AITA for reclaiming my old WoW/Blizzard Account after a 7+ year hiatus?

Shirley Stafford Hours
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A wave of nostalgia hits like a rogue’s ambush in a dimly lit Stormwind tavern. After seven years away from World of Warcraft, one gamer felt the pull of Azeroth’s call with the buzz of WoW Classic. Logging into their old Blizzard account, they uncovered a shocking twist: an ex-friend had been adventuring in their name, leveling characters and hoarding gold. What seemed like a simple reclaiming of their digital kingdom sparked a moral quandary.

Was it fair to lock out someone who’d invested years in the account, even without permission? The Reddit community buzzed with opinions, and this tale of virtual betrayal raises questions about ownership, ethics, and the bonds we forge—and break—online. Let’s dive into this saga of pixels and principles.

‘AITA for reclaiming my old WoW/Blizzard Account after a 7+ year hiatus?’

Seeing the buzz around WoW Classic, I felt some intense nostalgia and decided to log into my Blizzard/WoW account after a  7+ year absence. After some issues logging in and a Blizzard support ticket, I found out that my account has been in use during my 7+ year hiatus.

Found out one of my ex friends who somehow had access to my account when I quit has been using it since I quit. I can see the transaction history of his payments for subscriptions. I decided to change the password, phone number, email, contact details, payment methods,  security questions, etc.

As well as add the authentication feature. Here’s where I feel conflicted: He created new characters in various realms and leveled them to 120 with tons of gold and items. He still kept my old main characters roughly where they were at when I quit,  but he did strip them of gold and deleted or transferred some of my old characters.

Or at least changed their names/races or transferred servers. I do not know this guy anymore, like at all: have not talked to him in years, he doesn’t know my phone number, we’re not connected on any social media, and I live in a new state.

Should I try to reach out to him and offer to transfer his characters? I admit it’s kind of a d**k move to take over this account but he did it to me first, without my consent. FYI, My name was actually still on the account for the first & last name!

I vaguely remember logging into my account at his house. It's possible I may of even allowed him to play my characters in the time period between quitting but with my subscription still active for a few more weeks. It's been so long it's kind of difficult to know for certain. To be clear: I do NOT remember giving him explicit permission to use my account in entirety or mess around with my characters.

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Reclaiming a long-lost gaming account can feel like storming a fortress to take back what’s yours. The original poster (OP) faced a dilemma: their account, their rules, but someone else had been paying the subscription and building a legacy. This clash highlights the murky ethics of digital ownership. The OP’s ex-friend used the account without explicit consent, yet invested time and money, creating a gray area.

This situation reflects broader issues of digital identity. According to a 2023 Pew Research study, 64% of gamers have faced online harassment or theft, including account takeovers (pewresearch.org). Such incidents raise questions about trust and boundaries in virtual spaces. The OP’s vague memory of sharing access complicates things, but no clear permission was given.

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Dr. Rachel Kowert, a gaming psychologist, notes, “Gaming accounts often hold emotional and financial value, making unauthorized use a form of digital betrayal”. Her perspective underscores the OP’s right to feel violated, as the ex-friend exploited a forgotten login. Yet, the ex-friend’s investment—leveling characters to 120 and paying for expansions—suggests a sense of entitlement.

Advice for the OP: Reclaim your account, but consider reaching out to the ex-friend. A neutral message offering to transfer their characters could de-escalate tension while asserting your ownership. Blizzard’s support can facilitate character transfers, preserving your original toons. For future protection, enable two-factor authentication and avoid sharing login details, even with friends. This balance respects both parties’ efforts while reinforcing digital boundaries.

Check out how the community responded:

The Reddit hive mind didn’t hold back—here’s the tea, straight from the forums, with a side of snark and solidarity. Check out these hot takes:

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schmeatmedown − NTA. I think it’s funny he just stole your account and then just had other accounts anyway. I definitely wouldn’t transfer anything,

xKalisto − NTA he should have gotten his own account. He probably exploited yours to level easier.

Eshaswrath − NTA I also play wow. If it is your account and he’s been using it. Then no your not that a**hole! If you need help ask away!

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[Reddit User] − NTA. he took your thing and now you’re taking it back. Tough s**t. It’s yours.

Raudskeggr − NTA Whatever work he did with your account, what he was doing was a very mild kind of identity theft. Did you give him permission to use it? If not, then he shouldn't have been doing that. He should have created his own account.

TemptCiderFan − NTA I've got an Xbox Live account I barely use because I switched to Playstation after the horrible Xbox One launch announcement, but if I found out someone had hijacked it and started using it I'd still be pissed.. It takes two god-damned seconds to make your own account. Don't touch my stuff.

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It_frday − Are you an a**hole for stealing back the bike you never used? Nope... NTA and dude should've got his own account. Edit: said things twice

Jaywearspants − NTA he literally stole you account

[Reddit User] − “It’s possible,” huh? YTA. You know darn well you gave him access. And he paid the subscription all those years. You are definitely TA.

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djfakey − ESH Here’s my take. You wanted to try classic. Classic doesn’t require your old account. It just needs a sub you could’ve just created a new account instead of going through support and all that and then tried classic. If it’s been 7 years and other guy has a lvl 120 that means he probably paid for some expansions since then.

More recently than you plus subbing. Sure you initially paid 7 years ago but now all those xpac are essentially bundled in and don’t cost much if anything anymore. The guy could’ve made his own account too but it probably was too much invested by that time.

I mean if you legit wanted to play your old characters thats understandable but to take back the account to try classic really wasn’t necessary and I feel other guy lost more than you did at this point. But you have every right to take back your old account for whatever reasons.

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These are the crowd’s unfiltered thoughts, but do they nail the truth or just fan the flames of drama?

This WoW account saga is a digital duel of rights versus regrets. The OP reclaimed their virtual turf, but the ex-friend’s years of grinding add a twist of sympathy. It’s a reminder that online worlds carry real emotions and stakes. What would you do if you found someone squatting in your digital domain? Share your thoughts—would you reclaim, negotiate, or let it slide?

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