World of Warcraft offers 100 percent experience boost for the next month

Desperate to be entertained by something while you self-isolate? Two of the most addictive games out there have come up with some enticing ways for you to lose hours upon hours of your free time. 

First of all, Blizzard has announced that World of Warcraft players will benefit from a 100 percent experience boost between now and April 20th. In a blog post, the company explained, 'if you’re staying inside and find yourself returning to Azeroth, or if you’re leveling another character (or two), you’ll be getting a special bonus to help you on your way.'

This is done through the application of a special buff called the 'Winds of Wisdom', which sounds in key with the game but also suggests that possibly Blizzard is pointing out how it's sensible to stay indoors and, of course, play the game. 

The buff applies to everyone plain which includes those playing via the free Starter Edition. The Starter Edition caps your level gains to 20, so obviously it's working kind of like a drug dealer handing out a free sample. Hit the level cap super quickly, and you'll invariably end up subscribing for a month or two.

Still, it's a nice time to return to what many consider to be a comfortable old favourite at this point in the game's lifespan, so it's a friendly move by Blizzard. 

In a similar vein, one of the other most addictive games out there is also currently free. Football Manager 2020 is free to play via Steam until March 25th. It's another one that tends to grab people like some kind of overly addictive drug. Odds are many players are going to end up purchasing it after the free period ends, and who can blame them? Leading a non-league team to the Premier League should be just the right distraction for the foreseeable future, especially while there's no actual sport to watch. 

While we're at it, there's still time to grab the 2013 reboot of Tomb Raider on Steam entirely for free. The offer ends tomorrow though, so you need to be quick. Once added to your account, it's yours to keep which is a rather nice bonus if you haven't played it before. 

It's not quite mass donations of surgical masks, but it's still good to see companies trying to help people in some small way.