A new update for World of Warcraft Classic’s ongoing beta has just dropped, and this one may be of great interest to all existing Closed Beta players.
Following a somewhat successful stress testing last May 22 and May 29, players lucky enough to get into the Closed Beta Test for World of Warcraft Classic now have something new to look forward to, as Blizzard announces the return of the Arathi Basin, along with an increased level cap to further test new areas in the classic MMO title. The update is set to arrive on June 6, which is this Thursday.
The announcement comes from community manager Kaivax on the Blizzard forums, noting that the beta will be down later today to make way for the incoming update. Maintenance for the World of Warcraft Classic Closed Beta will then commence, and with it comes a new level cap – from level 30 to level 40. This will, in the words of the community manager, “allow testers to level up in zones such as Stranglethorn Vale, Desolace, and Arathi Highlands (among others).” This also means that the Warsong Gulch area will be closed off.
The beta is going along swimmingly, if we’re following Blizzard’s planned schedule. With the first two stress tests concluded, and the third one is still a month away, we can probably expect the time in-between to be devoted to regular updates to the Closed Beta itself.
To further help with the testing efforts, Blizzard has also reduced the cost to respec – that is, to reset the stats and skills – of all closed beta characters for all players. The change in cost is quite monumental – it will be charged in silver instead of gold, and is reduced by 99 percent from its previous cost. However, this will only be applied to the beta itself.
Finally, Blizzard also announced in the post that the Arathi Basin will also be made available for limited testing in the Closed Beta. Players looking to experience it need characters that are level 20 and higher in order to participate, so keep that in mind.
For players who aren’t opted into the beta as of yet, don’t lose hope – Blizzard has not made any announcements that it has stopped opting in players for the testing period. To find out how exactly how people get opted into the beta, check our pieces here and here. You can also check the testing schedule here for more details into this quite popular and prestigious beta test.
World of Warcraft Classic is set to release on the PC on August 27.
