Shadowlands in 2021

[Luxeley]

As per pre-purchase the release date is "no later" than Dec. 31st 2020. Not only will Activision have a cow with a 2021 release (cause they're light on new titles as it id), but they're legally obligated to abide by that est. date. However, I do agree with you on how under-developed Shadowlands appears to be, especially when compared with other new xpac announcements. My guess is a launch will be sometime between early Oct and Nov 2020. Still...that's not good news for WOW fans or Blizzard.

[MrLachyG]

Well now that they have pushed WC3 back to 2020, releasing one month later than promised, it looks like their word doesn't mean anything anymore. Even if they say "releases at the latest at this date", it can still be later, so 2021 looks very realistic.

there is a big difference between WC3R and Shadowlands. First off, the team doing Shadowlands is probably bigger than whoever they got to do WC3R - which I heard involved a bit of outsourcing as well. Second, I genuinely think Shadowlands is a lot further along than we think - remember they had a zone fully playable by Blizzcon. the level scale won't be too hard considering that the system is already there for the 1-60 experience anyway - all they need to do is apply that to everywhere, tweak the numbers a bit so that the exp for an expansion matches what is needed for 10-50 and you're good to go.

[rhorle]

28th January is irrelevant, they can easily move it. They're not accepting preorders based on that date. They did for 31st of December though. The point is that same thing can (and most likely) will happen with Shadowlands which is pretty stupid to argue against at this point.

They announced an official release date. Yes they can easily move anything but there is a large difference between a placeholder date and an official release date. They are still accepting pre-orders since announcing the official release date so they are accepting them based on that release date. It isn't stupid to argue against Shadowlands being delayed because there is nothing to indicate it will be at this point.

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but they're legally obligated to abide by that est. date.

They are not legally obligated to release a product by that time frame as WC3 reforged clearly indicates. They may be required to issue refunds outside of normal refund policy however.

[Linuriel]

That isn't really a promise though. It is a place holder because stores need dates. They expected it to be released by then but did not promise it to be. You can argue for a refund do to the place holder date but it doesn't mean they broke a promise. There is a difference between a store front place holder and a annouced or advertised release date.

If they for some reason miss the January 28th date then they would have broken a "promise".

Nonsense. It said to release on or before December 31st. You can try to defend your beloved company all you want, they clearly stated it would release on December 31st at the latest.

[Thunderball]

Most likely will happen? Based upon what? Just because one game got delayed doesn't mean another will lol. If the game doesn't release until december 31st we shouldnt even be expecting an alpha for another 5-6 months.

Alright, there's no point arguing with believers.

[rhorle]

Nonsense. It said to release on or before December 31st. You can try to defend your beloved company all you want, they clearly stated it would release on December 31st at the latest.

A placeholder date. All stores have to have a date for products listed. It is why you can pre-order items that do not have an officially announced release date with the merchants website stating XX/XX/XXXX. I am not defending any "beloved" company. Why are you trying to turn this into irrational love for a company? Can't your argument stand with out turning to insults?

Placeholder dates are common. They for a wide variety of products. WC3 Reforged did not get an official launch date until yesterday.

https://www.gamestop.com/video-games.../10167140.html
https://www.amazon.com/Monstrum-xbox...ogames&sr=1-35

Two listings for the same game from two different retailers with two different release dates. Placeholders exist. Companies are not legally bound to release the product by that date. The date changing may require the retailer to issue a refund if requested however.

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Alright, there's no point arguing with believers.

So in other words you have nothing but insults. There is nothing at this point to indicate Shadowlands could be delayed other then the "Feels" of haters and a few streamers who started the rumors in the first place. If alpha/beta has not started in a few months then we have something to discuss for possible delays.

[Narveid]

Alright, there's no point arguing with believers.

Arguing? What's there to argue? You have no facts to base your arguments on besides the simple truth that all products can be delayed.

This whole thread is ridiculous, as it's just more baseless rumors being spread around. If we start going long into 2020 without a beta or there's complications with the beta, that would be one thing. But that's just not the case yet.

At the moment it's just a ludicrous rumor started right after BlizzCon that Blizzard secretly plans to delay it to 2021, after spending all of BlizzCon telling everyone it is being released in 2020. Like that isn't a terrible marketing idea.

[Linuriel]

A placeholder date.

There is no such thing as a placeholder date. It was the release date. And now it has been pushed back. They couldn't keep their deadline. Stop sucking Blizzard's dick.

[Nevcairiel]

The point is that same thing can (and most likely) will happen with Shadowlands which is pretty stupid to argue against at this point.

Actually its pretty misguided to argue that it will happen based on litereally no information on the state of Shadowlands development whatsoever.
It can happen, maybe it even might happen, but saying that it "will happen" based on zero information is just trolling at this point.

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There is no such thing as a placeholder date. It was the release date. And now it has been pushed back. They couldn't keep their deadline.

There is such a thing as a placeholder date, typically the end of the quarter in which they expect to release. Every WoW Expansion in the recent past had one, and surprise: They didn't actually release on that date, since it wasn't the release date!

Anyone who expected that the game would actually release on Dec 31 ... thats not a day anyone would release anything.

If they release a month before their placeholder, then noone complains, it was just a placeholder afterall, but if its a month after, then there is no such thing as a placeholder anymore, right?

[SkagenRora]

The pre-order page says on or before 31 dec 2020, so it's gonna be on or before 31 dec 2020

[MrLachyG]

Alright, there's no point arguing with believers.

what a facile argument. what you've basically said is "you've made good points but I have absolutely nothing to come back with so I am going to come back with an insult"

[Daronokk]

The pre-order page says on or before 31 dec 2020, so it's gonna be on or before 31 dec 2020

Just like with Reforged, right?

Considering how lackluster and devoid of content the Shadowlands announcement was I'd say it's almost guaranteed to be pushed back.

[Linuriel]

There is such a thing as a placeholder date, typically the end of the quarter in which they expect to release. Every WoW Expansion in the recent past had one, and surprise: They didn't actually release on that date, since it wasn't the release date!

What do you not understand about on or before that date? Every time they gave a date like that, they managed to release on or before that date. This time, they didn't.

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The pre-order page says on or before 31 dec 2020, so it's gonna be on or before 31 dec 2020

That's the point. It said the same thing for WC3 and December 31st 2019, and now it releases a month later, so there is no reason to believe Shadowlands will even release in 2020.

[huth]

There is no such thing as a placeholder date. It was the release date. And now it has been pushed back. They couldn't keep their deadline. Stop sucking Blizzard's dick.

It said "on or before". That's not a release date, because it isn't a date. It's a range. January 28th 2020 is a specific date.

Just like with Reforged, right?

Considering how lackluster and devoid of content the Shadowlands announcement was I'd say it's almost guaranteed to be pushed back.

"Oh god, they missed the date once, they will never again be able to meet it!"

That's you. Right now.

[Lolites]

Just like with Reforged, right?

Considering how lackluster and devoid of content the Shadowlands announcement was I'd say it's almost guaranteed to be pushed back.

theres not even the same group of ppl working on those two games...
if i remember correctly, last wow expansion that was released after the "announced" date was burning crusade, actualy couple last were released SOONER
so no, its not "almost guaranteed to be pushed back", its 99,9999% guaranteed to be late autumn of 2020

[Trbn]

It said "on or before". That's not a release date, because it isn't a date. It's a range. January 28th 2020 is a specific date.

january 28 2020 is not in a range on or before 31 12 2019

[huth]

january 28 2020 is not in a range on or before 31 12 2019

Which has absolutely nothing to do with what i said.

[Trbn]

Which has absolutely nothing to do with what i said.

but it has

31.12 was the last possible release day for the game to not make b. statement false advertisment

[Ange]

but it has

31.12 was the last possible release day for the game to not make b. statement false advertisment

With the staggered patch system we have since a few expansions, they could roll out shadowlands with 10% content done and fulfill the promised last date.

And for the meme's they could call it vanilla/classic style, because thats what it is.

[Wyattbw09]

Good Lord, how did this end up nearly 30 pages long when there is ZERO evidence and no reason to think Shadowlands will not come out in 2020? A thirty page troll thread is impressive.