'raids', forming social bonds within guilds, but they will encounter unfiltered chat and potentially competitive or demanding group dynamics.
- 16+
- Older teens and adults may delve into the game's extensive lore, participate in large-scale 'guild' activities, and engage in the player-driven economy, which involves advanced social coordination and time commitment.
World of Warcraft (WoW) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) set in a rich fantasy universe. Players create avatars and embark on quests, engage in player-versus-environment (PvE) and player-versus-player (PvP) combat, and interact with a large community. The game features a complex narrative, character development, and various in-game activities such as crafting and trading. It encourages teamwork and strategy, but also presents challenges related to online interactions and time management.
- Age guide
- Teen 13+
- Overall risk
- 7/10
- Violence
- 5/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 6/10
- Stranger contact
- 8/10
- Addiction risk
- 7/10
- Language
- 4/10
- Influence
- 6/10
What parents should know
World of Warcraft is a long-standing massively multiplayer online role-playing game with a mature rating, featuring extensive social interaction and a persistent online world. Key considerations for parents include managing in-game communication, monitoring subscription and microtransaction spending, and addressing the potential for prolonged engagement. Parental controls offered by Battle.net are crucial for managing access and communication.
What to do about World of Warcraft
Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.
- The age-by-age verdict
What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for World of Warcraft is Teen 13+, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact World of Warcraft setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about World of Warcraft without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in World of Warcraft that mean it is time to step in.
World of Warcraft age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is World of Warcraft?
Parentwise puts World of Warcraft at Teen 13+. We advise World of Warcraft from age 13 and up. Overall risk 7/10 (high risk). Violence scores 5/10, language 4/10, stranger contact 8/10 and addiction risk 7/10.
Can a 10 year old play World of Warcraft?
Not by default: we advise World of Warcraft from 13+, so at 10 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. Children might be drawn to the fantasy world and character progression, but the game's open chat, player-versus-player combat, and subscription model require significant parental oversight.
Can a 12 year old play World of Warcraft?
Not by default: we advise World of Warcraft from 13+, so at 12 it needs your supervision and the settings changed first. Children might be drawn to the fantasy world and character progression, but the game's open chat, player-versus-player combat, and subscription model require significant parental oversight.
Can a 13 year old play World of Warcraft?
Yes, 13 is at or above the age we advise for World of Warcraft (13+). Teenagers can engage with the cooperative gameplay in 'dungeons' and 'raids', forming social bonds within guilds, but they will encounter unfiltered chat and potentially competitive or demanding group dynamics.
Is World of Warcraft appropriate for kids?
World of Warcraft is a long-standing massively multiplayer online role-playing game with a mature rating, featuring extensive social interaction and a persistent online world. Parentwise rates World of Warcraft overall as high risk (7/10), with stranger contact at 8/10 and addiction risk at 7/10.
Is World of Warcraft family friendly?
World of Warcraft is one of the higher-risk titles we rate, so treat it as supervised rather than family viewing. Key considerations for parents include managing in-game communication, monitoring subscription and microtransaction spending, and addressing the potential for prolonged engagement.
World of Warcraft parents guide: what should a parent know first?
World of Warcraft is a long-standing massively multiplayer online role-playing game with a mature rating, featuring extensive social interaction and a persistent online world. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (8/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (7/10).
Is World of Warcraft safe for kids?
We advise World of Warcraft from age 13 and up. Overall risk 7/10 (high risk). Key considerations for parents include managing in-game communication, monitoring subscription and microtransaction spending, and addressing the potential for prolonged engagement.
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Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.