Office Pool: Launch date for BfA

[azurrei]

Didn't they already confirm it would be in 2018?

It will be in 2018...now Classic? Would not be surprised at 2019 or even 2020...

[Felfaadaern Darkterror]

"Christie Golden's upcoming novel Before the Storm has been delayed until June 12, 2018. It was originally scheduled to release on May 15, 2018."

Not looking good for those who predicted May-June-July! Or even August!
I'd say September is our new earliest possibility. Still thinking they'll push to release before another Blizzcon, so September/October looking like strong choices.

[Nyel]

I feel sympathy for the guys who voted August / September or even earlier. You're going to be disappointed. We're heading towards a Q4/18 release.

[The7]

I'm hopeful for August, but I'm going to vote September.

They showed a lot of models and zones at Blizzcon, but it seems they've barely started with the new systems (they didn't have many answers to the questions about islands and warfronts), they didn't show much in terms of dungeons and raids either.

There isn't much to be worked on Islands, they're just... an island, with smarter npcs on it, and the AI thing seemed to be done/ready. Warfronts are just Ashran in locked 1st person view.

[George Costanza]

People voting anything sub- november must be new to blizzard/WoW.

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November is the only likely choice aside from 29+ october.

[Nyel]

People voting anything sub- november must be new to blizzard/WoW.

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November is the only likely choice aside from 29+ october.

This ^

It's funny to see that more players find a June / July release more likely than a November release. LOL

[Aeula]

I’m getting a vibe that it’s pretty far along.

July pre patch August release maybe? Then again they did say before the end of 2018 so... probably November.

[Soulwind]

There isn't much to be worked on Islands, they're just... an island, with smarter npcs on it, and the AI thing seemed to be done/ready. Warfronts are just Ashran in locked 1st person view.

And they're all reskinned Dead Mines anyway: instanced content.

Islands are combinations of random elements, the landscape is always the same (kinda, there are a few layouts) but the mobs, consumables and other challenges are spawned randomly. They have to create enough of each type of element to have variety, and they need to make sure they all interact correctly.

Warfronts aren't first person or top view or anything like that, they're PvE raids against AI commanders, you control your character normally, you just gather resources to build your base while disrupting the enemy as much as possible. Probably the closest comparison would be old Alterac. It's their answer to the question "how does AvH translate into PvE?".

[Deleted]

People voting anything sub- november must be new to blizzard/WoW.

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November is the only likely choice aside from 29+ october.

This.

It will be released November 20. Quote me after Gamescom or earlier when it is confirmed. I enjoyed people calling me a prophet when I predicted the release date of MoP and Legion correctly. A lot of people thought they would be released 3+ months earlier, and this time is no different.

[The7]

Warfronts aren't first person or top view or anything like that, they're PvE raids against AI commanders, you control your character normally, you just gather resources to build your base while disrupting the enemy as much as possible. Probably the closest comparison would be old Alterac. It's their answer to the question "how does AvH translate into PvE?".

Just like Ashran, but without the PVP element.

Islands are combinations of random elements, the landscape is always the same (kinda, there are a few layouts) but the mobs, consumables and other challenges are spawned randomly. They have to create enough of each type of element to have variety, and they need to make sure they all interact correctly.

The random consumables system is already in the game (Argus, Broken Shore, etc), they'll just need to come up with details like name and effects (Probably +damage and +heal). Landscape and mobs doesn't seem to be that much of a big deal either, since it will be a small instanced area and use recycled assets.

What I meant is: these systems doesn't seem totally new like i.e. Garrisons were at the time, or Legion Artifacts. They're just spins in already existing content, so it shouldn't take that long of a development time.

[Soulwind]

Just like Ashran, but without the PVP element.

Ashran took them forever to fine-tune. By the end of the expansion it was almost enjoyable. They'll have to balance the base-building aspect with the "PvP" aspect. It may not take long to develop, but they'll be playtesting it for months.

The random consumables system is already in the game (Argus, Broken Shore, etc), they'll just need to come up with details like name and effects (Probably +damage and +heal). Landscape and mobs doesn't seem to be that much of a big deal either, since it will be a small instanced area and use recycled assets.

I don't know what you mean by Broken Shore, but if by Argus you mean the invasion points, those aren't that random.

Each world has two or three variations, and they're always the same combinations. The red plants that stun on proximity always come with the buff that stacks up to 10 by time, for example. And the first phase or two are always the same, only the boss changes.

Islands are mixing different types of consumables, buffs/debuffs, mobs and AI teams.

They have to make sure all buffs work with all mobs, and all AI teams know how to play in every combination. You can't have the gnome rogue grabbing a consumable and not using it against a saurok rare because it's expecting a different mob, or running against an obstacle that spawned for that instance of the island because it expects nothing to be there.

What I meant is: these systems doesn't seem totally new like i.e. Garrisons were at the time, or Legion Artifacts. They're just spins in already existing content, so it shouldn't take that long of a development time.

The AI is new technology, and for every small change they make in design, they need to make sure the AI will adapt to it correctly. It's comparable to the way they design AIs for Starcraft or HotS, they need to be "taught" the new rules whenever they rebalance something.

[Zenny]

Either pre-patch or release in August. They have been keeping a pretty good tempo so far in Legion.

[Ningjinq]

I voted August but I think very late July or September are pretty good guesses too. We’ll have a better idea when beta launches. There’s a lot of things that appear to be different from previous xpac cycles that are hard to account for.

The art for instance seems far further ahead than previous xpacs. While the dungeons and raids clearly aren’t done (except for the 2), It felt like they showed off every single new open world npc model they had completely finished. Normally we even get beta with placeholder models.

2 playable zones and 2 playable dungeons seemed impressive as well.

Class design seems to have changed from an xpac feature to just something they are always doing so that’s probably not an indicator of xpac development in any way.

So it’s just hard to tell.

Also important to remember Antorus hasn’t released yet so anything prior to October or November actually would be a huge improvement. Especially if 7.3.5 adds worthy content.

[In Ogres We Trust]

I'm going with 2-3 weeks post-Gamescom '18.

[Anoregon]

I'm going with a reasonably optimistic August 2018.

[klaps_05]

12 months of Antorus and 30 day prepatch, give or take some delays, voted February 2019. Only other guess I will make is Classic beta being playable next Blizzcon in very limited aspect and 2020 release for it. Why? Because hindsight is...20/20.

Blizzard's "confirmations" in interviews, blue posts and other media are usually far from spot on, at least that is what the last 12 years or so have proven.

[ceall]

After praying for much earlier WoD and legion releases, I am a tad more pessimistic this time around. I can't say a month, but imo Q3 (July, August or September) 2k18 is a safe bet.

[Flintston]

I'm guessing September 2018.

[Felfaadaern Darkterror]

I think that is fair & good definition, and I support it. I probably guessed too soon then, as I agree pre-patch could be June-July and new zones open in August, but I clicked July so I'll just have to ride with it.

Ladies and Gents and Others (much love no judging)... WE HAVE WINNERS! Those of you who said August are correct! The rest of you are more and less correct, respectively. Those of you who said 2019 are officially curmudgeons! Here's hoping you are happy to be wrong.

NOW... Who was holding the wagers?



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Aeula, Allora, Anoregon, Arbs, Binki, Blitzdoctor, Cheebie, Cinnamohn, Cyno, darkdude103, Darkeon, Dartz1979, Dechno, digichi, doomwad, Dragore, Flurryfang, FuxieDK, Galbatroix, George Lucas, ghernandess, IAMANIKOLAS, invisy, ItsTiddles, Jalham, Kaesebrezen, Kairoll, Kaosadvokit, killwithpwr, Linri, Lintian, Lothrinz, Lugia-Blizz, marren17, Masternewt, Mazeari, munson, Mush, My User Name, Naggash, Nevcairiel, Nibbles, Ningjinq, Niovi, Nishu, Nyeara, oland138, Onikaroshi, Orochiro, Pannekaker, Pattiecakes, Razorice, recoriolis, ro9ue, Romanz, Sar-, Saradain, Saroc, Snorlax, Snownova, Styx, Svetyac, The7, ukko, Vailyn, Vatheil, Vindicator Garrus, Warlucia, Xinkir, Xtrm, Yarix, Zeerus, Zenny, zenpai, Zulthalakh - YOU WERE RIGHT!

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Kozarr, Merser, nanoneo, nVIDIA, Velerios, kaelleria, klaps_05, Phuongvi, Black Kyurem, mrsohta, NegativeOne, PLS, shammypie - YOU WERE BEING CURMUDGEONS

[Eurhetemec]

Looks like I voted September. Not toooooo bad. Congrats to Augusters.