Is Shadowlands the last WoW expansion?

[Nagawithlegs]

With the cancellation of Blizzcon and unsteady news about the company's lawsuit still going on, its looking less and less likely that Blizzard may be folding over as a game developer.

Do we think Shadowlands will be the last expansion or do you think maybe we will get one more before the company disbands or is absorbed into Activision?

[Archmage Xaxxas]

Not a chance. Second-Last, by your logic, yea could happen.

An IP as long lasting as Warcraft won't go out without at least 'A' send-off.

They could release just 2 new Azeroth zones in 10.0 and call it a day, and I'd still be more pleased with that than them 'wrapping up' the entire game in the last legs of Shadowlands, one of the least 'typical warcraft' themed expansions to date.

[Utrrabbit]

Blizzard will be fine. This will blow over by next year and the next expac will come out.

More companies have done worst and have been fine too.

People like to forget thar Yoshi-P on live TV told his staff to kill themselves cause they messed up during an event. That quickly got swept under the rug. If FF14 can deal with that. Blizzard will be fine.

The cancellation also has nothing to do with what blizzard is going through and everything to do with covid.

[Alanar]

I was expecting a thread like this the moment I saw the blizzcon post;p

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

As long as WoW prints money no expansion will be the last.

But we're starting to approach a danger zone where "people get so bored and so fed up that even the die-hards start finding alternative MMOs to play." And that could result in WoW no longer being a money printer for Activision. It all comes down to when and what 10.0 is.

[Khaza-R]

Very unlikely.

The more apt question is will they keep devoting the same amount of resources to new expansions or are we going to see less content while prices remain the same or even increase.

[Lochton]

With the cancellation of Blizzcon and unsteady news about the company's lawsuit still going on, its looking less and less likely that Blizzard may be folding over as a game developer.

Do we think Shadowlands will be the last expansion or do you think maybe we will get one more before the company disbands or is absorbed into Activision?

Nope, not even close. I am almost certain they have to give due notice to the investors if they put the product on maintenance mode only.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Blizzard will be fine. This will blow over by next year and the next expac will come out.

More companies have done worst and have been fine too.

People like to forget thar Yoshi-P on live TV told his staff to kill themselves cause they messed up during an event. That quickly got swept under the rug. If FF14 can deal with that. Blizzard will be fine.

The cancellation also has nothing to do with what blizzard is going through and everything to do with covid.

It has nothing to do with COVID are you nuts. This was a digital-only event in a state where vaccination rates are high and Delta is on its way out.

This has everything to do with either release timelines being pushed back or the internal turmoil and Activision not wanting to risk a dev saying something stupid.

[Schizoide]

They're still making Everquest expansions. Everquest one. So no, this will not be the last WoW expansion. I wouldn't be surprised if the game was supported with new content for the next 20 years.

It won't be relevant and player counts will continue to drop, of course, but it'll still be around with new development.

Blizzcon cancellation was probably due to them not having any major announcements. That's my guess, anyway. I don't think it would be COVID in February 2022, and the harassment stuff seems unlikely to stop it if there was real money to be made.

[Thetruth1400]

No, it's not the last expansion as they've already been working on whatever is next. Shadowlands poor showing though is going to hurt. 1 patch an entire year just isn't going to fly for the majority of the players. I wouldn't be surprised if they shift the focus even further into FOMO / Whale hunter territory.

[thunderdragon2]

as much as i hate to say this it kinda looks like it op unless they do something major with 9.2 this might just look like it

[Puri]

No and never. At best (or worst) the WoW IP is sold off, most likely to some chinese company like Tencent who would love to get their hands on an established western subscription based game, and there will be expansions to come for years.

[XDurionX]

Not an icecube's chance in hell.

[Paperfox]

No, there will probably be at least one more expansion. The WoW IP is far too valuable to let it die.

They should be releasing the most recent MAU numbers soon, that will be interesting.

[Myradin]

Isn't Blizzard counter sueing due to the lawfirms mismanagement or something?

Blizzard isn't going to suddenly fold over this lawsuit, especially with the guilty parties largely out of the company by now.

Furthermore, nothing creates a burst of income more than an expansion which the entire player base + people who just re-sub to try it out for a bit ends up buying.

10.0 is the soonest we'll see a last expansion. There's just no way they'd turn down the possible pay day.

[HateTrain]

I think possibly the end of "expansions" as we know them, but not expansions all together. I think they will now be smaller, and possibly more frequent. "Chapters" comes to mind or "Seasons".

[dope_danny]

In theory the boxes sell gangbusters with the whole "baby come back, i can change, i can be like the good old times again" schtik before the numbers continue their post wrath decline but the way things are going i wouldn't say its an impossibility for a shift to some seasonal battlepass bunkum.

[Utrrabbit]

It has nothing to do with COVID are you nuts. This was a digital-only event in a state where vaccination rates are high and Delta is on its way out.

This has everything to do with either release timelines being pushed back or the internal turmoil and Activision not wanting to risk a dev saying something stupid.

Lol. If you think that. You are to far gone. Though with your tag I can see you support a company with a president you tells his staff they are worthless and to kill themselves. Makes sense.

[Lolites]

But we're starting to approach a danger zone where "people get so bored and so fed up that even the die-hards start finding alternative MMOs to play." And that could result in WoW no longer being a money printer for Activision. It all comes down to when and what 10.0 is.

i mean people are "quiting wow for good" since vanila, yet last few expansions were breaking sales records...
personaly i think wow no longer printing money is FAR in the future

[Kereberus]

Nah. The FOTM push for FFXIV already died and the clickbaiter streamers dropped it