When picking an expansion theme, why does Blizzard ignore the themes people want?

[Deleted]

I think the "community" asked for a couple of themes for the least years that we still havent seen, yet Blizzard picks something strange like Warlords of Draenor, that no one asked for.

Some examples:

- Emerald Dream: Pretty much requested since Vanilla
- Demon homeworld / Demon theme: People actually expected this as the upcoming theme and talked about this since BC.
- South Seas: People are talking about this since at least early Cataclysm.

It's not that I have anything against WoD, but the theme just strikes me as odd when there are so many other (better?) themes that people like and have been waiting for.
Especially if they want to get people back into WoW, wouldnt it make more sense to use the themes mentioned above?

[coldthrenody]

It makes you wonder when they listen to the fans on so many other things. You know dungeons too hard, we want pandaren...etc

[Isheria]

Because game development is not a democracy, games are not designed solely on the desires of the majority of the playerbase. When blizzard asks for feedback or any developer for that matter they don't ask you how to design the game they already have some goals beforehand but do "some" changes to the original plan based on the feedback they receive and the goals they already have in mind.

[Lightwysh]

Maybe blizzard wants to blaze a new trail with the story?

Emerald dream = worst idea for a whole expansion ever. Maybe a raid or timeless isle type zone.

South Seas = not enough content to support an expansion on its own. Also I believe it's been stated(no source) that MOP is the south seas xpac.

The vocal few fanboy/lorenerds really just want to see their favorite parts of the Warcraft rts.

Let blizz create new stories, Cata and MOP prove that they can still craft an intriguing story. "Knowing" what is coming and how it will play out seems less interesting than going into a new story knowing little more than the general premise.

[Lodreh]

Because it would be boring. Just because you think you want it doesn't mean they are excited to do it. It takes passion to drive development. Remember in school when an instructor asked you to write a report on something you had no interest in... it was hard just to get through the material. However, if you are allowed the freedom to do what you want the quality of the work will be far superior. In the case of development it's better to just let them produce and you can either enjoy or walk away.

[Guyviroth]

Ohhhh, you mean like how everyone wanted Pandaren as a playable race?

Yeah, look how well that turned out...

[bmjclark]

Probably don't want to put out the themes people really want until they're getting ready to finish making wow expansions honestly.

[zorkuus]

Emerald dream = worst idea for a whole expansion ever. Maybe a raid or timeless isle type zone.

I bet most people who request this don't even know what the Emerald dream is, they're just parroting other people.

[coldthrenody]

Ohhhh, you mean like how everyone wanted Pandaren as a playable race?

Yeah, look how well that turned out...

Seemed as though it turned out fine? I'm not sure what you're driving at.

[McNeil]

I'm thinking that they want to save all the ''best'' themes for the last, so that they can bring back old players more easily. They already used some of their best themes (demon and undead) in the first expansions, and that helped to bring the subs to 12 million. The revamped vanilla and pandaren lore didn't really help though, they seem more like filler.

[Eternal Champion]

Gotta have those filler expansions.

[Deleted]

Because the themes people want suck; and they know better than anyone else what is the best for their game.

The Emerald Dream is as large as Azeroth, and it's still under the old Azeroth form (Pangea, old-Kalimdor, before the explosion of the eternity well)

[Santti]

Emerald Dream? Isn't it basically a carbon copy of our world, only not influenced by us? How is that going to be an exciting theme for the whole expansion? Think we will have scoured it pretty well in 1 patch.

Demon theme sounds still very plausible for WoD, perhaps as prelude for Demon theme expansion.

[Deleted]

Gotta have those filler expansions.

I didn't want to say it in my OP, but that's kinda the feeling I get from WoD, even though it might still be interesting.

[Toiran]

The customer isn't always right when it comes to an MMO.

Seriously, just sit and think about how a fan made expansion would look, it wouldn't work in a million years.

Plus, they will already have at least a 5 year development plan, that can differ, but more than likely won't change it's core, thus its set in stone, to a degree.

[McNeil]

The Emerald Dream in vanilla looked pretty cool, even though its unfinished:

[rda]

The theme of WoD comes from Metzen. That's it.

The guy just loves orcs, so that's what we are going to have. Be happy he doesn't love ponies.

[Deleted]

I don't know why either, the majority of the community wanted either a burning legion expansion or a n'zoth / aszhara expansion...let's see how wod's gonna be, it might be awesome, but if they don't focus on the stuff I want (legion) after wod, it's gonna be my last expansion

[Deleted]

The customer isn't always right when it comes to an MMO.

Seriously, just sit and think about how a fan made expansion would look, it wouldn't work in a million years.

I doubt that picking a theme that people want will make such an impact.
It doesnt have to change anything about the actual content and gameplay elements; it just changes the setting.

[Deleted]

If people think that southseas or emerald dream has not enough content for expansion, then what about pandaren?