Any guesses on what the next playable race could be next expansion?

[Deleted]

What about no new races? Heck, Blizzard already has a hard time letting all the existing races contribute to the storylines. Where have the Draenei and Worgen been, hmm?
If you don't want more races who don't do a f*ck then stop asking for more. Besides, Blizzard is busy with the updated player models anyway. I don't think they would also work on new races on the side. I know I'd rather have updated player models than more new races anyway, so no new races is good enough for me.

[Allatar]

Personally I am with the folks calling for none on this one. I also think there is utterly no reason to introduce a new class at this point as well. Let this be an expac with neither and then MAYBE bring something in the one after IF it's really necessary.

[Deleted]

What about no new races? Heck, Blizzard already has a hard time letting all the existing races contribute to the storylines. Where have the Draenei and Worgen been, hmm?
If you don't want more races who don't do a f*ck then stop asking for more. Besides, Blizzard is busy with the updated player models anyway. I don't think they would also work on new races on the side. I know I'd rather have updated player models than more new races anyway, so no new races is good enough for me.

Agreed. Would much prefer more focus on the updated player models, and possibly lore for races which hasn't gotten much lately, if at all. Gnomes and Draenei comes to mind primarily, but being the Blood Elf fan that I am I would also love more Blood Elf lore. =)

[Deathgoose]

i actually think if its burning legion that we get ogres and High Elves.

Actually, given a revamp of all vanilla + BC models, giving Alliance HE's would be a way to give Alliance another race without having to devote additional resources to make a brand new race from scratch.

The only major problem would naturally be what would Horde get. If they got Ogres or some brand new previously unplayable race, it would just start an entirely new round of "ZOMG HORDE BIAS ALLIANCE GET NOTHING BUT LEFTOVERS!", so for equality they would need to get an Alliance race, but I just don't see any subset of the existing races going Horde.

Unless they just said fuck it, we'll just use the BC races, Alliance gets HE's which is mostly just a political faction instead of a racial faction (i.e. Pandas) and Horde will get red and grey skinned Eredar that broke away from the Legion, but still hold resentment and animosity towards the Draenei, again making them mostly just a political faction.

Both factions get another playable option while still making use of the existing updated model work without having to create extra models from scratch.

(Naturally, I don't expect any of this to happen)

[Santti]

I think it's no new races this time around.

And honestly, High Elves? I seriously doubt they will ever be playable. Maybe part of the Alliance, but never playable.

[Al Gorefiend]

No new playable race, however Horde will get a playable Dwarf faction while the Alliance will get High Elves.

I could only dream, I could only dream.

[3DTyrant]

Ogre sized Gnomes! Wait wait wait... Bad idea, then THEY could punt US! *cower*

On a real note, it could be anything, I personally (my own opinion) would love to play as a Saurock without having to go to the IoT, then again it would no doubt be Xpac theme related, so going back to my statement of "it could be anything"

[Urti]

No new races next expansion. New models w/ expanded customization instead.

[Primaliron]

I always vote for Furbolgs for Alliance. I want to be a fuzzy muscular ball of doom (not a fuzzy dumpy ball of doom panda).
Ogres could be cool for Horde with a new and less derpy model (more cunning and brutal), with twin heads for caster classes.

I agree with many others though, new models before new races.

Oh and if we go back to Outland, Arrakoa from the Lower City.

[Deleted]

No new races next expansion. New models w/ expanded customization instead.

I'm thinking the same.

Plus, wouldnt it be great if they went back to the other races and finished up some storylines first? (Gilneas etc.)

[Deleted]

A new race/class has always been a major selling point of the new expansion, and I don't think new character models can live up to it. After all, it's purely a cosmetic change, which most of the time is going to be covered up with armour. It's a nice service to pre-existing players but it's not a selling point, nor something to keep people playing the game. There's no new content involved with it either. Imo the new models will be shipped in pairs every raid tier next expansion.

I think we might be getting a neutral Naga race if we're going up against Azshara. I'm hoping they're not "good" Naga though, but more along the lines of the Forsaken, allying out of convenience.

[iadamson]

My guess...

Horde - Ogres
Alliance - Vrykul

Reasoning:
- Goes back to traditional roots of the factions being monster-like races and human-like races.
- "Heroes of the Storm" the most formidable storms are at sea, perhaps a south seas expansion.
- If it's south seas Ogres are known to be in the ranks of pirate crews and to have island settlements.
- Vrykul are a sea fairing race, perhaps a group of sailing Vrykul came from Northrend long ago and developed a pirate culture that would be more accepting of humans and other races.
- Would add both another large race to both factions, one I think alliance may need. Similar as to how Horde needed a smaller race (Goblins) in Cata.

[Shadowbane]

I don't think we'll ever see naga. They're antagonistic by nature and it'd be really weird seeing a load of snakey people slide around Orgrimmar and Stormwind. Also, leg and feet armour would be a pain or just not appear at all. People are already annoyed at how bones show in undead or how trolls or tauren don't get boots that cover their hooves / toes. I don't expect this would be any better.

High elves would make sense, but 90% of the playerbase who don't care for the lore would just be like "wtf these are just blood elves with blue eyes".

Why would etherals join the factions? I just don't see that happening. All you can wear is cloth, anyway. They're not exactly fighting legion haters either, they're just traders. They'd benefit more by selling their goods to both sides than joining one side and probably working at a discount price.

That said, I'm gambling it'll be something like high elf (we already had 90% of players going omg they're just kung fu panda), ogre, or maybe a more recent race like the tol'vir. That'd be a stretch but pretty cool I think.

My dream race to play as would be vrykul but they're just too darn big I think. But it'll probably be nothing, and we get new models instead. Probably for the best.

[Gheld]

Alliance: Ethereals
Horde: Ogres

NO Vrykul. Vrykul are to humans as Iron Dwarves are to Dwarves.
NO High Elves. They are the exact same race as Blood Elves. Just a different society. It would be like saying "NEW HORDE RACE: KUL TIRAS HUMANS"

EDIT: Any new race must follow the vulcan dictates of poetics. Their involvement in the horde/alliance conflict must inexorably flow from the lore.

[catablitz]

Do we really need a third elf variation?

[Xeraxis]

Hopefully nothing. No need for a new race or class every expansion.

[Gheld]

Do we really need a third elf variation?

If WoW is to ever be as successful as Warhammer Online was, it would need multiple variations on all the races.

Dark Elves, Wood Elves, Forest Elves, Stone Elves, DarkWood ForestStone elves. Fire elves,

And many unique classes like Warriors, Dark Warriors, Forest Warriors,

EDIT: Erm I mean

Alliance: High Elves
Horde: Eastvale Logger
Alliance: Nightsong Orcs
Horde: South seas Gnome.
Alliance: Moon spear Troll
Horde: Redeemed Eredar

[Deleted]

If WoW is to ever be as successful as Warhammer Online was, it would need multiple variations on all the races.

Dark Elves, Wood Elves, Forest Elves, Stone Elves, DarkWood ForestStone elves. Fire elves,

And many unique classes like Warriors, Dark Warriors, Forest Warriors,

Dude some warning next time. I was barely able to throw my sarcasm detector out the window before it exploded from overheating.

And no, no more new races, ever.

Focus on the ones we have. Give them more spotlight in the story.

[Khaza-R]

I don't think we'll see faction specific races anytime soon. Blizzard was pleased at how much lore they could give the Panderan because they weren't having to divide resources on constructing two new races. For that reason, I think the next race will definitely be a neutral one.

• Naga are a good candidate. They're tied to both the Legion and the Old Gods. We also know they were always planned on being playable at some point.

• Ethereals are a fan favorite which also makes them a good possibility. People asked for playable Worgen since Vanilla and Blizzard definitely listen.

• Some sort of Dragonic race is also possible. Dragons have lost a lot of their power, its not unfeasible for them to join the ranks of mortals anymore.

I think those 3 races are most likely for the next expansion.

[Jokubas]

Assuming we get a race next expansion, we'll have to at least know the theme before we can make any real educated guesses.

My top two guesses at the moment are Ogres and Naga, because Blizzard has expressed a desire to do them in the past and the former was even considered for Cataclysm.