BfA Patch Speculation thread (8.3 and later).

[Nathanyel]

Diablo 4. There are overwatch 2 rumors, but not much supporting it.

Still no argument against a big WoW presence (9.0 guaranteed, 8.3 if not previewed earlier) as there were multiple statements that this BlizzCon would be "the largest ever" - even discounting the usual American hyperbole, that means a lot.

[Blayze]

there were multiple statements that this BlizzCon would be "the largest ever"

I think that was just desperate damage control at the time.

[Hitei]

I think that was just desperate damage control at the time.

Not really. People were saying that even before the last one.

[George Costanza]

anyone know when 8.2.5 ptr came up? (at first) i think it was july 30th but unsure.

I mean if we go by that it releases at the first/second week of october we could assume that 8.3 ptr would be up the week following blizzcon (and they might announce it there)

[Nyel]

anyone know when 8.2.5 ptr came up? (at first) i think it was july 30th but unsure.

I mean if we go by that it releases at the first/second week of october we could assume that 8.3 ptr would be up the week following blizzcon (and they might announce it there)

July 30th sounds about right

[DeicideUH]

anyone know when 8.2.5 ptr came up? (at first) i think it was july 30th but unsure.

I mean if we go by that it releases at the first/second week of october we could assume that 8.3 ptr would be up the week following blizzcon (and they might announce it there)

The PTR announcement came out in the week of August 1st (I don't remember the day of the week, but I did expect an announcement for that week and we got it), but I think the actual PTR was only available in the next monday.

[Dhomeli]

I think this must be it. End patch and next expansion very intertwined so it may make sense to announce both and how they link. I just wonder how that would work with the WoW panels. I'd assume the patch would be glossed over somewhat and most info will be about the new expansion.

I'd still hope 8.3 just goes on the ptr pre Blizzcon.

I went to Blizzcon in 2009 when Cata was announced and ICC wasn't out yet. They briefly touched on ICC at the start of the Cata trailer and had a raid design panel about it on Saturday afternoon. But the first day was all about Cata.

I imagine it will be the same this year. They'll hint or touch on 8.3, but largely focus on 9.0.

[DeicideUH]

I went to Blizzcon in 2009 when Cata was announced and ICC wasn't out yet. They briefly touched on ICC at the start of the Cata trailer and had a raid design panel about it on Saturday afternoon. But the first day was all about Cata.

I imagine it will be the same this year. They'll hint or touch on 8.3, but largely focus on 9.0.

I'm expecting them to show two trailers in the opening cerimony: one for 8.3 and another for 9.0. Kinda like in 2017 they showed 3 trailers for WoW: Classic, BfA and BfA Cinematic.

Then the WoW panel will cover 8.3 briefly and delve into 9.0.

[huth]

By the way, I am still expecting Blizzard to launch their very own Fortnite/Apex clone in the same regard as they did DotA/LoL with Heroes. Why? Because a) fast money and b) no need for creativity.

So their own version of the mod of their game that basically created the genre? That's gonna be hard. They'd have to develop time travel first.

[Houle]

Too lazy to read through the last 25 pages, did something interesting happen or still the same situation?

[DeicideUH]

Too lazy to read through the last 25 pages, did something interesting happen or still the same situation?

Marlamin found some encrypted map files that indicate we may be getting a phased or instanced version of Durotar, but that's it for now.

Others have been speculating patch release date. I think it will be October 1st and the campaign will have weekly chapters ending one week before Blizzcon. Others have expressed similar views.

[AngerFork]

Marlamin found some encrypted map files that indicate we may be getting a phased or instanced version of Durotar, but that's it for now.

Others have been speculating patch release date. I think it will be October 1st and the campaign will have weekly chapters ending one week before Blizzcon. Others have expressed similar views.

Interesting. I had been on the 9/25 train, but the lack of a background downloader and/or an RC build makes me think you may be right on 10/1.

Curious, do you think that the campaign will end on the Tuesday of the week of Blizzcon or the week prior (not sure where you notate the one week spot specifically)? I can see advantages either way, but would personally lean more towards the week prior simply due to some people traveling that might otherwise miss the quest. Plus that would give us four weeks of campaign which would match what 8.1 had pre-raid.

[Nathanyel]

Interesting. I had been on the 9/25 train, but the lack of a background downloader and/or an RC build makes me think you may be right on 10/1.

Not to contradict, but I've always found the time a patch is on the background downloader way too long. I think at one point it spent a whole month there.

[Alixie]

Ungoro would of been a better place. Invading Ashenvale was stupid but makes for a good "REMEMBER BACK IN WC3?!?!?!?"

Back on to more relevant topic, Seeing that little Saurfang necklace datamined or whatever, I'm wondering if that means....Saurfang might bite the dust. I don't want him to personally but....Blizz will do what they want.

Orcs are stupid.

He took off his necklace because he didnt think he was worthy of the honor. What the hell has he done lately that "restored" his honor? He helped break Baine out of jail? He killed a bunch of horde soldiers to reach his goal (not unlike Sylvanas). Rescuing his friend means nothing to the Night Elves; Tauren shaman and druids were the ones who made the flames extra leathal. He got a quick pardon for his crimes by Anduin. He hasnt done shit to earn any honor back.

[Soimu]

If they really are doing a level squish, the new cap will probably be 60. It's such an iconic number, representative of a fresh start and the beginning of a new adventure. No way in hell Blizzard isn't going to use this to their advantage in terms of marketing, hype, etc.

One thing is for certain though, it definitely won't be an uneven number.

i don't see this level squish going well, will fck up a lot of quests and stuff.

[shise]

Marlamin found some encrypted map files that indicate we may be getting a phased or instanced version of Durotar, but that's it for now.

Others have been speculating patch release date. I think it will be October 1st and the campaign will have weekly chapters ending one week before Blizzcon. Others have expressed similar views.

No way, I am moving on october 1st, let it be 2 weeks later :P

[Raetary]

Any source on that?

Elegy and a good war.

[Raetary]

I honestly cannot remember in either short story tauren druids and shaman fanning the flames that burned Teldrassil. I'll have to revisit them I guess unless you could give me a quote.

Elegy page 79 has all of it, a good war talks about troll mages setting flames to payloads.

Am not at home, so can't quote it.
There were no druids mentioned tho.
Just mages and shamans.

[Drekmar]

I honestly cannot remember in either short story tauren druids and shaman fanning the flames that burned Teldrassil. I'll have to revisit them I guess unless you could give me a quote.

From elegy:

The arcane-touched payloads crashed into the branches of Teldrassil, each bough the size of an ordinary tree itself. The fire caught quickly. Shaman in Darkshore conjured winds to amplify the flames. Sparks danced like vicious imps from bough to bough, leaving crackling crimson and orange in their wake.

The fire was too much, too fast, and it was no ordinary flame. It reeked of magic bent to a task so cruel, so utterly devoid of even a scrap of compassion, Tyrande could scarcely wrap her mind around it.

The also got magi, warlocks and shamans mentioned before fighting in Ashenvale.

[Cosmic Janitor]

I went to Blizzcon in 2009 when Cata was announced and ICC wasn't out yet. They briefly touched on ICC at the start of the Cata trailer and had a raid design panel about it on Saturday afternoon. But the first day was all about Cata.

I imagine it will be the same this year. They'll hint or touch on 8.3, but largely focus on 9.0.

The circumstances are entirely different today than they were back in WotLK. There was absolutely no narrative hook between ICC and Cata, in the current story everything is intertwined, dropping some casual remarks about the last raid and doing a full presentation of the next expansion is simpyl no longer something you can do, as you pretty much give away key details of the raid by doing so. Only way around that would be if the last raid is complete random bullshit filler that introduces a swath of throwaway characters that only matter in that raid, which would be a catastrophic failure as far as hooks for the last spectacle of BfA goes.