9.0 General Discussion

[Yarathir]

https://tinyurl.com/yx3a32zp

Does this email confirm I have alpha or am I crazy?

I don't know.
I'm gonna have to see the login screen to make sure.

[Revamp Man]

Monks are not the least popular because they aren't a hero class (not that hero classes will even really be a thing after Shadowlands, since all they're doing is skipping 10 levels). Monks were unpopular because from the start monk is not a super popular, extremely desired archtype the way that DH and DK are. And WoW's monk in particular had the additional hurdle of have a very specifically pandaren aesthetic that many people didn't/don't like, so even a portion of the small group that would have been interested wasn't because the class was so tied to Pandaria.

Some players have stated they haven’t rolled monk because you start at 1

Nothing with the monk class was panda like

The only way I see that is while watching the reveal they face palmed because of pandas and they missed the monk announcement

[Yarathir]

Towelliee and his chat just got Jebaited @Timewalker

Ah yes, the guy who knows when the alpha will drop. :^)

[Revamp Man]

They are never gonna release it on april 1st.

Thursday is the day if at all this week.

Nope tomorrow

[Eurhetemec]

Weeell, so would I. But facts are facts, and fact is that some content creators know about these things. Like I said, 3 times postponed.

Some content creators maybe, but apparently not him lol.

[TarzoEzio]

BRUH this shit still isn't out??!?!?

Fuck off Blizzard.

Weren't you going to take a break? :P

[Raetary]

Nope tomorrow

We shall see, but that sounds highly unlikely.

[Eurhetemec]

I'm catching up on the conversation now, and I see that the topic of a new class is still being discussed. Although I don't believe that the alpha has been postponed due to a new class being developed, there may be a slight 1% possibility that they've put one together post BlizzCon due to the pre-order numbers of Shadowlands and / or the general feeling post BlizzCon. It wouldn't entirely surprise me if people have put pre-ordering the expansion on hold due to the lack of information we've received so far and in an effort to generate some surprise excitement they could announce a new class.

There are two big problems with this logic, thinking about it:

1) Why would Blizzard immediately jump to starting to develop a new class (a huge endeavour), when they could try releasing more information/screenshots/videos etc. about SL first, if they wanted to boost SL pre-orders?

It's like hearing that your mates kind of thought you were behaving like a jerk, and instead of trying, I dunno, to not behave like a jerk, you continued to behave like a jerk, but secretly planned a massive and extremely expensive surprise party for them, but which wouldn't happen for six+ months. It just doesn't really make sense.

2) Even if they did start on a new class, they take huge amounts of time to get right. The content pipeline is a year for that sort of thing (i.e. they have to start work 1 year+ before we see the thing even on the PTR). So the class wouldn't even be on a PTR until November, assuming they instantly started on it last November, and didn't make any other effort to improve pre-orders (which clearly they haven't). Which would likely mean a 2021 release.

So yeah, even if there is a new class, which is unlikely, that's not going to be why.

[Bindanda]

Let us not forget that tomorrow is April fools day. Whats the over under for fake screenshots posted going to be?

[Sondrelk]

The only logical way i could possibly see a new class being announced for Shadowladns at this stage is if:

1. The class was planned, but was scrapped early in the design phase, but some groundwork had been done.
2. The reaction to the initial Shadowlands pitch was abysmal, and Blizzard figured we needed more incentive.
3. Blizzard is not at all hindered by Covid-19, but is still intending to use it as an excuse for delaying the expansion to 2021 to give themselves time.

1. Is already a dealbreaker, as if the new class was scrapped at that early stage then there were fundamental flaws in it, like the class not having enough of an identity, or requiring massive reworks of other specs to make unique.
2. We know the reaction to Shadowlands was perfectly alright, might not have been a smash hit on all fronts, but nothing that implies it would be a disastrous reception.
3. This would essentially mean that Blizzard was hit by the most immense stroke of fortune, or otherwise decided to include the class a maximum of 2 weeks ago when the developers were well settled in their home office enviroment and they figured they could capitalize on it.


All in all, the idea that Blizzard is going to add a new class at this late juncture is pretty far-fetched. At most i could see them adding class skins ot some classes as a surprise. (Necromancer for Demo Warlock, Dark ranger for MM etc.)

- - - Updated - - -

Let us not forget that tomorrow is April fools day. Whats the over under for fake screenshots posted going to be?

Personal guess would either be extra zones for Shadowlands, in which case i would guess for either "puppy heaven" or some variant, or other emo-edge zones, to poke fun at Revandreth.

Other than that i could see them talk about adding another AR to BfA like Teldrassil victims to the Horde and Sylvanas supporters to Alliance, or something qually preposterous. (Pretty sure they ahve already done the Alliance orcs and Horde Humans)


And then of course the usual changelog things, like N'zoth having more eyes and the like. Or maybe more mounts, like void-touched horse or something.
Most curious whether Blizzard will poke fun at the (percieved or not) Alliance bias in BfA.

[Reman]

Beta is not coming today, dont get Jebaited.

The date has been set by Blizzard though. It's coming really soon

[Eurhetemec]

The only logical way i could possibly see a new class being announced for Shadowladns at this stage is if:

1. The class was planned, but was scrapped early in the design phase, but some groundwork had been done.
2. The reaction to the initial Shadowlands pitch was abysmal, and Blizzard figured we needed more incentive.
3. Blizzard is not at all hindered by Covid-19, but is still intending to use it as an excuse for delaying the expansion to 2021 to give themselves time.

1. Is already a dealbreaker, as if the new class was scrapped at that early stage then there were fundamental flaws in it, like the class not having enough of an identity, or requiring massive reworks of other specs to make unique.
2. We know the reaction to Shadowlands was perfectly alright, might not have been a smash hit on all fronts, but nothing that implies it would be a disastrous reception.
3. This would essentially mean that Blizzard was hit by the most immense stroke of fortune, or otherwise decided to include the class a maximum of 2 weeks ago when the developers were well settled in their home office enviroment and they figured they could capitalize on it.


All in all, the idea that Blizzard is going to add a new class at this late juncture is pretty far-fetched. At most i could see them adding class skins ot some classes as a surprise. (Necromancer for Demo Warlock, Dark ranger for MM etc.)

I see your logic is pretty similar to mine. I disagree re: 1 being a dealbreaker. Looking at some MMOs (not WoW specifically), classes or similar gameplay structures have been cancelled before despite shaping up really, either because something else took precedence, or because they thought that they were unnecessary, or could be held for a later expansion. Equally though it is clear at least a couple of MMOs have pushed out a fairly "bad idea" class because they thought they needed to in order to keep people's attention. I'd be surprised if Blizzard did that though. They haven't so far in any game I can think of.

[Edward Wu]

Weren't you going to take a break? :P

Yeah that was my first post in 8 days. I anticipated it coming this week but holy fuck it's taking forever. Maybe I'll hibernate again for a week or two, not sure.

[matrix123mko]

They are never gonna release it on april 1st.

Thursday is the day if at all this week.

I am sure tomorrow is the best time in this entire year.

[Revamp Man]

We shall see, but that sounds highly unlikely.

You see I have 2 reasons

1. It would be amazing
2. Towelliee stayed it was a possibility but not now yet has “alpha watch”

Also asmon saying “continue playing the alpha” which some think it’s because he played at blizzcon but I don’t remember him being there

[Sondrelk]

I am sure tomorrow is the best time in this entire year.

Let's be fair, done correctly it would actually be a genious marketing move.

Start the day with the usual jokes and fake updates and all that, then later actually release it with proper fanfare. Or even better hide a notice for a dev livestream in the middle of the changelogs, then actually have it and troll everyone.

Sure, it would be silly. But it would also be pretty damn funny to see them actually troll people in this quite depressive homestuck time.

[Edward Wu]

Tomorrow they will release an alpha build and label it encrypted, but it actually won't be. Then everyone will just assume it's another encrypted build and not even bother opening it. That will be the joke.

[Arcinatoss]

I know its not the same genre of games but what of the 7th for alpha? VALORANT launching their closed beta.

[Revamp Man]

I know its not the same genre of games but what of the 7th for alpha? VALORANT launching their closed beta.

Literally anything is possible

[KridenTagg]

I don't see them releasing anything tomorrow. Thursday is really our only day this week, and if that doesn't happen then we're pushing in to next week and going up against Valorant.