7.0 - anytime soon? Or has Blizz set unrealistic standards for themself once again?

[geniebsmart]

With the WoW team having doubled for over a year now, and them saying WoD might only have 2 patches (also, do these 2 minor pacthes count as ACTUAL patches?), and we could look at yearly expansion, does that mean that 7.0 will come out in 6 months? Or is this just something that's all talk to get people hyped for no reason? What do you think?

[Noctifer616]

If they don't announce the expansion at E3 or Gamescom it will likely not come out this year.

[Deleted]

If they don't announce the expansion at E3 or Gamescom it will likely not come out this year.

They will announce it at Blizzcon. There is no way they wouldn't do that. I guess it will release sometime before or after the movie releases.

[schwarzkopf]

What worries me is that I can't see the expansion coming out within 1 year of announcement, so an announcement any time after 6.2 means a year long final raid again.

[Noctifer616]

also, do these 2 minor pacthes count as ACTUAL patches?

Raid tiers, not patches. If the game would be on a 1 year release cycle you would have 2 raids tiers, not 2 patches.

[Noctifer616]

They will announce it at Blizzcon. There is no way they wouldn't do that. I guess it will release sometime before or after the movie releases.

They have made major announcements in the past outside of Blizzcon so I would not rule it out to happen with WoW as well if they really plan to release the game in late 2015 or early 2016.

[Deleted]

They have made major announcements in the past outside of Blizzcon so I would not rule it out to happen with WoW as well if they really plan to release the game in late 2015 or early 2016.

The only "major" thing that i can think of is Hearthstone at PAX. Other than that WoW related stuff was always announced at a Blizzard Event. For a faster release they could announce it at Blizzcon and start the Beta shortly after. Late 2015 ist pretty much impossible. The Beta would have to start soon for this to be even remotely possible. My guess is that the Beta will start Q1 2016 and will release Q2 or 3 with a minor filler raid coming with 6.3

[Noctifer616]

The only "major" thing that i can think of is Hearthstone at PAX.

There is also D3 ROS and D3 on consoles.

[Mic_128]

Raid tiers, not patches. If the game would be on a 1 year release cycle you would have 2 raids tiers, not 2 patches.

So like the Launch and 6.2 tiers?

[Noctifer616]

So like the Launch and 6.2 tiers?

Yes, that's correct.

[huth]

What worries me is that I can't see the expansion coming out within 1 year of announcement, so an announcement any time after 6.2 means a year long final raid again.

They also said that they'd add another tier if necessary. All the way back when WoD was announced, too. Basically, the goal is to have about half-year long tiers, regardless of how long the time between expansions is.

[Roshar]

They'll announce the next expansion at Blizzcon sure, but who knows when it'll actually come out. Generally, it's always been at least a year from the announcement to the release, but that doesn't look like a good thing to happen this time around. Plus there's also the fact of what they announce about the expansion at Blizzcon...look at the things they talked about Warlords in Blizzcon 2013 and look at what actually went live. Most of it didn't make it at all, Karabor and Bladespire as cities, garrisons can be placed in any zone, naming and customizing followers, Tanaan in 6.1, Farahlon in a later content patch, pretty much every new design decision was cut. So even a Blizzcon reveal of the next expansion won't really tell us anything about what it'll really contain and when it'll go live.

[Varabently]

With the WoW team having doubled for over a year now, and them saying WoD might only have 2 patches (also, do these 2 minor pacthes count as ACTUAL patches?), and we could look at yearly expansion, does that mean that 7.0 will come out in 6 months? Or is this just something that's all talk to get people hyped for no reason? What do you think?

Blizz has obviously set unrealistic expectations, and I'll be the first to admit I'm wrong if they release an expac fast. But honestly, unless there are sweeping changes to the game, it won't matter for me. If it's just more of the same, then I don't plan on coming back anytime soon anyway. There are some great games coming out in the next 12-18 months, so I'm fine with letting Blizz do whatever they want. Unless those other games are complete busts, I don't see much reason to come back.

[Deleted]

If they don't announce the expansion at E3 or Gamescom it will likely not come out this year.

Don't expect its release prior to a year following its announcement. Fall of 2016 at earliest, easily.

[Varabently]

It wonders me how people ask the same question again and again.

Don't trust blizzard even for a second, especially if it's regarding "rolling out faster expansions".

We have been betrayed every expansion. At every Blizzcon the say "next expansion is going to come much before than you expect"

Totally true. There's simply no reason to think this 1 year expansion cycle or "faster" expansions is anything but false hope.

[kamil84]

I will be a long raid, enjoy HFC bitches.

[Alvito]

The final raid tier only being 6 months long seems insanely unlikely. No alpha testing makes it even less likely. In short no fucking way. They have said for the last 2 expansions they were going to make the next one quicker. Take WoD as an example they took forever to wrap it up and still left several things undone they have even said themselves they wanted live at launch and weren't. If we see 7.0 anytime in 2015 I'd be as surprised as I'd be if there was a flying saucer outside tomorrow morning.

[Deleted]

They also said that they'd add another tier if necessary. All the way back when WoD was announced, too. Basically, the goal is to have about half-year long tiers, regardless of how long the time between expansions is.

They are likely to claim that any content released between 6.2 and 7.0 will only prolong the wait for 7.0, that's what they've said in the past.

They tried the whole, adding another raid whilst we wait thing in Wrath, it more or less ended up as a wasted effort.

[Deleted]

What do you think?

No idea.
Anything that gets said about the subject at this point is just pure meaningless speculation and anecdotal guesswork.

We'll know more once Blizzard releases more info.

[RoKPaNda]

It amazes me that people believe Blizzard about 2 raid tiers but not about the shorter expansion cycle. I, personally, don't believe them about either. Considering we haven't heard anything yet, I'd guess that we'll see another raid tier after HFC and that will have to last around a year, give or take a couple months.

No idea.
Anything that gets said about the subject at this point is just pure meaningless speculation and anecdotal guesswork.

And that's perfectly fine.