9.X Patches & 10.0 Speculation Thread

[Nyel]

So an eternal being that has lived for as long as life and death has been a concept "improved his technique" in the past twenty years purely for plot convenience? Seems likely.

Thank you, I wanted to write something similar.

Pretty sure Blizzard back when the Arthas novel was written didn’t even think about Zovaal or the existence of a higher being behind the Lich King.

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When they'd normally have announced 9.3.

So basically today during normal Blizzcon…

[choom]

I think we might just get a Lich King 2.0 Expansion next, using a revamped Northrend and a Lich King Anduin. I think the most realistic path forward from here is:

1. Zovaal is defeated and banished from the Shadowlands - ends up on Azeroth using Anduin as a vessel and operating as the Lich King.
2. Sylvanas becomes the new Arbiter and is left behind in the Shadowlands. Written out of the plot, essentially.
3. Zovaal basically picks up where Arthas left off and tries to conquer Azeroth.
4. The Kyrian and Night Fae join the Alliance and the Venthyr and Necrolords join the Horde, in the continued war against Zovaal.
5. Zovaal will probably resurrect Galakrond. Maybe all the dead Drakkari Loa too. A resurrected Loki would be epic.

Turalyon in this scenario would be 100% good guy, basically replacing Tirion as the leader of the Paladins against the Scourge.

Everything else falls into place nicely, first we have a reason for the covenant races sticking around. Pretty much everyone is invested in rescuing Anduin and stopping the invasion. From Wrathion to Calia to Thrall/Jaina/Baine basically everyone will be motivated to save the King. Alleria contains the power of a Void Naaru, wouldn't it be awesome if she used her Void Power to take control of the braindead corpse of Yogg Saron?

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Thank you, I wanted to write something similar.

Pretty sure Blizzard back when the Arthas novel was written didn’t even think about Zovaal or the existence of a higher being behind the Lich King.

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So basically today during normal Blizzcon…

Well I mean in the COVID timetable. So probably a few weeks after the 9.2 Hall of Fame closes.

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I think we might just get a Lich King 2.0 Expansion next, using a revamped Northrend and a Lich King Anduin. I think the most realistic path forward from here is:

1. Zovaal is defeated and banished from the Shadowlands - ends up on Azeroth using Anduin as a vessel and operating as the Lich King.
2. Sylvanas becomes the new Arbiter and is left behind in the Shadowlands. Written out of the plot, essentially.
3. Zovaal basically picks up where Arthas left off and tries to conquer Azeroth.
4. The Kyrian and Night Fae join the Alliance and the Venthyr and Necrolords join the Horde, in the continued war against Zovaal.
5. Zovaal will probably resurrect Galakrond. Maybe all the dead Drakkari Loa too. A resurrected Loki would be epic.

Turalyon in this scenario would be 100% good guy, basically replacing Tirion as the leader of the Paladins against the Scourge.

Everything else falls into place nicely, first we have a reason for the covenant races sticking around. Pretty much everyone is invested in rescuing Anduin and stopping the invasion. From Wrathion to Calia to Thrall/Jaina/Baine basically everyone will be motivated to save the King. Alleria contains the power of a Void Naaru, wouldn't it be awesome if she used her Void Power to take control of the braindead corpse of Yogg Saron?

This was the Lich King 2.0 expansion.

[Sarethion]

With Blizzconline isn't happening now, When do you think they will announce the next expansion?

I definetely wouldn't expect it this year and most likely not in the first quarter of 2022.

If I had to guess, I'd say early summer 2022.

[Nyel]

Well I mean in the COVID timetable. So probably a few weeks after the 9.2 Hall of Fame closes.

I know, but usual Blizzcon would be exactly right now. An announcement would be just a few hours away and most likely we already would have gotten the real leak and a trademark...

[GR8GODZILLAGOD]

They said that even though Blizzconline isn't happening, they weren't going to postpone planned announcements for their games, right? I could see them announcing the expansion in first quarter of 2022.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

I know, but usual Blizzcon would be exactly right now. An announcement would be just a few hours away and most likely we already would have gotten the real leak and a trademark...

It could be but outside of one site nobody has suggested "surprise 10.0 reveal this month."

Most everyone agrees they'll drop 9.2 news to combat Endwalker.






And besides I'm on the "Spring 2023" train for 10.0 so the usual one year from announce to launch would then say 9.2 reveal and launch first.

[Nyel]

It could be but outside of one site nobody has suggested "surprise 10.0 reveal this month."

Most everyone agrees they'll drop 9.2 news to combat Endwalker.






And besides I'm on the "Spring 2023" train for 10.0 so the usual one year from announce to launch would then say 9.2 reveal and launch first.

Oh lol I am not expecting that, I'm just picturing how it could have been if not everything was f* up. Blizzcons usually took place around this exact time in the past, that's why I was saying that.

[Shadowlands-is-fake]

I know, but usual Blizzcon would be exactly right now. An announcement would be just a few hours away and most likely we already would have gotten the real leak and a trademark...

Man, this reminds me how much I miss leak and trademark season. We didn't know how fortunate we were, back then.

[Ersula]

this character has only two fates
- to be forgotten
- tragic fate
he's too boring for a long story

But Anduin is their mary sue: The only character invented during wow that anyone actually likes. Especially when they effectively had his steal Sylvanas' initial noble undead characterization to make him more interesting.

[AngerFork]

With Blizzconline isn't happening now, When do you think they will announce the next expansion?

Had they not moved the Sylvanas book date back, I would have thought Feb to March. But as her story seems intrinsically tied to Shadowlands, it would seem unusual for a 10.0 announcement to come before the book is released. Her story would likely seem like an afterthought with 10.0 news. After a bit of discussion yesterday, I'm currently thinking we are looking at maybe early to mid March for 9.2 with the book coming out close to it, then a 9.2.5/10.0 announcement once the book has had a bit of room to breathe, maybe late April to May. I could even see this slipping until June if they are still super far behind.

[Hitei]

But Anduin is their mary sue: The only character invented during wow that anyone actually likes. Especially when they effectively had his steal Sylvanas' initial noble undead characterization to make him more interesting.

That isn't what mary sue means.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Sigh Mary sue is an overused phrase.

Had they not moved the Sylvanas book date back, I would have thought Feb to March. But as her story seems intrinsically tied to Shadowlands, it would seem unusual for a 10.0 announcement to come before the book is released. Her story would likely seem like an afterthought with 10.0 news. After a bit of discussion yesterday, I'm currently thinking we are looking at maybe early to mid March for 9.2 with the book coming out close to it, then a 9.2.5/10.0 announcement once the book has had a bit of room to breathe, maybe late April to May. I could even see this slipping until June if they are still super far behind.

They're probably guessing their timeline is down the line then usual.

[draugril]

That isn't what mary sue means.

Indeed. Dude fails at like 100% of his goals.

[TheFirstOnes]

You guys don’t know shit about Anduin, and it painfully shows.

[Sondrelk]

Indeed. Dude fails at like 100% of his goals.

He did have Sue tendencies in BfA, when his plans were always shown as correct for no better reason than that he had them.

This expansion he is doing pretty well as a character. He has relatable flaws, and his plans dont magically work.
All the characters like him, but he isn't written with enough depth to make it believable that anyone would dislike him.

[Fahrad Wagner]

There are rumblings.

9.2 is close

I feel it too... it is COMING.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

He did have Sue tendencies in BfA, when his plans were always shown as correct for no better reason than that he had them.

This expansion he is doing pretty well as a character. He has relatable flaws, and his plans dont magically work.
All the characters like him, but he isn't written with enough depth to make it believable that anyone would dislike him.

He wasn't a mary sue, not really. People think they understand mary sue but they don't

[GR8GODZILLAGOD]

Anduin was never a mary sue. Mr. Good Guy and bland? Yeah, but not a mary sue.

[Sondrelk]

He wasn't a mary sue, not really. People think they understand mary sue but they don't

Mary Sue has definitely gotten connotations as whatever characters viewers don't like. But going by the original Mary Sue parody back in the Star Trek magazine I would say BfA Anduin hit a fair bit of the notes. Most importantly how everyone just likes him, and that his plans are seemingly infallible despite evidence to the contrary.

But yes, Anduin is no Mary Sue, he is just kinda boring and inconsistently written.
His most egregious trait is just that his plans dont backfire even when they logically should. Which is egregious, but hardly conclusive evidence.

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Speaking of Anduin, I really hope we get more snarky Anduin. I absolutely adore how he isn't even pretending to take Sylvanas bullshit in the old Torghast cinematics.