World of Warcraft: 100% XP boost means now is the time to return to Azeroth
Perfectly timed ahead of Shadowlands expansion
Stuck inside due to the sensible social distancing measures being placed on regions of the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic? Then now might be the perfect time to return to that most-addictive and enduring of MMOs, World of Warcraft.
Developers Blizzard are aware that the lure of Azeroth is drawing players to its game once more, and to sweeten the deal, it's giving everyone who logs in for the next month a massive 100% XP boost.
"If you're staying inside and find yourself returning to Azeroth, you'll be getting a special bonus to help you on your way," explains a post on Blizzard's website.
- World of Warcraft: can a beginner still have fun?
- The best PC games: what to play right now
Better than ever?
Log in, and you'll find your characters have a new buff automatically applied called "Winds of Wisdom" – that's what's going to lift that XP gain, perfect for grabbing a few extra levels in the later parts of the game. You'll miss it when it's gone – it'll run out on April 20.
World of Warcraft has had a solid few years – Battle for Azeroth was its best expansion in a long time, and the launch of World of Warcraft: Classic brought back lapsed fans who enjoyed the tougher early days of the MMO.
This year will also see the release of a new expansion, Shadowlands. It will see Sylvanas Windrunner rip a hole in the fabric of reality, letting players enter the afterlife. The expansion will introduce five new zones to explore, four ‘Covenant’ factions to align with and will introduce a streamlined levelling system that will squeeze the level cap from 120 back down to 60, which should help newcomers.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
Gerald is Editor-in-Chief of iMore.com. Previously he was the Executive Editor for TechRadar, taking care of the site's home cinema, gaming, smart home, entertainment and audio output. He loves gaming, but don't expect him to play with you unless your console is hooked up to a 4K HDR screen and a 7.1 surround system. Before TechRadar, Gerald was Editor of Gizmodo UK. He is also the author of 'Get Technology: Upgrade Your Future', published by Aurum Press.