The hell it doesn't. A paywall is a paywall and it is behind one.You can't see Robin Williams tribute without going through that pay wall. The reason they were inspired to do it in the first place was because of that American consolate employee that played EvE online. EvE can be played for absolutly free.After they made that tribute it increased their user base by a considerable ammount. WoW has a pay wall and they just increased the price, if you read the forums they are considering raising the price everywhere. It absolutly does count and unless they want to offer people the ability to see that tribute without having to pay then they are exploiting his death and making money off it because just like with EvE it will give them a boost. If it didn't then they probably wouldn't be increasing the subscription cost. 

Soooo, we officially have a link to an actual petition that was signed by over ten thousand people. Case closed?

Because pretty sure if they had IGNORED the petition we'd inevitably be hearing 'Oh, those cold, heartless corporate bastards, not able to lift their little finger or expend any resources just to make one NPC for a man who loved their game yada yada yada.' =P Regardless of what Blizzard had done on the matter, someone would have portrayed it as an act of respect, and someone else would have portrayed it as an act of cold inhumanity, and either one could have been right, so how's about we just at least acknowledge that there was indeed a pretty impressive amount of public outcry for it to be done and leave it at that?

They should freaking increase the price everywhere, its been 10 years without price reajustment, its insane they managed that long whithout increasing prices. And no they should not make "see the Robbin Willians" tribute free cause thats not even possible, he is either an NPC in game or he doesnt exist and they cant offer "Robbin Willina WoW" for free. However if he turns out to be an NPC on one of the factions capitals or some of the starting area than ppl will even be able to see him torugh free trial. And no on on the planet is gona resub or sub for the first time to WoW cause they are imortalising Robbins memory, this is so delusional its beyond even resoning.

The subscription price is the subscription price, you pat for WoW and you get 100% of it, Robbin Willians wont be a separate purchase hell be an NPC in game, like the kid from Make a Wish foundation who died of cancer after visiting Blizzards headquarters got an iten in game with his name, the iten is there and you get it if you sub to WoW cause you get all of WoWsubing for the same sub price ever, wich may end up getting a price raise after 10 freaking years.

The tinfoil hat here is so insane it makes me dizzy.

Not really case closed. They put it behind a paywall and just increased the price. Whether or not people signed a petition doesn't change the fact they are making money off it. If they want to make it right then they should donate the proceeds from that increase to the William's family and their various charities.

I thought it was bizarre

The only one that's crazy is you for not seeing the fact they are making a profit off this. It would be a different story if they were donating the proceeds from it, but they arn't. You havn't proved they arn't exploting his death you've just proven that they will also exploit the deaths of make a wish kids.

Its pretty simple WoW is a subscription based game, you pay the sub you get all of WoW, Wilians is beieng added as an in game NPC wihc will cost no extra money at all, however since he is an in game NPC you can only see him if you play WoW, wich costs you a subscription fee. Its stupid to see any evil in this, if you want to be in World of Warcraft you gota pay the sub. He is not beeing added to make ppl sub he is beeing added to ppay tribute and 10 years from now someone starting in WoW will see the guy and go "hey look Robbin willians".

Blizzard hasnt even made any sort of publicity stunt based on this they answered the petition and end of story, there was no press release no nothing, theyre just, truly, paying an homage to someone who admited to be an avid WoW fan/player while he was alive is that this hard ot understand.

Do you work for blizzard or something? Your irrational defence of it is quite alarming. If what you said was true they would donate a portion to charity, but they don't. It all goes in their pocket.

Youre beyond insane, donate the proceedings from what he is a ingame NPC, he is in the World of Warcraft, are you sugesting WoW should forever donate every peny it makes form subs new and old because Robbin Willians is in game.

Seriously its not even possible to talk to someone that thinks like this. Also if you go to wowhead and type the name of the iten (and off Robbins NPC after he is implemented) you can see the iten and the NPC on a website that isnt even owned by blizz and is a WoW database. Its not a publicity campain, theyre not ataching his NPC to anything, but he is gona be in game for obvious reasons. Youre line of tough is just beyond crazy.

If I dont know From Software decided to include a Robbin Willians character in Dark Souls, youd have to buy the game to see him in the game for obvious reaosns.

Again the only one crazy here is you since you keep defeding this obvious explotation of the mans likeness.