BfA Patch Speculation thread (8.3 and later).

[Dracullus]

Oh huh 7.3 had already come out.

Okay I was off half a patch. Either way the point stands that just because 9.0 pre-orders go up November 3rd, including the 120 boost, that doesn't mean "pre-order races" are among the encrypted files of 8.2.5.

During Legion new races were datamined in 7.3.5 PTR and pre-order started in same patch, like two weeks after launch. Don't really get what you are trying to say.

[EbaumsTipster]

I'm sure we won't see Vulpera/Mechagnomes/????/???? until 8.3.5. They are 100% going to use them to pad out the post-expansion content drought/boost preorders after they made so much money off the BFA preorders.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

During Legion new races were datamined in 7.3.5 PTR and pre-order started in same patch, like two weeks after launch. Don't really get what you are trying to say.

Okay then the point stands even more. Nothing says pre-order races are in 8.2.5 except the crackpot theory that 8.3 doesn't exist.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

*people thinking with the state the game is they just gonna announce 8.3*
true rick and morty watchers

I'd be curious to know when they think 9.0 is being announced.

I'd wager a majority of them actually would come back with "There is no 9.0. They're gonna announce WoW2 next Blizzcon."

[Nyel]

If you're basing this off Classic, you should say they must do something big for 10.0.

Classic exploded in, liberally, May 2019 (more realistically probably not until August). 9.0 likely had its features locked down back in 2018.

Oh I am not basing this on Classic gameplay. Just on the massive sub increase due to Classic. I mean the next expansion is ~ 1 year away and in that year they could change direction to mirror Classic more. That's enough time. It's just that Classic is outperforming retail by such a huge margin (even if it's only for a few months, it shows how much retail has begin to lack for many players).

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I'm sure we won't see Vulpera/Mechagnomes/????/???? until 8.3.5. They are 100% going to use them to pad out the post-expansion content drought/boost preorders after they made so much money off the BFA preorders.

Yeah but compared to the 4 allied races that came in 7.3.5 Mechagnomes and Vulpera are quite... unspectacular imho.

[EbaumsTipster]

Yeah but compared to the 4 allied races that came in 7.3.5 Mechagnomes and Vulpera are quite... unspectacular imho.

Are you kidding? Regardless of their popularity, in terms of details and unique animations Mechas and Vulpera blow the fuck out of the initial 4.

But yes they are tiny races that will get some hate. That's why there will be two more that are more popular, just like how the more popular Void Elves and Nightborne accompanied the less popular Lightforged and Highmountain.

[Nyel]

Are you kidding? Regardless of their popularity, in terms of details and unique animations Mechas and Vulpera blow the fuck out of the initial 4.

But yes they are tiny races that will get some hate. That's why there will be two more that are more popular, just like how the more popular Void Elves and Nightborne accompanied the less popular Lightforged and Highmountain.

It's not about the quality of those models. Mechagnomes are universally disliked and Vulpera are some kind of love-hate relationship. Void Elves are super popular and Nightborne aren't unpopular either. And then we had additional Draenei and Tauren on top. Mechagnomes and Vulpera are nowhere near as popular and yes, that they're "tiny" races doesn't help.

[EbaumsTipster]

It's not about the quality of those models. Mechagnomes are universally disliked and Vulpera are some kind of love-hate relationship. Void Elves are super popular and Nightborne aren't unpopular either. And then we had additional Draenei and Tauren on top. Mechagnomes and Vulpera are nowhere near as popular and yes, that they're "tiny" races doesn't help.

And the dislike for those races have ZERO impact on whether or not they will be in the game.

See: Kul Tirans.

[Nyel]

And the dislike for those races have ZERO impact on whether or not they will be in the game.

See: Kul Tirans.

That was never my point. It's about how effective those races are as pre-order bonuses and I doubt Mechagnomes and Vulpera will have a fraction of the appeal of the 7.3.5 races.

[EbaumsTipster]

That was never my point. It's about how effective those races are as pre-order bonuses and I doubt Mechagnomes and Vulpera will have a fraction of the appeal of the 7.3.5 races.

Vulpera is insanely popular and you know why they are. Mechagnomes are not, and I think they are mostly there as an obligatory "Gnome AR" because they wanted to do one of each race. They are clearly the Highmountains of the group (nobody really cares that much).

Sexy Undeads of some sort and a monster species that uses the Worgen rig will also be popular.

[Sondrelk]

Oh I am not basing this on Classic gameplay. Just on the massive sub increase due to Classic. I mean the next expansion is ~ 1 year away and in that year they could change direction to mirror Classic more. That's enough time. It's just that Classic is outperforming retail by such a huge margin (even if it's only for a few months, it shows how much retail has begin to lack for many players).

The Classic sub explosion is not really that indicative of staying power though, as was pointed out by WoWhead when they reported it. The sub numbers are still lower than they were at the beginning of BfA, meaning that more players were interested in BfA than Classic.

[Nyel]

The Classic sub explosion is not really that indicative of staying power though, as was pointed out by WoWhead when they reported it. The sub numbers are still lower than they were at the beginning of BfA, meaning that more players were interested in BfA than Classic.

Uhm, where did WoWhead say that? The revenue from Classic was less than from BfA which is normal, BfA had a price tag of $50 to it, Classic came for free and just required a sub. An increase of over 200% is still massive. How sad would it be if less players are interested in a brand new WoW expansion than in Classic? It's about the overall performance and if Classic subs are boosting sub numbers (in general) that much retail subs were very, very low. With China there were almost 2 million players online at the same time for Classic, we don't know how big the number of subs for Classic was (players online at the same time =/= subs). But in the end that means that retail subs are somewhere around 1-2 million at best, which is pitiful compared to even WoD's lowest point.

I really don't want to turn this into yet another Classic vs. Retail discussion.

I just wanted to emphasize how necessary something big for retail is when Classic is the only redeeming factor retail has at the moment. That's why I expect so much from Blizzcon. I have a lot of faith in 9.0. More than I should have maybe yet I am optimistic towards the next expansion.

[Dracullus]

Okay then the point stands even more. Nothing says pre-order races are in 8.2.5 except the crackpot theory that 8.3 doesn't exist.

What point exactly? I just said pre-order may include new races. It's called s-p-e-c-u-l-a-t-i-n-g. You have some proof it's completely out of picture or something?

[EbaumsTipster]

How sad would it be if less players are interested in a brand new WoW expansion than in Classic?

People are always keeping an eye on retail. If an expansion is announced that looks to rectify what people hated about BFA, the majority of them won't just ignore it to continue grinding Molten Core.

[Nyel]

Vulpera is insanely popular and you know why they are. Mechagnomes are not, and I think they are mostly there as an obligatory "Gnome AR" because they wanted to do one of each race. They are clearly the Highmountains of the group (nobody really cares that much).

Sexy Undeads of some sort and a monster species that uses the Worgen rig will also be popular.

Where are Vulpera so popular though? I thought the same but the "dislike/hate" threads for Vulpera are almost as frequent as the "like/love" threads I've seen. Seems like they started as a very popular allied race yet the interest in them decreased by a fair margin. I mean it's still a million times bigger than for Mechagnomes though, I've yet to see one person that genuinely likes and wants to play Mechagnomes.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

The Classic sub explosion is not really that indicative of staying power though, as was pointed out by WoWhead when they reported it. The sub numbers are still lower than they were at the beginning of BfA, meaning that more players were interested in BfA than Classic.

I can't say players came back in a low manner, I think thats silly. How long that lasts is another matter.

[EbaumsTipster]

Where are Vulpera so popular though? I thought the same but the "dislike/hate" threads for Vulpera are almost as frequent as the "like/love" threads I've seen. Seems like they started as a very popular allied race yet the interest in them decreased by a fair margin. I mean it's still a million times bigger than for Mechagnomes though, I've yet to see one person that genuinely likes and wants to play Mechagnomes.

They hit the furry niche that is enjoyed by not only a lot of WoW players but people that didn't previously have interest in WoW before due to a lack of especially "anthro" animal races (save for Pandas and Worgen). The decrease in interest is mostly due to people who think they are no longer coming to WoW despite them being worked on still in 8.2.5: most people seem to think that a race that is no longer relevant won't be added later, despite the incredibly irrelevant Highmountains being added at the end of Legion.

[Shakzor]

They hit the furry niche that is enjoyed by not only a lot of WoW players but people that didn't previously have interest in WoW before due to a lack of especially "anthro" animal races (save for Pandas and Worgen). The decrease in interest is mostly due to people who think they are no longer coming to WoW despite them being worked on still in 8.2.5: most people seem to think that a race that is no longer relevant won't be added later, despite the incredibly irrelevant Highmountains being added at the end of Legion.

A race targeting a certain subculture (furrys) isn't really "insanely popular". I for one have never really seen anyone outside from here, hoping for Vulpera. Not on my servers, guild, any of my discords or somewhere else. I think your perception of them being popular is more something in your bubble. Just like mine makes it seem for me as if people actually care if publishers rip them off or not

[Dracullus]

People are always keeping an eye on retail. If an expansion is announced that looks to rectify what people hated about BFA, the majority of them won't just ignore it to continue grinding Molten Core.

At this point I'm not sure anymore what's major problem with (8.2.5) BfA. Most complains I see are either very vague (game is not fun anymore, it's "meh", etc.) or could fit as well almost every expansion before BfA (game is "seasonal"). It's really hard to isolate specific problem that could be fixed in 8.3.

I was dissapointed even by people that usually give good feedback - for example Preach in his latest video "what I want from Blizzcon" just said about things that would craft game specifically to him, for example give everyone flying (because screw people that enjoy War Mode and no-flying first few months) and make world content optional for raiders (so nice to see you back, Warlords). Honestly, I couldn't past through rest of video.

So I think there are two sources of negativity around BfA: 1) lack of innovation between Legion and BfA (especially lack of class changes) and 2) bad first impression, so people repeat memes from 8.0. So 9.0 could fix everything, but really they should put some MAJOR changes, even if some of them will be just for sake of change (looking at you mythic+, world quests and raid structure).

[EbaumsTipster]

So I think there are two sources of negativity around BfA: 1) lack of innovation between Legion and BfA (especially lack of class changes) and 2) bad first impression, so people repeat memes from 8.0. So 9.0 could fix everything, but really they should put some MAJOR changes, even if some of them will be just for sake of change (looking at you mythic+, world quests and raid structure).

This is 100% why people are negative. It's too close to Legion and it had a very bad start.

I'm fully expecting large changes in 9.0, not only because of story beats in BFA but because of how it lacks really big features (which implies the workload was shifted for the next expansion: see WoD vs Legion).