I'll take, "What is Pandaria" for 500. I know Samwise and TBC devs had some ideas but the idea was 100% a joke at the beginning in WC3.
They can definitely take an existing name of something of an unknown size (Shadowlands, Kul'tiras to Kul Tiras) and stretch it out into a whole continent if they want.
Avaloren could be a new continent but it could also be the area that is not highlighted on the Dragon Isles map. It could just be an invisible island cloaked similarly to the DI themselves. We know Underground Isles are likely 10.1 and the new lore books tease the Dwarves there, so Avaloren may be tied to Dragonflight.
Additionally, Avaloren may be tied to "New Avalon" from Wrath, and we know the Scarlets are coming back... maybe their new (or old) base of operations? After all, where was the first Avalon?
Last edited by Cheezits; 2022-10-21 at 04:35 PM.
If there are any new continents they will be tied to existing lore and themes, just like how Dragon Isles is propped up by centaurs, tuskarr etc beyond the dragons. Shadowlands already did this, even if it was criticized as being too alien (each zone besides Oribos is related to something existing on Azeroth).
Hence why Avaloren being connected to the Scarlets isn't a big jump IMO.
Last five days of Shadowlands!
Sometimes, the light of the moon is a key to other spaces. I've found a place where, for a night or two, the streets curve in unfamiliar ways. If I walk here, I might find insight, or I might be touched by madness.
The bit about the Reclamation of Gilneas happening and wanting players to experience it makes it sound very probable for a Kalimdor/EK (or at least EK) expansion to some extent coming up.
You can make Undermine into a continent-sized city. Each zone could be a section of the city:
Harbor/Seaside district: Massive harbor with ships, shops, dive bars and taverns. A haven for pirates and merchants alike. The Horde arrive on one side and the alliance another.
City center and Uptown: Heart of the city where the seat of government rests. It's full of high-rises and various buildings. Here is where you'll find the major trade guilds like the Tinker's Union and the Alchemist's Guild. Additionally this is where you'll find the Trade Princes' lavish palaces.
Industrial Zone: Area full of factories and mines. The industrial backbone of Goblin technology, alongside their slave pens.
The Slums: An area where the poor and starving congregate in Sluice towns. This area is divided by rival gangs lords.
The Sewers: Undermine's massive sewer complex is a city beneath a city.
The Park: A massive nature preserve within the city where various creatures but natural, and unnatural live and thrive.
That's six zones with some diverse areas. I'm sure Blizzard could come up with more.
Those updated old world assets like the buildings and towers is the biggest hint I think. They are codenamed "frontier" in the files and there are some WIP pieces like Horde gates. And as we've seen in DI they aren't relevant to the DI continent.
Frontier COULD be a "build your own area" type thing though.
Last edited by Cheezits; 2022-10-21 at 06:35 PM.
With that in mind, Gadgetzan as shown in Hearthstone could be an added stop in an Undermine expansion as well. The art assets are already there;
https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/...10/342/f74.jpg