Do you like the "expansion theme" of Shadowlands?

[PenguinChan]

I like the idea behind Shadowlands, and the (teased) zones are beautiful - but I am tentatively 'no' on the likability. Attractive, works, but isn't all for me. But I'll see when it releases.

[BSwitch]

Yes, in theory. Haven't seen enough to know if I'll like it though. Also, haven't seen nearly enough to entice me away from Classic, even for a bit. There are definitely cool elements, and I'm sure hype will only grow and I'll try it out - especially if they can deliver on restoring some Classic-style elements (Auras, Totems, etc.) that make the game feel better for players like me. Thematically it's cool, but still need to see more. I maintain that their storytelling is top notch, and what they can do through cinematics, events, etc. is unmatched, so at least for those reasons I'm very excited to see what's in store.

[Yarathir]

It's.. okay. Feels a little fillery, but I mean- so did MoP, and that was one of the better expansions (barring 5.3 and the drought)

I'm just upset with how Queen Azshara and N'Zoth got handled and I honestly have 0% interest in Sylvanas.

[Kyphael]

Death is a central cosmic force of WoW, best presented in The Scourge lore up until now, so of course. Everyone knew a death-themed expansion was coming after BfA, the only reason people are up in arms is because Sylvanas is the titular character again opposed to Bolvar/Lich King, who they thought would be the antagonist character in a Shadowlands/Death expansio. Blizzard, in their infinite wisdom, jobbed Bolvar out to Sylvanas and broke the Helm of Domination for shock factor, shitting on established Lich King lore and that is where the negative response comes from. If the cinematic had been about Bolvar tearing down the veil to Shadowlands after some sort of confrontation with Anduin, Taelia, and Darion, and Sylvanas would just be an underling to the Jailer, then it would have been much more well received.

[zlygork]

I'm quite tired of grey environments from Kul tiras and Broken isles, so I am sure as hell ready for the new theme.

[Alxblaw]

No, it's trash

[Ielenia]

Personally I think that the theme of Shadowlands is disconnected from the rest of Warcraft universe.
I think even Argus and the Draenei made a better job to fit into the universe.

It feels like a theme transplantation. Especially visually from looking at those covenant transmog sets.

BFA story is not really loved for sure but at least the theme fitted very well into the existing universe.

I think your issue with the Shadowlands' expansion theme may stem from the fact that the Shadowlands itself was very seldomly explored, as it was basically a huge nebulous area of the lore in which we had no idea what it was other than a name and the simplest, vaguest description (afterlife).

That said, I kind of like the idea. It may be interesting to find out about all the kinds of "afterlife" that Shadowlands offer, from 'hell' to 'purgatory' to 'heaven'. I just think it's a huge missed opportunity to introduce a necromancer class, but that's neither here nor there.

[Mrbleedinggums]

I agree. I think Shadowlands will prove to be a huge mistake especially when we had the potential and set-up for a Black Empire expansion.

Shadowlands is not going to bring back players who unsubbed. Why would it? There aren't characters, places, or themes that are familiar with them to intrigue them. This is all new lore and is something that MoP struggled with in regards to player retention. That doesn't mean Shadowlands won't be good, but the players who quit have no reason to get hyped about it and that is bad for the game in general.

https://www.wowhead.com/news=296046/...user-and-r-wow

You do realize that just because they set up for the Black Empire expansion that it's still not out of the realm of possibility and that this is a precursor to it?

[talmar]

I'm really looking forward to it. I actually haven't looked forward to an expansion this much since Pandaria, because it is semi-diconnected'ish. It's great to go out and get away from Azeroth every once in a while and to explore the outer planes or cosmos is spectacular. I would imagine (pun intended he he he) that an expansion like this really frees the imagination of the developers and allows them to simply explore the theme unfettered.

[krumz]

Seems like a great concept. I'm looking forward to it.

[Mokenuf]

At first no, I thought shadowlands was a vague concept forced from two lines of text in Chronicles with no established lore. But then it just hit me. It can be something new and unexplored, just like Pandaria was. And I LOVED Pandaren lore.

[Yarathir]

Death is a central cosmic force of WoW, best presented in The Scourge lore up until now, so of course. Everyone knew a death-themed expansion was coming after BfA, the only reason people are up in arms is because Sylvanas is the titular character again opposed to Bolvar/Lich King, who they thought would be the antagonist character in a Shadowlands/Death expansio. Blizzard, in their infinite wisdom, jobbed Bolvar out to Sylvanas and broke the Helm of Domination for shock factor, shitting on established Lich King lore and that is where the negative response comes from. If the cinematic had been about Bolvar tearing down the veil to Shadowlands after some sort of confrontation with Anduin, Taelia, and Darion, and Sylvanas would just be an underling to the Jailer, then it would have been much more well received.

To be fair, I'm not all that interested in revisiting some Death-based villain again, either.
But I'm going to give it a shot.

[czarek]

Imo better than WoD xD we will see in future how would it be. Blizz plz dont make garbage story.

[TJ]

I actually think it's really cool. Shame there is a 0% chance of me playing retail again, though.

[valax]

Personally I think that the theme of Shadowlands is disconnected from the rest of Warcraft universe.
I think even Argus and the Draenei made a better job to fit into the universe.

It feels like a theme transplantation. Especially visually from looking at those covenant transmog sets.

BFA story is not really loved for sure but at least the theme fitted very well into the existing universe.

yes and no , bastion maldraxxus and to some (stretch) extent ravendreth fit the "otherside" theme , but the furry people zone .... not really just generic forest zone that had to make it into the game

[Maxilian]

Yes, death have being one of the topic that i find more interesting in the whole Warcraft franchise, that's why i always found the scourge cool and the Forsaken extremely interesting, as it brings a lot of questions and many interesting possibilities

- - - Updated - - -

I'm quite tired of grey environments from Kul tiras and Broken isles, so I am sure as hell ready for the new theme.

Grey environments? as a Horde player, i didn't get the chance to play much on Kul tiras (mainly world quests) so i found most of Kultiras areas quite.... charming (more like a place that you could accept living in, unlike... Zandalar that have a lot of places that you really don't wanna be near to -though i did enjoy most of Zandalar zones-)

- - - Updated - - -

It's.. okay. Feels a little fillery, but I mean- so did MoP, and that was one of the better expansions (barring 5.3 and the drought)

I'm just upset with how Queen Azshara and N'Zoth got handled and I honestly have 0% interest in Sylvanas.

Well... they did leave a lot for Azshara future, and they did left some hints that N'zoth will be back later (having in mind the conversations of those that follow N'zoth after his defeat).

[Paraka]

I am down with it, but I worry that Blizzard will write this as the end-all for every species everywhere in the universe ends up. Essentially placing what we see in the expansion as not as expansive as it SHOULD entail.

I don't care if we don't got to other "Shadowlands" from here, just don't write it as Oribos is for Argus and beyond too. Let them mention they go elsewhere and let the community theorize. Likely better that way.

And I am STILL miffed about Emerald Dream and Black Empire being so restricted to what they could have done in the past for expansions. I always felt like those two would been great expansive stories to show the breadth of Azeroth. Shadowlands feels 3 expansions too soon at least because of it.

[Maxilian]

In Shadowlands? No idea really. My elves will be running around in those weird transmogs and yeah... That's it

I don't really agree with this statement, i mean... if the DH had a connection in Legion, why are you taking out the connection of the different races / classes to the different zones or just the theme? i mean... we have a whole race with a lot of interest in this theme (Forsaken) and a whole class (DK), we are even having Bolvar as a main character (so one of the main characters for the DK storyline), and then we have the whole connection to the souls that are already in those areas (like BEs with Kaelthas)

[Weeps]

WoW needed a 1,000 year time skip not a stupid assed "hurr durr lets go to de shadowlundz"

Simplify the story. Fighting colossal baddies is old and tired.

Classic is enjoying great success with simple storylines and simple bosses.

A complete wipe of old characters and an infusion of new ones with COHERENT and LOGICAL storylines would've saved WoW

[Temp1on2]

The difference is that in tbc you could play a draenei and feel connected to the world.

In legion you could play a demon Hunter and get connected to the theme

In mop the Pandas and monks and so on

In Shadowlands? No idea really. My elves will be running around in those weird transmogs and yeah... That's it

But ofc I'm gonna play it and I hope there actual feeling will be good

I mean....I never played any of those and still felt connected to those zones when I was in them.