Prepatch Date?

[LostSinclair]

Well it's been a rollercoaster of an expansion ladies and gentlemen but regardless of what you think of BFA the end is nigh.

Between Beta starting next week and a confirmation that Shadowlands will indeed release in the Fall (September 22nd - December 21st) that leaves us with a little more than 2 months before the beginning of the time frame.

So now the question on everyone's mind. When will the 9.0 prepatch drop and give us something to chew on until we get to dive headfirst into the Maw?

I'm personally hoping for an August release because I have little doubt multiple things will be broken in the squish and having time to fix that before the official release would be nice. But what are your thoughts on it?

[callipygoustp]

Reddit rumors stating next Tuesday.

[MrLachyG]

I reckon we will get prepatch 7th October, giving us just under 3 months of beta and then expansion release 4th November.

[taishar68]

I reckon we will get prepatch 7th October, giving us just under 3 months of beta and then expansion release 4th November.

I’m on board with this. Someone buy this man a beer.

[Onikaroshi]

I reckon we will get prepatch 7th October, giving us just under 3 months of beta and then expansion release 4th November.

Eh, i think it'll be the 13th to give almost exactly 3 months of beta, and the 10th of nov for exactly 1 month of prepatch.

[Sinndra]

im guessing we will have to redefine Alpha and Beta life cycles yet again in terms of blizzard. clearly we cannot use past phase lengths to predict this one.

in the past, Alpha seemed to be far less finished when it started and its length was short compared to beta length, and they typically moved it to the beta title when they started to push regular updates to the testing phase. clearly, they have done more updating to this "alpha" phase so far, and included much more content to be tested.. thus the beta phase wont need to be 6 months long. but it might be 3 months.. or 2.5 months.. the prepatch is tested on the PTR.. not Alpha/Beta servers. so this testing can happen congruently.

so since we have confirmation the expansion will release this fall.. even if we assume that means the very last day OF fall.. we will have 6 weeks at minimum of prepatch.. most likely we will have a bit longer of a prepatch this time around because i believe that Ion actually said in an interview earlier this year (before COVID) that this SL prepatch might last longer than previous prepatches.. i assume since they are changing up the entire leveling process.. they may give us an additional couple of weeks in the prepatch cycle to get ready for SL..

im gonna say 10-12 weeks before launch of SL. if we use the December time frame for launch then mid September could be prepatch time... maybe first week of October. again this depends on when they intend to release the expansion fully. if they are doing that in November.. my guess would be end of Aug or the first 2 weeks of September.

[MrLachyG]

Eh, i think it'll be the 13th to give almost exactly 3 months of beta, and the 10th of nov for exactly 1 month of prepatch.

maybe. I mean the third thing to consider is also when the first raid will release. the absolute latest it can release is N/H on the 1st Dec and LFR/M on the 8th Dec. if the expansion releases on the 10th Nov that gives 3 weeks to level and gear, which is feasible but I honestly think they will give us 4 weeks.

- - - Updated - - -

I’m on board with this. Someone buy this man a beer.

why thank you good sir. should add that I put the dates on a Wednesday cause that's when OCE restart is haha

[Onikaroshi]

maybe. I mean the third thing to consider is also when the first raid will release. the absolute latest it can release is N/H on the 1st Dec and LFR/M on the 8th Dec. if the expansion releases on the 10th Nov that gives 3 weeks to level and gear, which is feasible but I honestly think they will give us 4 weeks.

It's been 3 weeks the last 2 expansions, don't see them giving 4, 3 is almost too long already.

[Sharpbladez]

September 29th

[Throwme]

Shadowlands will indeed release in the Fall (September 22nd - December 21st)

This bit here is the only thing that annoys me about all these announcements going out now. I don't mind a Fall date at all. But growing up, I was taught that the four seasons of a year are all 3 months long. Sure, the weather these days doesn't seem to fit into those timeslots, but in my mind November is still the last month of Autumn/Fall and December is the first month of Winter. Adding those 3 weeks of December to the possible launch dates just annoys me.

[Doffen]

This bit here is the only thing that annoys me about all these announcements going out now. I don't mind a Fall date at all. But growing up, I was taught that the four seasons of a year are all 3 months long. Sure, the weather these days doesn't seem to fit into those timeslots, but in my mind November is still the last month of Autumn/Fall and December is the first month of Winter. Adding those 3 weeks of December to the possible launch dates just annoys me.

Yeah, we don't use those dates where I live, in Norway. Here fall is from september 1st to december 1st. Fall all the way to chrismas?? Come on! :P

[Lochton]

I reckon we will get prepatch 7th October, giving us just under 3 months of beta and then expansion release 4th November.

About the same numbers I've been thinking too.

[Dracullus]

I reckon we will get prepatch 7th October, giving us just under 3 months of beta and then expansion release 4th November.

If Beta starts next Thursday and expac launch 3rd November, it will be exactly as long as Legion and BfA ones (yep, they were even, Legion had longer Alpha).

[BillCosby14]

and a confirmation that Shadowlands will indeed release in the Fall (September 22nd - December 21st) that leaves us with a little more than 2 months before the beginning of the time frame.

Just like we had the confirmation that WC3 would release in 2019

[Doffen]

Norway? More like Snoreway. Kenya has LIONS!

My vote is for November 24th (WoW anniversary event), which is a few weeks before the game will release on December 15th or 21st. (still technically Fall)

Yeah, can't do anything about that.

24th of November is my prediction for the expansion launch.

[Doffen]

In case you aren't really old like me...

http://weebls-stuff.com/toons/kenya-...video-mrweebl/

Hehe, meant more about Norway being boring, because thats true

Not seen that one before! But I am like mediocre old.

[BillCosby14]

Blizzard has been doing World of Warcraft expansions for 15 years now. They have ironed out all of the kinks, and they would never miss their release date. The release will go perfectly smooth, on time, and with no issues at all.

They'll just release it unfinished, like WoD and BFA

[MrLachyG]

They'll just release it unfinished, like WoD and BFA

nah I don't think they will. they are on track, the alpha has been good and they've really turned the corner when it comes to listening to feedback. the only thing that will prevent a Fall 2020 release will be a major disaster

[Dracullus]

This bit here is the only thing that annoys me about all these announcements going out now. I don't mind a Fall date at all. But growing up, I was taught that the four seasons of a year are all 3 months long. Sure, the weather these days doesn't seem to fit into those timeslots, but in my mind November is still the last month of Autumn/Fall and December is the first month of Winter. Adding those 3 weeks of December to the possible launch dates just annoys me.

Your way could be more convinient, but it makes more sense to measure season by astronomical events rather than artificial months. And many of these events are important in our culture - it's not coincidence that Christmas are around first day of Winter and shortest day in the year, in Pagan culture shortest night in June was celebrated as well (even nowadays it's usually big party). So in most countries (I think) these dates are natural, no one complains it's inconvienient.

About Shadowlands, 3-10-17 November still seems like most likely dates (especially since Beta launch soon), there is no way they release anything between December 15th and January 15th, also wait between expac launch and season 1 can't be too long, people will lose interest.