Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Pokemon Winds and Waves
  • New Games for 2026
  • Submit your game clips
  • GDC
Don't miss these
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft Blizzard "looking at" giving WoW's older races the customization overhauls they deserve, but it's not happening "soon"
Xal'atath smugly grins in the World of Warcraft: Midnight cinematic 'Immolation'
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft update lifts restrictions on flight in Midnight as Blizzard acknowledges arguments on either side
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft After cutting down WoW classes, Blizzard "heard loud and clear from players that it was not what they were looking for"
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft lead teases "a lot of death" for "important characters" in the Worldsoul Saga, so pray for your faves
Xal'atath smugly grins in the World of Warcraft: Midnight cinematic 'Immolation'
World of Warcraft WoW fans question Blizzard's $7.50 trees, prompting discounts – but some say new decor is "still comically overpriced"
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft Blizzard is revamping World of Warcraft's "decades" old zones for Midnight, because "we should be able to use them"
WoW Classic Cataclysm
World of Warcraft Blizzard says WoW players can keep selling services for in-game currency unless their business is "non-traditional"
World of Warcraft: Midnight
MMO Games Blizzard isn't "walking back" axing of World of Warcraft add-ons: "Our goal was never to stamp out the addon ecosystem"
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft director says the MMO's addon changes have been a long time coming, but better late than never
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft lead sometimes wishes Blizzard "hadn't called it Warcraft" because "it sounds intimidating"
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight characters look out onto the Dragon Isles
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft lead says Blizzard has "a bigger vision" than simply just being an MMORPG
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft Blizzard is so concerned with World of Warcraft expansion Midnight's changes that it's already loading balance patches
World of Warcraft Midnight player housing
World of Warcraft Blizzard preps patch for WoW housing in Midnight, but players seem to want more from the MMO's hot new feature
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft Midnight is the "the fastest expansion" Blizzard has ever made, with "no sacrifices to team health"
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft Blizzard pleads with WoW fans not to judge removal of combat mods too early, as Midnight was designed with it in mind
  1. Games
  2. MMO
  3. World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft gender changes will be free in Shadowlands

News
By Jordan Gerblick published 9 July 2020

Blizzard is removing the real-money charge for changing your character's gender

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Blizzard)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

World of Warcraft's upcoming Shadowlands expansion will remove the $15/£13 charge to change your character's gender.

Right now, the only way to change genders is to buy an Appearance Change from the Blizzard store. But you can change just about everything else about your character's appearance from the barber shop for in-game currency. In a conversation with Eurogamer, executive producer John Hight acknowledged the problem there and says Blizzard plans to make changing your character's gender free in Shadowlands.

"A long time ago, we had the ability for players to go in - it was actually a paid service - and change their character. Much of that is now in the barber shop in the game," he said. "And as we were adding things up in Shadowlands, we realised, 'Gosh the only way you can change your gender in World of Warcraft is to go through this paid service.' And we felt like that's not the right message," Hight said.

You may like
  • World of Warcraft: Midnight Blizzard "looking at" giving WoW's older races the customization overhauls they deserve, but it's not happening "soon"
  • Xal'atath smugly grins in the World of Warcraft: Midnight cinematic 'Immolation' World of Warcraft update lifts restrictions on flight in Midnight as Blizzard acknowledges arguments on either side
  • World of Warcraft After cutting down WoW classes, Blizzard "heard loud and clear from players that it was not what they were looking for"

Apparently, it's not something that can happen overnight, but it's an update Blizzard is embedding into the Shadowlands expansion, which is scheduled to launch some time in the Fall of this year.

This comes with the context of a new Shadowlands NPC, Pelagos, who is seemingly the first transgender character in World of Warcraft. Blizzard essentially confirmed as much in a post on the WoW forum explaining why the character's pronouns had changed. "Pelagos, who presented as a woman in his mortal life, chose to be a man in the Shadowlands," reads the post in-part.

Yet another update we can't wait to see implemented in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands.

Did you hear World of Warcraft is getting a board game?

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Platforms
Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.

Read more
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft Blizzard "looking at" giving WoW's older races the customization overhauls they deserve, but it's not happening "soon"
 
 
Xal'atath smugly grins in the World of Warcraft: Midnight cinematic 'Immolation'
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft update lifts restrictions on flight in Midnight as Blizzard acknowledges arguments on either side
 
 
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft After cutting down WoW classes, Blizzard "heard loud and clear from players that it was not what they were looking for"
 
 
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft lead teases "a lot of death" for "important characters" in the Worldsoul Saga, so pray for your faves
 
 
Xal'atath smugly grins in the World of Warcraft: Midnight cinematic 'Immolation'
World of Warcraft WoW fans question Blizzard's $7.50 trees, prompting discounts – but some say new decor is "still comically overpriced"
 
 
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft Blizzard is revamping World of Warcraft's "decades" old zones for Midnight, because "we should be able to use them"
 
 
Latest in World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft: Midnight
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft hit with FOMO complaints as Blizzard slams the doors shut on delve Hall of Fame after just 9 hours
 
 
Xal'atath smugly grins in the World of Warcraft: Midnight cinematic 'Immolation'
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft update lifts restrictions on flight in Midnight as Blizzard acknowledges arguments on either side
 
 
Leeroy Jenkins in Hearthstone
World of Warcraft World of Warcraft would've been a first-person MMO if former Overwatch lead had his way
 
 
An orc from World of Warcraft roars at the screen
World of Warcraft "Typical hubris" led to one of WoW's "s**ttiest" quests, admits creator Jeff Kaplan
 
 
Xal'atath smugly grins in the World of Warcraft: Midnight cinematic 'Immolation'
World of Warcraft WoW fans question Blizzard's $7.50 trees, prompting discounts – but some say new decor is "still comically overpriced"
 
 
Key art for World of Warcraft: Midnight.
World of Warcraft WoW fans beg Blizzard to "turn down" the "noisy af" Sunwell after Midnight, but others surrender their ears to the light
 
 
Latest in News
Palworld
Survival Games "We have no desire to be a media empire," says Palworld publishing head but Pocketpair would be stupid to let it die out
 
 
Protagonist Jordan in a screenshot from the reveal trailer for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
The Last of Us Neil Druckmann's teasing the return of a The Last of Us actor in Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
 
 
A screenshot of the Adoring Fan seen in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered.
The Elder Scrolls Todd Howard says Oblivion leaks didn't help Bethesda or players: "Everyone is gonna have a different version"
 
 
Slay the Spire 2
Roguelike Games Slay the Spire 2 devs respond to the flurry of negative Steam reviews: "No change is necessarily permanent"
 
 
Crimson Desert
Open World Games "My dream game": After 7 hours, Palworld publishing lead delivers his Crimson Desert verdict: "This game is made for me"
 
 
Zoomed-in, cropped box art for Pokemon FireRed shows Charizard roaring.
Pokemon "The biggest time save in nearly a decade of Pokemon speedrunning" has been discovered in FireRed
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Charlie Cox as Daredevil in Daredevil: Born Again season 2
    1
    Daredevil: Born Again season 2 release schedule: when is episode 1 on Disney Plus?
  2. 2
    How your feedback helped shape Starfield's biggest updates: "We're always checking in," says Bethesda
  3. 3
    Baldur's Gate 3 Shadowheart writer sat down with Lae'zel counterpart to help romance make sense
  4. 4
    Project Hail Mary has convinced me to start getting excited for Star Wars: Starfighter
  5. 5
    "We have no desire to be a media empire," says Palworld publishing head but Pocketpair would be stupid to let it die out

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...