New Expansion: The Other Side of Azeroth?

[TheDDGuides]

"The world of Azeroth also has lands located at the other side, beyond the Veiled Sea to the west of Kalimdor, and beyond the Forbidding Sea to the east of the Eastern Kingdoms. No one is sure or has knowledge of what kind of creatures, lands, cultures, life, and sentient being lives in the other side of Azeroth. It is clear though that it is very dangerous."

"A handful of ships have ventured from Kalimdor away from the Maelstrom — to the north, west, and south. None have yet returned."

After the Burning Crusade was released and Blizzard were asked to reflect on the reaction it got, they claimed that players actually preferred spending their time on Azeroth, that high or "space fantasy" conflicted with the games gothic tone. With Northrend and Pandaria now complete, the amount of places to visit is now limited to a) the islands of the South Seas (Zandalar, Tomb of Sargaras, possibly underwater zones though the reaction to Vash'jir wasn't exactly positive) or b) some type of sky city in the vein of Vortex Pinnacle or c) the elusive "other side of Azeroth".



Like with Northrend or Pandaria, there's really nothing to see map-wise. Theories have been MORE PANDA MIST, or maybe the Titans didn't want anyone knowing what's there when they built their glittery globes.



Naturally, the next expansion must be Burning Legion themed (I mean, there's only 7 million clues), but perhaps this could be a future one? It'd be a shame to see it Anubarak'd into something small like a SUPER SECRET LANDMASS PATCH with 10 bosses and 200 dailies, but I can't even speculate on what actually MIGHT be there.

Thoughts?

[LimeWyndham]

I actually didn't mind vash'jir

Maybe there's another maelstrom on the other side lol

[Mawnix]

We're on the Other Side of Azeroth, and we see it whenever we open the Map.

If we're adding more land on Azeroth, wanna know what space is completely open?

The center around the Maelstrom.

Wanna know who commands that area now that Neptulon is gone and his power has been stolen?

The Naga.

Wanna know who's been waiting to get vengeance on the surface dwellers and has been building a mass of forces?

Azshara and the Old Gods.

If you don't get what I mean by now, the Naga are most likely going to raise their kingdoms and the Ocean Floor to the surface and create an entire continent in the center of Azeroth, located around the Maelstrom.

[BHD]

Kinda curious to see how Algalon's globe of Azeroth doesn't include stuff that were hidden. It's not like he expected anyone to come in there and see it, so why hide it? Explain, Blizz! ;p

Personally, I think that the only thing to the west of of Kalimdor is Eastern Kingdoms. Maybe some small island, like Azuremyst just plopping up, but nothing big enough to change the very layout of the Azerothian map. To me the map is pretty iconic, two big continents with one faction having a large presence on one, with the other faction on the other one.

I think that the next expansion will either take us to a new planet, or reveal known (but unshown) isles like Zandalar etc. possibly including the Naga as I don't see Trolls and sailors getting their own expansion.

[Smokinya]

FYI Blizzard can simplybsaybthat Azerothnis much bigger than previously thought, and make it like the Outland map. Where you have to click something on the map to go to the otherside of Azeroth. I know our world map snakes all the way around but that globe shows that it obviously doesn't. There will be something there! However I think we still have underground Azeroth to explore, Spider Kingdom anyone?

[Florena]

I recall reading some sort of article once depicting a land mass on the other side of Azeroth crawling with powerful, evil creatures. But seeing as I haven't ever been able to track it down again, it's probably either non canon from the rpg books, I'm remembering something incredibly wrong, or I read something related to another franchise and mistook it for WoW.

I wouldn't count on seeing the 'other side' of Azeroth. There's no missing continent on any maps, and Blizz has already pulled the 'missing continent' card with MoP. And to an extent Kalimdor back in WC 3. I don't think they can do it again without straining credibility.

Now South Seas has a lot to offer, from Kul'tiras, ruins of Zandalar, tomb of sargeras, Undermine, possibility of more islands rising as part of a naga invasion, or tying emerald dream/nightmare into it since it's most likely N'zoth, the same old god behind the naga, there. But beyond that I don't know what they could do for a new Azeroth expansion.

[Black Rider]

There must be something on the other side of Azeroth... There's too much potentian to waste :/
And more underwater zones would be great.
Vashj'ir was great!

[Northem]

Unfortunately, in the obvious hidden side of Azeroth should have been located the continent of Pandaria...

But of course, Blizzard once again proved that has no fucking idea of the lore of their own games (as well showed the the red shirt guy on live) and they improvised putting Pandaria on the first site they saw, ignoring that that space was already reserved by other areas longtime...

But anyway... they have the perfect excuse: a cataclysm changed everything of place and destroyed the rest...

[Totle]

I always imagined that the other side of Azeroth would be saved for something big.

If you open the game map and tilt your head side-ways, you have Pandaria as a representation of Asia, EK as a representation of Europe, and Kalimdor as a representation of Africa. This is reinforced by their geography (plains and desert in Africa, heavy lush forest and mountains in Europe, bamboo jungles and steppes environment in Asia).

I left our Northrend because... well, I have no reason for that.

BUT - if you consider the concept of the map, the "other side of Azeroth" would naturally be the "new world". South America could be the troll expansion where we finish off the Zandalari (Zul and Rahstakhan).

But the question remains... what do we do about a North America-esque continent? We could go the route of Native Americans, but that would overlap with Tauren quite a bit. America lacks any real fantasy culture outside of its indigenous routes, so we might see that are be either an El Dorado "land of gold" that is the final confrontation between Horde and Alliance, or perhaps the final area where we finish off the Burning Legion.

[Gavll]

I think this is a great idea

They could introduce a third faction, allow players to leave Horde/Alliance and join that faction. Infact, allow the whole race/faction thing to become more transient.

That could possibly tempt me back for a month to have a look at least.

[Mawnix]

My other point why this isn't plausible:

If there's "another side" to Azeroth, why haven't the Horde nor Alliance travelled there yet?

I mean, it's not like they've decided "LET'S JUST GO EAST (FROM KALIMDOR), GUYS." and vice versa for the Eastern Kingdoms.

[Northem]

If there's "another side" to Azeroth, why haven't the Horde nor Alliance travelled there yet?

There is another even more interesting question: As transited the South Seas are, how nobody found Pandaria before? due to the fog? really?

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Personally I'd like the other side of Azeroth to feature a continent the scale of EK at least. Could also be a great time to break another MMO taboo and add a third faction.

[TheDDGuides]

There is another even more interesting question: As transited the South Seas are, how nobody found Pandaria before? due to the fog? really?

I believe the reason nobody has mapped out the other side of Azeroth is because whoever travels there ends up never coming back. Just imagine Chris Columbus travelling through a world filled with Bermuda Triangles and water demons.

[Falrinn]

While I wouldn't rule it out in the very long term, I seriously doubt we'll have back-to-back lost continent expansions.

The Burning Legion is most likely next, which means the expansion will probably be set on Argus or some other Burning Legion world.

[bohapjut]

If you don't get what I mean by now, the Naga are most likely going to raise their kingdoms and the Ocean Floor to the surface and create an entire continent in the center of Azeroth, located around the Maelstrom.

Why raise it? It seemed to be naga prefer dwelling underwater.

[TheDDGuides]

Why raise it? It seemed to be naga prefer dwelling underwater.

It seems logistically raising the landmass would work out better for the game, otherwise we'd have an entire expansion set underwater. Alternatively you could split it between islands and water, it really depends on the player reaction to more underwater zones/dungeons/raids.

[Maester]

If there was another side, it would have been discovered already. They've already gone the "it was hidden" route with Pandaria.

[Varjo410]

What? I can't get my head around the level of stupidity in this thread. There is no other side, the map we see ingame is just a flattened globe, just like we have flat maps of Earth? Unless there's this whole undiscovered side of Earth we haven't seen yet!

Now before you all gather up, take me to the town square and burn me alive, some proof...


Unless you are all talking about some mass of undiscovered land somewhere on that "globe", wich seems doubtfull.

[bohapjut]

Unless you are all talking about some mass of undiscovered land somewhere on that "globe", wich seems doubtfull.

You mean Pandaria?