Oh wow guys....the game will be released much later than most expected.

[dethlyhallows]

Expect a late september to early October. The Prelude of Mists of Pandaria "Jaina Proudmoore-Tides of War" will be release on August 28. That date is most likely when the ingame events start to take place when we have the transition period. In Cataclysm we also had a book "The shattering" which preluded into the Cataclysm. The book was released on August 31, 2010 while the game released on Dec 7, 2010. If this is true, which seems to be since the book has to be released before the expansion, we'll be looking at an expected expansion release of September/October. Summer releases never sell well too.

A whole bunch of people in MMO-C have been suggesting that the game would release on July/August, which is not too far off, but they still have nothing to back up unless you count faith. See you in Pandaria September/October!!!

EDIT#1: No, guys. I am not talking about Twilight of the Aspects which was released WAY later into the expansion. I am talking about, if you read the whole post, THE SHATTERING.

EDIT#2:
The Book is NOT the ONLY reason that they would delay/wait for release. It's a series of things, book is an addition.
The book has to be released first for the story to begin. They need that few hundreds of thousands of people reading thast book to know what's going on with the story because, sincerely, most of it is not in the quest lines. At the end of the day it's all speculation but it's backed up by something. I don't mind people coming with good info agaisnt me, but people who are like NO, NO! it's summer! summmmmeeeerrrr! you just seem like your whinning desperately for something just because you want it.

Like many stated- release dates are said at least 8 weeks prior. July is out.
School starting on end of August- Do you really think parents will let their kids buy games instead of school supplies? get real. Most of WoW is made up of kids who play with their parents money.
Mid September to late september carrying into early august are the best time frames they have unless they decide to wait for November for a good sale(last I heard Cata sold ALOT of more than any other expansion).

No matter what Blizzard said about pushing things out faster than before, or game being ready earlier- they will always cater to the best time to sell. Blizzard is ran by money nowdays, like everything and you cannot blame them, so they will break their promises like they have MANY times before.

EDIT#3:
Is it just me or september date is each day more promising? The leaked box just recent. The raiding content to test mechanics has just started and honestly cannot see them wasting more than 1 month and a half to test it. The renewed quest flow for Jade area(first area you get in Pandaria). PTR updated to 5.0.1. Expect PTR to go up in the coming weeks(transitioning PTR's last about 1 month before being put into live servers) Also The transition period used to last 1 month in wow live before the new xpac, Blizzard has said that the transition period will be 2 weeks! Let's not forget that Beta can last up til the day before the release of MoP. The brewfest items updated for iLevel 470. Blizzard targets a month in which they'd like to release and I am 100% sure they were aiming for september.

EDIT#4:
Guess what? Tides of War( the new novel that will set up MOP) wil be releasing in AUGUST, same time the MOP cinematic is supposed to be revealed. What does this all mean? September as I said or early October at the latest. October seems likely because it usually takes a month and some weeks after the cinematic launch for the expansion to go live. This cinematic launch will be August 16.
http://blue.mmo-champion.com/topic/2...ristie-golden/
http://blue.mmo-champion.com/topic/2...gamescom-2012/

EDIT#5:
....Does anything else have to be announced to confirm september release, or even earlier, a late august to coincide with GW2? I am being optimistic that it will come out in sept. 4th. realistically mid sept. Announcing PTR for "soon" help anyone realize it yet?
http://blue.mmo-champion.com/topic/2...-pandaria-bet/

EDIT#6:

RELEASE DATE SEPTEMBER 25 - date after my sister's birthday- might get her a copy Just like I guess mid to late september. See you again next xpac speculation ^^
http://blue.mmo-champion.com/topic/2...nches-sept-25/
Might I add...earlier than most expected? Most people leaned towards October

[Evil Inside]

I see nothing to suggest that the game will be released later than july/august in this post either.

[Valnoressa]

No.

Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects - July 2011
Cataclysm Expansion Released: December 2010

Was almost a good theory though.

[notintheface]

No.

Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects - July 2011
Cataclysm Expansion Released: December 2010

Was almost a good theory though.

According to that, MoP is already released! Mind=Blown

[Deleted]

Please do not post vague theories as cold, hard facts. Thank you

[Szemere]

No.

Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects - July 2011
Cataclysm Expansion Released: December 2010

Was almost a good theory though.

Wasn't that more related to patch 4.2? Which was summer 2011 too?

[MasterHamster]

Release date speculation is so often wrong that there's no real point to it.
Yes, we want the game to be released asap but throwing around dates of previous releases, especially not directly related (a novel's release?)

We can use previous betas timeline as an indicator, but not much else.
BC: beta started early october, released mid jan 07 (3,5 months)
WotLK: beta started mid july, released mid november (4 months)
Cataclysm: beta started june 30 -10, released dec 7 (5 months)

MoP beta began 20th of march, so it has been going for two months. so one can speculate based on previous beta timeframes that MoP will be released late july-mid august, assuming its time in beta wont deviate too much from previous average (4,2-4,5≈ months)

A whole bunch of people in MMO-C have been suggesting that the game would release on July/August, which is not too far off, but they still have nothing to back up unless you count faith.

guilty as charged.

[Banzhe]

A whole bunch of people in MMO-C have been suggesting that the game would release on July/August, which is not too far off, but they still have nothing to back up unless you count faith. See you in Pandaria September/October!!!

An equal amount of players have said September / October since the announcement of MoP (personally leaning towards 1st - 5th of November).., still don't get if this post is men't as a stroke on the ol' epeen for "good" detective work or..

[Venziir]

No.

Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects - July 2011
Cataclysm Expansion Released: December 2010

Was almost a good theory though.

Wrong book. He meant "The Shattering - Prelude to Cataclysm", not the Thrall one.

[Valnoressa]

I think guesstimating release dates based on the releases of the books which sometimes go back in time, forward in time or stay in the present time is a very bad idea.

[Arrowstormen]

Wasn't that more related to patch 4.2? Which was summer 2011 too?

Everything that happened in that book happened BEFORE 4.2.

Also, HAHA at setting the date after a book.

"Okay guys, let's ship this th- what's that? Golden is not done with her book yet? Okay guys, cancel that, let's just sit on our asses until she is done with her book, and then ship a month or two after, kk?"

"Sir, most people don't even read the books."

"Pft."

[ryotte]

No.

Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects - July 2011
Cataclysm Expansion Released: December 2010

Was almost a good theory though.

Actually, The Shattering was the prelude to Cataclysm and it was released October 19, 2010, exactly 7 weeks before Cata.

[Valnoressa]

Actually, The Shattering was the prelude to Cataclysm and it was released October 19, 2010, exactly 7 weeks before Cata.

My point was that this doesn't necessarily mean it's a prelude to Mists of Pandaria. I can't say for sure so perhaps someone who's read it will back me up but I believe it takes place just after the cataclysm hits and explains why Thrall is on the alliance ship in the Goblin starting area and more on from that. Obviously has a lot more than that but yeah, this appears to be another character based book and this one is on Jaina.

Could be safe to assume that this covers the events after Theramore so I believe my point remains. This book probably won't have anything to do with the start of the Mists of Pandaria or have any hint to when the expansion is releasing.

[constantduty]

No.

Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects - July 2011
Cataclysm Expansion Released: December 2010

Was almost a good theory though.

Actually a very good theory, and one that has been brought up on other fansites/podcasts as well. Jaina's book features events that are a prelude to the events of the MoP expansion. [I]The Shattering[I] was a prelude to the events of Cataclysm, and as others have stated the book was released over a month prior to Cata's release.

And how is "guesstimating" the expansion release date based on a book release date a "very bad idea"? Is there a chance that the OP has set up a cataclysmic chain of events?

[Netherspark]

A whole bunch of people in MMO-C have been suggesting that the game would release on July/August, which is not too far off, but they still have nothing to back up unless you count faith. See you in Pandaria September/October!!!

One of the most notable things is the addition of lv90 Brewfest and Halloween items in the latest beta patch. Blizzard would not have added them if they didn't think MoP would be released before then while also giving people plenty of time to reach lv90.

[ItZMuRdA]

Regardless of the theory in the OP, I still have always personally thought we wont see it until September at least. August is possible (as is October, etc.), June/July is extremely unlikely.

[Arrowstormen]

Actually, The Shattering was the prelude to Cataclysm and it was released October 19, 2010, exactly 7 weeks before Cata.

That's not the same book. Cataclysm the prelude came before, Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects came during 4.2.

[Erous]

My prediction has always been November. That's when most Annual Pass subscriptions will run out and leaves plenty of time for Diablo 3 farming to bring folks back in.

[Saevio]

Actually, The Shattering was the prelude to Cataclysm and it was released October 19, 2010, exactly 7 weeks before Cata.

Just to further this post a little bit. The book that OP is referring to is "The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm" which was released on Oct. 19, 2010 followed by the release of Cataclysm on Dec. 7, 2010. A couple of people have referred to "Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects" being the Cataclysm book to make OP's predictions seem fallacious. "Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects" was written to further delve into lore for Patch 4.2 and prepare for Patch 4.3.

[dethlyhallows]

Beta averages don't matter since every expansion has a different amount of work done. (i.e. Cataclysm was longer because of the rework to old world). The shattering and Tides of War are both preludes to the new expansions and the shattering was released before the world events or during, but not after. Why? It's a prelude. We cannot go into Mists without the Proudmoore book since we have no knowledge what the heck is making the Horde attack Theramore. I know many don't read it, but it is the legit "lore" you all so praise. That is the story that will carry on into Mists. The book is/has to be released before the expansion and shortly after the world event following mists. I am much confident of that release date. Summer releases, like I have said, never go well. Why? I highly doubt half of the pop that plays WoW will preffer being inside when it's 90 out. Not all of us are dungeon rats. :P