9.0 General Discussion

[Revamp Man]

Yeah, that's what I mean.

But that doesn’t mean it was canceled

It’s like looking at the new raid and saying “well last expansion we had a 13 boss end raid so the final boss was canceled”

[Wilfire]

I don't get why people are so sure of 2020 release - WC3: Reforged was supposed to be a 2019 release and became a 2020 release. At the moment the Shadowlands is shaping up to be a 2021 release.

[Nyel]

I don't get why people are so sure of 2020 release - WC3: Reforged was supposed to be a 2019 release and became a 2020 release. At the moment the Shadowlands is shaping up to be a 2021 release.

Their set deadline for 2020. I don't know how that affects a delay until 2021 legally. But with Corona I could see a possible delay. It's rather shaping up to be an "end of November" or December release, they can still achieve that. But a lot of players seem to underestimate the Corona implications for ongoing development.

[Sondrelk]

I don't get why people are so sure of 2020 release - WC3: Reforged was supposed to be a 2019 release and became a 2020 release. At the moment the Shadowlands is shaping up to be a 2021 release.

Because there has yet to be any compelling evidence Shadowlands will also be delayed. WC3_Reforged only proved the deadlines are not absolute, not that every product released is behind schedule.

Now if Alpha does not begin for another 2 months, and every part of testing lasts longer than usual and we end up in October still not even close to done with Shadowlands testing then we can start being truly worried the launch will be delayed, but until then there is no reason to.

- - - Updated - - -

Their set deadline for 2020. I don't know how that affects a delay until 2021 legally. But with Corona I could see a possible delay. It's rather shaping up to be an "end of November" or December release, they can still achieve that. But a lot of players seem to underestimate the Corona implications for ongoing development.

If the Covid-19 virus keeps being a nuisance for another month or two shutting down countries then Blizzard could easily invoke the defence of Force Majeure for why it is delayed, but even then i don't think the preorder is legally binding enough to require such a drastic defence.

[Hitei]

And if Alpha etc. is delayed or not... who knows. But even people that say everything is fine must acknowledge that it's mid March and we haven't even gotten more details about Shadowlands in general or Alpha is at least questionable.

What is questionable? They haven't started it because they still have stuff they want to finish before initial testing. Most of the alphas launch with only a couple zones operational and tons of shit NYI.

[Nyel]

What is questionable? They haven't started it because they still have stuff they want to finish before initial testing. Most of the alphas launch with only a couple zones operational and tons of shit NYI.

Having not even this ready yet is questionable, we're heading towards April, 8.3 wasn't all that meaty (compared to 7.3), we haven't received any meaningful new information in the last 4 months about Shadowlands and it is more than (or "just") half a year away. This should raise some eyebrows. It should at least make everyone curious about what's going on.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Considering how unprecented things are going, I think its better to worry about your own skin then Shadowlands development.

[Jastall]

You get kicked for having the wrong spec. Feral, Affliction, Survival. You get kicked even from under +10 when they realize you're not the class' fotm spec.

Then you found terrible group leaders. I run my own keys and timed a +15 Workshop with an Aff and an Enhancement in it. Anyone who kicks purely based on classes under friggin +10 obviously wants to be carried and most likely sucks ass to begin with.

[Yarathir]

Considering how unprecented things are going, I think its better to worry about your own skin then Shadowlands development.

No, but I want to see Shadowlands before I die of a coof.

[Sondrelk]

We are so close to guaranteeded Alpha. My mother's hairdresser has a long estranged cousin that works as Ion's shoeshine boy and she said that Alpha will hit as soon as we reach 2000 pages.

[matrix123mko]

Do you guys think any major redesign has happened or philosophy shifted? I'm only asking this because of how long the Alpha is seemingly taking to come out to public testing or even be able to be datamined.

Have they maybe decided to include a stat squish down to Classic levels to coincide with the Classic level 60 cap?
Have they decided to do major class reworks in addition to pruning, despite saying they wouldn't at Blizzcon?
Is there major redesign going into the SL gearing system after the mixed bag feedback of Corruption?

I don't really believe the bull that they are simply behind on schedule. They cut a lot of corners with BfA content lately.

Maybe they are just slowed down by coronavirus.

[Valysar]

Shadowlands will perhaps be treated like Fast and Furious 9

[Asphyx22]

I can't wait till alpha suddenly shows up once we hit 2k pages

[matrix123mko]

We are so close to guaranteeded Alpha. My mother's hairdresser has a long estranged cousin that works as Ion's shoeshine boy and she said that Alpha will hit as soon as we reach 2000 pages.

Just 10 of them. Let's discuss something. Sylvanas usually works the best.

[Queen of Hamsters]

10 more pages til alpha boys

This made me instantly want to post the Starship Troopers scene with the "I'm doing my part"-statements, but alas... Memes are frowned upon.

BUT I AM DOING MY PART!!

[Hitei]

Having not even this ready yet is questionable, we're heading towards April, 8.3 wasn't all that meaty (compared to 7.3), we haven't received any meaningful new information in the last 4 months about Shadowlands and it is more than (or "just") half a year away. This should raise some eyebrows. It should at least make everyone curious about what's going on.

It really shouldn't, because its a handful of weeks off from BfA's alpha start. That is nothing. There was also 4 months between mop announcement and internal alpha. It shouldn't raise eyebrows because it's a dumb conclusion based on the objectively wrong assumption that there's a set time length between announcement and testing or testing and release, and that any deviation from this non existant pattern is some sign of things going wrong.

[Queen of Hamsters]

We are so close to guaranteeded Alpha. My mother's hairdresser has a long estranged cousin that works as Ion's shoeshine boy and she said that Alpha will hit as soon as we reach 2000 pages.

Lol'd!
Or maybe we'll be getting QUARANTINED Alpha...

I'd take anything, really.

[Edward Wu]

Seriously though... what's stopping them from deploying the alpha today?

They're all working from home anyway.

[Chickat]

God blizzard is going to have to crunch so hard to catch up.

[Marlamin]

Seriously though... what's stopping them from deploying the alpha today?

They're all working from home anyway.

Probably, you know, not actually working on weekends. In case anyone was taking that seriously.