There's nothing that is scrapped.
WoD was scrapped because they clearly promised raids and zones that weren't delivered and that's where the negative rep came from. The fact that there's a huge island where Netherstorm was that is closed. The fact that there is a huge city in the middle of a zone that is closed. No one would have complained if Faralhon wasn't shown on the maps or if Shattrath City wasn't presented clearly as a closed domed raid.
They haven't promised anything in Shadowlands.
In WoD we already knew which raids were scrapped and could have been a content patch; legit tell me what location in Shadowlands would be scrapped if it didn't become a raid.
Last edited by Varodoc; 2021-10-27 at 11:46 AM.
Expansion Storylines ranking:
Legion > Cataclysm > MoP > BfA up to 8.2.5 > Wrath > TBC > WoD > Dragonflight > BfA 8.3 > Shadowlands
They likely also don't want the bad rep that comes from making this a 3 year expansion.
Either way Blizzard loses out, the question is just what they value more. Consistency in expansion length, or consistency in expansion release cycles?
With WoD they already failed to have a full length expansion, so one could argue that Blizzard don't want to give the impression that ending the expansion on the second major patch was anything but a one time thing, and therefore likely to happen again.
But on the other you could also argue that Blizzard want to show that they are ready to abandon a project if it clearly isn't working.
Both options are likely. It's just a question of which evil Blizzard considers lesser.
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They have promised an expansion that won't end like WoD. And pretty much anyone seems to be in agreement that this means the expansion will not end on 9.2 or 9.2.5.
The world revamp dream will never die!
Expansion Storylines ranking:
Legion > Cataclysm > MoP > BfA up to 8.2.5 > Wrath > TBC > WoD > Dragonflight > BfA 8.3 > Shadowlands
I'm still surprised that we didn't get Dark Rangers (or Necromancers) in Shadowlands. Seemed like the perfect time to introduce them, especially given the focus on Sylvanas.
That said, while there have been hints for light/void, I don't think the community at large wants another cosmic expansion after this one. I believe that both Blizzard and the fanbase wants to move towards a more grounded expansion in 10.0. Also after we deal with Light/Void (where at the end we'd pretty much defeat the void lords), what would be after that? The game would be better served if we go to a new continent on Azeroth. Players would be happy whether that new continent is Undermine or Dragon Isles.
The big thing here is the release cycle. You get a new expansion every 2 years (give or take a FEW month, not 6+). Everything in between has to fit into these 2 years. And this is mostly because of money (player boost at expansion release, box sales), 2 years is about the fastest the WoW-dev-team can manage to do a new expansion and not be totally shit. If that would not be the case devs could say "hey ppl love this exp. and play a lot, lets extend it with another big patch and push back the next exp. 6+ month".
Last edited by LordKharon; 2021-10-27 at 12:03 PM.
I would personally enjoy a longer expansion cycle, as long as patches came at a reasonable cadence regardless. It might give them time to tell an actual story, and give the players enough time to actually invest in the current systems before they're thrown out.
Expansion Storylines ranking:
Legion > Cataclysm > MoP > BfA up to 8.2.5 > Wrath > TBC > WoD > Dragonflight > BfA 8.3 > Shadowlands
It had 3 large raids and one large patch zone.
Regardless though, people are not going to look at SL ending at the second major patch and then argue that this is completely different than WoD ending at the second major patch just because 6.1 was the most pathetic excuse for a patch we have ever seen. They are going to look at the patch numbers and say that SL objectively failed for the same reasons WoD did, that it had less major patches than it should have.
This isn't about being technically correct, this is about being truthful or not. Everyone assumed that Ion meant that SL would not fail like WoD did by having less content than usual. He isn't going to salvage that interview by actually-ing the players with technicalities.
If Blizzard ends Shadowlands ends at 9.2 then it doesn't matter if the developers come out and talk about how the expansion was always planned this way, people will see it as Ion flat out lying unless he says the plans changed because of internal problem and Covid.
The world revamp dream will never die!
The subjective experience matters. Some will likely say that MoP was the longest since it had 4 major patches for sure. That being said, one patch being all but removed from the expansion probably means players forget that there even were 4 major patches.
Regardless, many players see raids as the best measure of content. Specifically full length raids.
MoP had many raids, not counting Terrace or counting it alongside Heart of Fear then MoP had 4 raid seasons. Just like pretty much every expansion.
WoD had 3 raiding seasons, and if SL ends at 9.2 then it will have the same amount.
Again though, this isn't a topic that will hinge on technicalities, this is almost entirely about WoD being considered the worst since it was cut short, and if SL ends at 9.2 then it will also be considered to have been cut short, and therefore placed alongside WoD on the pedestal of "failed" expansions.
The world revamp dream will never die!
Ah okay, and if Shadowlands had a patch 9.3 with the same exact systems (systems that have already been overhauled in 9.1) and story it wouldn't be considered a failed expansion anymore?
Of course, the wonders of magic and an additional patch. Because we all know 8.3 truly saved BfA in public perception
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I'd ask myself why it's taking 17+ years to implement that continent, maybe it's just a dogshit idea.
Expansion Storylines ranking:
Legion > Cataclysm > MoP > BfA up to 8.2.5 > Wrath > TBC > WoD > Dragonflight > BfA 8.3 > Shadowlands
Yes...
I mean, this is basic psychology.
If course players are going to take the shitty 8.3 patch and use it as "proof" that SL failed, even if 9.2 is a shining beacon of gameplay that adds enough content to make Shadowlands beat out BfA in the department of content added.
This isn't about what actually is. This is about how it looks for a patch to end on nthe same amount of major patches as WoD, undoubtedly one of, if not the decidedly worst expansion Blizzard has released.
The world revamp dream will never die!
Last edited by Teriz; 2021-10-27 at 12:36 PM.
I mean, WoD got double the votes BfA did in a recent thread in this forum asking which expansion they found the most enjoyable, but okay. I'm sure you have your trusted sources that confirm most players are indeed so braindead that they think "omg 3>2 so BfA > WoD naturally".
Honestly, and I might be on copium too, I have some degree of faith in humanity and I think the average player has the IQ to understand that just because an expansion has more or less patches than another doesn't mean it's better or worse.
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Yeah I think the Dragon Isles would be a dogshit idea too. An expansion about dragons is going to be a bore because these glorified lizards are not interesting, at least in the Warcraft universe.
Thankfully I don't need to convince you, just Blizzard, and there's nothing to convince really. Since Blizzard already said, after revealing Shadowlands, that they find the Light and Void to be an interesting concept for the future.
Expansion Storylines ranking:
Legion > Cataclysm > MoP > BfA up to 8.2.5 > Wrath > TBC > WoD > Dragonflight > BfA 8.3 > Shadowlands
Cool. At least your opinions are consistent.
Hasn't pretty much every WoW expansion dealt with the light and the void in some fashion? We've even dealt with the Light and the Void in Shadowlands.Thankfully I don't need to convince you, just Blizzard, and there's nothing to convince really. Since Blizzard already said, after revealing Shadowlands, that they find the Light and Void to be an interesting concept for the future.
That's a rather ambiguous statement.