Expansions after Shadowlands....

[Queen of Hamsters]

I hope 10.0 is all about revamping the iconic zones, local threats + the threat of the expansion being slapped on top via sharding in zones that are relevant to the story on a grander scale...

And with a revamp, full updating across the board of visuals on mounts, mobs, npc races, textures, trees... Everything that looks old-as-F!

If it's yet another CoSmIc tHrEaT! of an expansion, I might just lose my appetite. I think after so many years, I lean towards enjoying grounded zones that change Azeroth itself over going to new worlds.

[Itori]

Either to the void, or we may travel to the elemental planes. I believe we only got a taste of them in cataclysm?

[Teriz]

I hope 10.0 is all about revamping the iconic zones, local threats + the threat of the expansion being slapped on top via sharding in zones that are relevant to the story on a grander scale...

And with a revamp, full updating across the board of visuals on mounts, mobs, npc races, textures, trees... Everything that looks old-as-F!

If it's yet another CoSmIc tHrEaT! of an expansion, I might just lose my appetite. I think after so many years, I lean towards enjoying grounded zones that change Azeroth itself over going to new worlds.

I also hope that the next expansion takes place on Azeroth and not some new world or different plane of reality.

After questing again in Kul'tiras, I'd forgotten how nice it is to ride through regular forests, towns, beaches, and hills.

[Mojo03]

I really think 10.0 will be a light overhaul, similar to what they’re doing with Overwatch 2.

It’s way past due.

Thematically, I think we’ll go back to a slightly updated Azeroth with newer textures and a few years will have passed.

Probably something to do with Azshara and the giant sword. Maybe an underground expansion?

They seem to like to do grounded expansions every other one and will be welcome after two years of inter dimensional stuff with SL.

[Teriz]

I really think 10.0 will be a light overhaul, similar to what they’re doing with Overwatch 2.

It’s way past due.

Thematically, I think we’ll go back to a slightly updated Azeroth with newer textures and a few years will have passed.

Probably something to do with Azshara and the giant sword. Maybe an underground expansion?

They seem to like to do grounded expansions every other one and will be welcome after two years of inter dimensional stuff with SL.

Yeah, there definitely seems to be some hanging story elements that could point to an underground expansion. The sword still stuck in Azshara being one, the underground mechanical war being another, and of course Undermine (home to the Goblin Trade Princes, and a massive underground continent. There's also a nice chunk of space to the west of the Maelstrom and the south and south east of Kultiras and Zandalar that isn't filled in;



Perfect spot for Undermine and/or Dragon isles.

Like I said, there's a lot of material to work with there, and I think it could be a very enjoyable expansion.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Yeah, which is why I think Undermine will be 10.0.

Undermine. You mean that place we've seen 100% of the surface of between the Goblin Starting Zone and that one BFA Dungeon? That's definitely a single zone max?

I mean I know why but come on surely you can come up with something better to back-justify Tinker.

[Swnem]

Honestly, given what Blizzard has been doing, i think the naughty light will just be a patch.

Dragon isles is possible, but very one dimensional. Are they gonna make Wrathion the new Deathwing? It kind of played out. Btw, so did world revamps. Cataclysm is for me the worst WoW expansion and the useless world revamp was responsible for that.

We just had a leveling revamp. Old world revamp aint happening anytime soon.

So, it's either an undiscovered or unexplored new continent or a trip to another world.

[Pebrocks The Warlock]

How many expansions have been crafted well enough to be considered "good expansions?"

What a weird comment to ask in a thread about future expansions.

[Teriz]

Undermine. You mean that place we've seen 100% of the surface of between the Goblin Starting Zone and that one BFA Dungeon? That's definitely a single zone max?

I mean I know why but come on surely you can come up with something better to back-justify Tinker.

According to the lore, Undermine is huge, and we definitely haven't seen all of it. It's the home of the Goblin trade princes, the Tinker's union, and numerous mining towns.


Here's a map from the early planning stages of WoW;



It was planned to be a continent, but due to lack of assets they cut it. Typically when something like that is cut from WoW, they bring it back at a later date.

[Dr Sicret]

I actually can see the Underworld of Azeroth as the main zone of an expansion pretty easy with all the new assets and props made for Mechagon, Black Empire, Maldraxxus and some more im missing probably. You may wonder why these 3 zones exactly? Well, in Azeroth's underground/underworld I can see goblins (Undermine), gnomes (Gnomeregan and Mechagon both underground cities), even Dwarves but more the dark irons taking protagonism. They can even do Azjol'nerub as a whole zone like they wanted back in Lich King and some forgotten titan chambers or Old god temples.
Also, I want to see K'aresh or even Naztherra (but actually the Shadowlands looks more like I could imagine of the homeland of the dreadlords with Revendreth as the naztherim aristocracy, maldraxxus as their connection to the scourge, ardenweald as the forest naztherim because almost all of them have horns, and bastion a the typical demon vs angel, than the spirit realm that it was supposed to be, poor tauten, orcs and trolls... )

[Teriz]

I actually can see the Underworld of Azeroth as the main zone of an expansion pretty easy with all the new assets and props made for Mechagon, Black Empire, Maldraxxus and some more im missing probably. You may wonder why these 3 zones exactly? Well, in Azeroth's underground/underworld I can see goblins (Undermine), gnomes (Gnomeregan and Mechagon both underground cities), even Dwarves but more the dark irons taking protagonism. They can even do Azjol'nerub as a whole zone like they wanted back in Lich King and some forgotten titan chambers or Old god temples.

There's also this as well;

https://wow.gamepedia.com/The_War

Which is occurring somewhere beneath the surface of Azeroth.

[deenman]

I rly hope they bite the bullet next xpac and just focus on some features to improve the game instead of a big bang expansion like legion was

i wish they could just revamp the world,places like elwin are rly outdated,skybox trees etc,rly wish they would focus on some actual player housing and other genetal game aditions that isnt progression related

and then in 11.0 they can go all out on a main story theme like light vs void

[Kyphael]

There are a lot of scenarios in place and story threads to explore they've set up.

Yrel's Holy Crusade and Alleria's ultimate fate can both be explored in a Void vs. Light expansion. Ethereal home world and its remains can feature.
Tyrande's new Night Warrior's power, and Elune's eventual emergence can feature further development of the Emerald Dream they just dipped their toes in during Val'sharah.

[deenman]

There's also this as well;

https://wow.gamepedia.com/The_War

Which is occurring somewhere beneath the surface of Azeroth.

i just love unknown mysteries like this haha,but eventualy it will get spoiled and lose its alure,i always feel like things are at their most interesting when we dont fully know about it,as when it gets revealed it loses its ''magic'' and the imagination we ourselves form around it

kinda like how old gods and titan lore felt before it was all revealed

the concept of how the unknown is more apealing to us than having stuff be revealed is awsome,we crave its reveal,but once it is revealed it loses the spark,we seen this in movies and other stories

[Dr Sicret]

Didn't know about that, I'm glad you showed me. It can work both as an important campaign chapter or even side quest, who knows.
Also, thinking about it, there were dark trolls that hided in underground caves or something like that? Can't remember.
But anyway, they can always make new zones and lore like they did with the Broken Isles, Kul Tiras (only tiragarde wasn't really new I think), Vol'dun, etc

Edit: I meant "The War" but I failed to use the reply quote tool ������

[jellmoo]

I'm not sure that the concept of Undermine is really popular enough to anchor an entire expansion. It has a very distinct aesthetic that may be more of a "nice in small doses" type of thing for most players. While technology absolutely plays a part of the WoW world, it's typically a side piece to a more vanilla sword and sorcery type of game. While I think there are players that genuinely enjoy the tech showcase, I get the feeling that the majority are looking more towards magic, elves and monsters. I could see them giving Undermine the Mechangon treatment. Adding it in in a content patch as something new, but not tied to the main expansion story.

I'm of a mixed mind about Yrel and her crew. It seems a little... minor league... to base an expansion on a group that showed up for a few minutes in a quest to unlock an Allied race. Somebody that plays exclusively Alliance would not have ever even encountered it. I could see it being a part of a larger story though. Perhaps something to do with Turalyon and the Alliance command. I think we're due for a deconstruction of the Alliance, since it's happened to the Horde twice now. I say this as an Alliance player: it would be nice to have them get smacked down a little and have to climb back up so that the Alliance actually makes sense.

[Syce]

well based on blizzard saying that Time in Shadowlands moves differently than on Azeroth. so i think it could be a new Threat emerging on azeroth because of the time difference and maybe time moves slower in shadowlands that when this expansion is finished many many many years could have past on azeroth(lore wise that is)

[deenman]

I'm not sure that the concept of Undermine is really popular enough to anchor an entire expansion. It has a very distinct aesthetic that may be more of a "nice in small doses" type of thing for most players. While technology absolutely plays a part of the WoW world, it's typically a side piece to a more vanilla sword and sorcery type of game. While I think there are players that genuinely enjoy the tech showcase, I get the feeling that the majority are looking more towards magic, elves and monsters. I could see them giving Undermine the Mechangon treatment. Adding it in in a content patch as something new, but not tied to the main expansion story.

I'm of a mixed mind about Yrel and her crew. It seems a little... minor league... to base an expansion on a group that showed up for a few minutes in a quest to unlock an Allied race. Somebody that plays exclusively Alliance would not have ever even encountered it. I could see it being a part of a larger story though. Perhaps something to do with Turalyon and the Alliance command. I think we're due for a deconstruction of the Alliance, since it's happened to the Horde twice now. I say this as an Alliance player: it would be nice to have them get smacked down a little and have to climb back up so that the Alliance actually makes sense.

look at mop,what was it really based on?an amalgamation of themes,the panda land that a faction war took place on,and the corpse of an old god....it was so different from everything else and it turned out pretty good

- - - Updated - - -

well based on blizzard saying that Time in Shadowlands moves differently than on Azeroth. so i think it could be a new Threat emerging on azeroth because of the time difference and maybe time moves slower in shadowlands that when this expansion is finished many many many years could have past on azeroth(lore wise that is)

ion adressed this,he didnt mean that time would have passed differently on azeroth,he just ment that in the shadowlands stuff is weird,like how uther proly spent milenia there wile we only had like 10 years,but once we leave shadowlands we proly wont have missed much time,i mean we alredy have in LORE portals to go back,so...nothing looks like its gonna change

[Aeluron Lightsong]

look at mop,what was it really based on?an amalgamation of themes,the panda land that a faction war took place on,and the corpse of an old god....it was so different from everything else and it turned out pretty good

They can do a lot with small stuff or even just a concept(See Shadowlands right now).

[Teriz]

I'm not sure that the concept of Undermine is really popular enough to anchor an entire expansion. It has a very distinct aesthetic that may be more of a "nice in small doses" type of thing for most players. While technology absolutely plays a part of the WoW world, it's typically a side piece to a more vanilla sword and sorcery type of game. While I think there are players that genuinely enjoy the tech showcase, I get the feeling that the majority are looking more towards magic, elves and monsters. I could see them giving Undermine the Mechangon treatment. Adding it in in a content patch as something new, but not tied to the main expansion story.

Well keep in mind, like all places in WoW that become continents, the entire continent is never one singular thing. Also Blizzard tends to introduce races native to those areas, so it won't be just Goblins we encounter. Sort of like how we got Jinyu, Hozen, Mogu, and Mantid alongside the Pandaren in Pandaria.

According to lore, the Undermine has a massive underground metropolis, but it also has countless mining towns and other areas. If we just run with the idea of an underground world, Blizzard could come up with some wild stuff such as this;




Along with the obvious gaudy Goblin city stuff.