The “gravitational pull” of Blizzcon 2019

[Omedon]

I’d love for someone to provide a list of examples from past years that prove me wrong here, but I’m really feeling that the war campaign finale was a big “see you at Blizzcon” moment.

There are rather reputable voices saying “8.3 info dump/PTR drop any day now,” but on top of feeling off cadence with what’s already been established in BFA, it feels like we’re entering a radio silence period on all “retail” news beyond generic Blizzcon hype.

Am I totally off base here, is there precedent to prove me wrong, or does it feel to anyone else that any news that’s not directly Blizzcon related is indeed waiting to be part of making Blizzcon itself bigger?

I feel like we’re meant to crawl over the Blizzcon finish line starving and dying of thirst to pull up to a lush banquet table.

Now I’m hungry. I should make breakfast.

[Throwme]

I feel like we’re meant to crawl over the Blizzcon finish line starving and dying of thirst to pull up to a lush banquet table.

You're not completely off base here. The less goodies they give out between now and then, the more likely we are to recieve it well. It can backfire, like it did with that out of season april fools joke they pulled last year, if the thing they announce feels like crap. But given our thirst and hunger at that time, they could pretty much put moldy bread and muddy water on the table and the majority of the population would devour it instantly.

[Ezyah]

Unlikely to have any info before blizzcon now

Maybe the same thing they did last year to announce virtual ticket rewards

[LorDC]

Well, withholding info to make some event more impactful is Marketing 101, so no surprise here.
On the other hand, do you really see Blizzard (or any other developer) revealing things like enabling cross-faction play before Blizzcon?

[Omedon]

Well, withholding info to make some event more impactful is Marketing 101, so no surprise here.
On the other hand, do you really see Blizzard (or any other developer) revealing things like enabling cross-faction play before Blizzcon?

Funny you should ask, as that exact announcement is part of my questioning “marketing 101” as you put it:

Is “cross faction play” something you *risk* announcing before a live audience?

Don’t get me wrong, that is my singular wish for 9.0 (or perhaps 8.3) but the line between those for and against “seeing them dirty [other faction] in my dungeon run” seems almost as thick and divisive as the faction wall itself!

If there was going to be an info dump before Blizzcon, honestly, avoiding a potential “diablo immortal 2.0” with whatever form cross faction play is meant to take feels to me like a prime reason to have one.

[Ezyah]

We knew last year blizzcon was going to be dry on content but with all the rumors , this year should be MUCH more content heavy so hype

[McTurbo]

and for this year we are announcing world of warcraft is going mobiile! Dont you have a phone?!

[Corroc]

Well we basicly know how the main campaign of the expansion ended so the question on everyones mind is "what's next?". And Blizzcon is the answer for that. You cant exactly compare last years Blizzcon since it was off year.

[RyudoTFO]

I for one don't need any insider info to be mostly certain that they will announce 8.3 at the Blizzcon. Hopefully the PTR will come a week after that or right after the announcement. But don't expect the new raid to be released this year. Even if the patch drops before December, it's sure as hell will be time gated untill past Christmas.

[ReVnX]

Funny you should ask, as that exact announcement is part of my questioning “marketing 101” as you put it:

Is “cross faction play” something you *risk* announcing before a live audience?

Don’t get me wrong, that is my singular wish for 9.0 (or perhaps 8.3) but the line between those for and against “seeing them dirty [other faction] in my dungeon run” seems almost as thick and divisive as the faction wall itself!

If there was going to be an info dump before Blizzcon, honestly, avoiding a potential “diablo immortal 2.0” with whatever form cross faction play is meant to take feels to me like a prime reason to have one.

You are basically assuming "cross faction play" which may or may not be part of Blizzard's plans.

[telygroar]

They have a duty to make a great blizzcon this year given how abysmal the results was for the last one. Would hurt too much to have a failure again (for investors, it wouldnt look nice at least).

Besides, hey, they dumped a lot of awesome CGI cinematics lately, so it look like we can await something good looking. At least, others cinematics ^^

And W3 reforged.

And overwatch balanced.

And D4.

And... Yeah, they need to make a good blizzcon.

[Omedon]

You are basically assuming "cross faction play" which may or may not be part of Blizzard's plans.

Well, I mean... we’re basically at “by 9.0 or never” with cross faction play now, and it *is* a nigh inevitable future proofing move for a game like this. “Or never” seems the most unlikely of all. It almost certainly will happen eventually (they literally called it “the goal” last year) and this expansion seems designed to take us there.

It’s not an even remotely crazy prediction at this point.

[Dakhath]

I'm surprised there hasn't been the yearly announcement of the Virtual Ticket yet. We're already several weeks behind last years announcement.

[Daedius]

As much as I have hated the direction Blizzard headed in to the point of me quitting WoW [retail], I still love Blizzcon regardless purely for its atmosphere and look forward to it.

[ReVnX]

Well, I mean... we’re basically at “by 9.0 or never” with cross faction play now, and it *is* a nigh inevitable future proofing move for a game like this. “Or never” seems the most unlikely of all. It almost certainly will happen eventually (they literally called it “the goal” last year) and this expansion seems designed to take us there.

It’s not an even remotely crazy prediction at this point.

And why would it be nigh inevitable? Why will it almost certainly happen? I feel you are just seeing it this way because you want it to happen.

Factions exist for a reason. I'm not saying it won't happen or that it is crazy, but simply put the game could continue like this for another 15 years.

[Skorpionss]

And why would it be nigh inevitable? Why will it almost certainly happen? I feel you are just seeing it this way because you want it to happen.

Factions exist for a reason. I'm not saying it won't happen or that it is crazy, but simply put the game could continue like this for another 15 years.

Because with decreasing player numbers it's not sustainable to have a split in players available to interact with. It might happen gradually(like, at first we can only chat with each other, than party up in the world and trade, and then join lfd/lfr together, and finally join raids together), but it's inevitable that the factions will be merged.

[thilicen]

I would be shocked to see a 8.3 PTR before Blizzcon.

[Super Black Man of Steal]

I’d love for someone to provide a list of examples from past years that prove me wrong here, but I’m really feeling that the war campaign finale was a big “see you at Blizzcon” moment.

There are rather reputable voices saying “8.3 info dump/PTR drop any day now,” but on top of feeling off cadence with what’s already been established in BFA, it feels like we’re entering a radio silence period on all “retail” news beyond generic Blizzcon hype.

Am I totally off base here, is there precedent to prove me wrong, or does it feel to anyone else that any news that’s not directly Blizzcon related is indeed waiting to be part of making Blizzcon itself bigger?

I feel like we’re meant to crawl over the Blizzcon finish line starving and dying of thirst to pull up to a lush banquet table.

Now I’m hungry. I should make breakfast.

I don't really get what you are asking here. Are you asking if they want us to be eager for news at Blizzcon? Yes, obviously.

[valky94]

every 2nd blizzcon is big for wow because they are announcing a new exapnsion and its pretty hype, this one wont be much different, D4 should be atleast teased this blizzcon so im hyped for that aswell

[Monster Hunter]

Funny you should ask, as that exact announcement is part of my questioning “marketing 101” as you put it:

Is “cross faction play” something you *risk* announcing before a live audience?

Don’t get me wrong, that is my singular wish for 9.0 (or perhaps 8.3) but the line between those for and against “seeing them dirty [other faction] in my dungeon run” seems almost as thick and divisive as the faction wall itself!

If there was going to be an info dump before Blizzcon, honestly, avoiding a potential “diablo immortal 2.0” with whatever form cross faction play is meant to take feels to me like a prime reason to have one.

That's why you have leaks. If you want to guage the temperature of an idea amongst a community the best way is as part of dubious leak, if things look mostly positive that's a good sign if the community reacts negatively then you can drop it and the leak was jus yet another fake made up by fans.