When will they release chains of domination?

[Nyel]

Your only hunch is that "September is way too long"is based on nothing. Well that's not really dealing with actual evidence or from what we know. These are different times and I bet COVID has presented Blizzard with new challenges. Shadowlands felt like it was rushed out in the first place and I doubt they had even started working on the 9.1 content back then. They would have shown us something at Blizzcon like they did for Diablo 4, Diablo 2. They showed no game play, no video of the new raid, bosses or anything other than some art work. There is no way are they going to be able to release a patch 9.1 in 6 months under normal conditions let alone during COVID.

There is every indicator that patch 9.1 is further away than most are assuming and nothing to tell us that its anywhere close to release on retail or even on the PTR. This expansion will be a pretty short one. I think COVID has put a huge strain on them and they will not be able to develop content as quickly as they wanted to and I think they'll simply rush through the story they want to tell and release the next expansion after that.

We don‘t have any evidence. I‘m just basing my opinion on facts from previous expansions and PTS cycles. June is de facto the earliest month they can release 9.1. Everything later than that has yet to be seen, but the June date gets more and more unlikely the longer 9.1 isn’t on the PTR.

We have this rumor that an employee said June is optimistic and August likely, but never was September mentioned. That’s why I stick with my opinion based on the numbers we have: June earliest months although unlikely if TBC launches in June. July most likely month, August pretty much the latest possible option. Your September guess is based on nothing factual at this point.

[NordWitcher]

Jesus fuck, that would be a disaster.

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.

Well these ain't normal times. No one is really using any factual evidence or based on anything other than "too much time" as an excuse for them hoping that Blizzard releases the game in June/July. Sure it's a disaster but I guess Blizzard is prepared for that. You'll probably see another 6 month game pass coming out soon. We had the last one sometime around December. They'll be pushing in game purchases and TBC Classic in the hopes that keeps subscriptions roling. Cause really that's all they care about right now. As long as they keep that subscriber number stable, they'll take their time to release 9.1. Also from recent rumblings come out of Blizzard, even the higher ups are scared about the launch of 9.1

https://www.icy-veins.com/forums/top...bout-91-delay/

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We don‘t have any evidence. I‘m just basing my opinion on facts from previous expansions and PTS cycles. June is de facto the earliest month they can release 9.1. Everything later than that has yet to be seen, but the June date gets more and more unlikely the longer 9.1 isn’t on the PTR.

We have this rumor that an employee said June is optimistic and August likely, but never was September mentioned. That’s why I stick with my opinion based on the numbers we have: June earliest months although unlikely if TBC launches in June. July most likely month, August pretty much the latest possible option. Your September guess is based on nothing factual at this point.

Well previous expansions and PTR cycles never had to deal with a pandemic. Games across the board are getting pushed back. You think WoW is immune to that?

If we using Blizzard employee rumors, there was another recent reveal by Towilee who spoke to a Blizzard employer where they said that higher ups in the studio are worried about the launch of 9.1 and it's a lot further away than they expected.

https://www.icy-veins.com/forums/top...bout-91-delay/

Again I ain't saying its launching on September, just saying its the earliest giving Blizzard a 6 month window since Blizzcon.

[huth]

If we apply the 8-10 weeks of PTS, early June is only possible if the PTR drops tomorrow and we just have a rather short 8 week PTS. That would make 9.1 launch on June 1st.

If PTR releases this week, 8 weeks wouldn't even be June. 10 weeks would only be the second June week.

Source: Calendar for 2021.

[Wangming]

You can't have motivations if you don't have a personality first, something our Blue Man is sorely lacking atm.

Fair point. So the big reveal would be Zovaal having a personality. Hell maybe having one if the secret of the First Ones.

If anything, the problem with many of WoW's villains comes from the fact that not alot of them are just evil? They have "motivations" or "goals", or they're "MISUNDERSTOOD HURR" like...no.

I WANT AN EVIL ASS MOTHER FUCKER!

So a villain like Fandaniel? Or Zenos?
Also being corrupted by Fel is not a motivation or goal. That's just lazyness.

Sure, but none of them have managed to compete with WoW in subscriptions or (for F2P/B2P) MAUs. Most of the other MMOs are straight-up failures. Only FFXV and ESO are even in the running in the West. Maybe GW2, although it's clearly on its way out-- and GW2 was the most "modern" MMO released ever, IMO.

It is why I said this whole oldness might not be seen as a problem. Nostalgia is profitable. Just look at the Star Wars sequels.

Well these ain't normal times. No one is really using any factual evidence or based on anything other than "too much time" as an excuse for them hoping that Blizzard releases the game in June/July. Sure it's a disaster but I guess Blizzard is prepared for that.

I guess so. But unless raid tiers are shortened and the expansion lasts longer than usual we won't have time for a 9.3 if the PTR drops now. September or later is so far off it would put 9.2 in danger.

[Nyel]

Well these ain't normal times. No one is really using any factual evidence or based on anything other than "too much time" as an excuse for them hoping that Blizzard releases the game in June/July. Sure it's a disaster but I guess Blizzard is prepared for that. You'll probably see another 6 month game pass coming out soon. We had the last one sometime around December. They'll be pushing in game purchases and TBC Classic in the hopes that keeps subscriptions roling. Cause really that's all they care about right now. As long as they keep that subscriber number stable, they'll take their time to release 9.1. Also from recent rumblings come out of Blizzard, even the higher ups are scared about the launch of 9.1

https://www.icy-veins.com/forums/top...bout-91-delay/

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Well previous expansions and PTR cycles never had to deal with a pandemic. Games across the board are getting pushed back. You think WoW is immune to that?

If we using Blizzard employee rumors, there was another recent reveal by Towilee who spoke to a Blizzard employer where they said that higher ups in the studio are worried about the launch of 9.1 and it's a lot further away than they expected.

https://www.icy-veins.com/forums/top...bout-91-delay/

Again I ain't saying its launching on September, just saying its the earliest giving Blizzard a 6 month window since Blizzcon.

As I said, June is very optimistic. It’s the best case scenario, not the most likely one. If the PTR drops tomorrow or the week after, June is quite likely. If we don’t hear anything about the PTR until mid April, June is out of the equation.

I stick with my July guess because I still think TBC is the priority at the moment and it will launch in June (pre patch in May). But I’m happy to admit that I was wrong when the PTS drops tomorrow.

[Wangming]

As I said, June is very optimistic. It’s the best case scenario, not the most likely one. If the PTR drops tomorrow or the week after, June is quite likely.

We need it to go on the PTR in April 1st

[TheFirstOnes]

Fair point. So the big reveal would be Zovaal having a personality. Hell maybe having one if the secret of the First Ones.



So a villain like Fandaniel? Or Zenos?
Also being corrupted by Fel is not a motivation or goal. That's just lazyness.



It is why I said this whole oldness might not be seen as a problem. Nostalgia is profitable. Just look at the Star Wars sequels.



I guess so. But unless raid tiers are shortened and the expansion lasts longer than usual we won't have time for a 9.3 if the PTR drops now. September or later is so far off it would put 9.2 in danger.

Sargeras wasn't even corrupted by the Fel. He used it as a means of achieving his ends. KJ and Archimonde were infused by the Fel cause they believed in Sargeras' vision of a perfect future where power reigns above all, where their race can become dominant, where they can stand against the Void and all other opponents that dare get in their way. And even evil fuckers like Gul'dan just wanted a place in the world. Hell, Gul'dan went with the Fel not JUST because of the power, but also because he wanted a place in the Universe. And he would do anything, even abandon his own people, just to find that place. AU Gul'dan would be the one to realize that listening to the Legion would lead into him finding a people. A Legion. An army.

"I guess so. But unless raid tiers are shortened and the expansion lasts longer than usual we won't have time for a 9.3 if the PTR drops now. September or later is so far off it would put 9.2 in danger."

Like I said, just delay SL beyond the OG plan.

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They are, but that makes for a quite boring villain (TEH END OF UR WERLD MUAHAHA /cackle). Moreover, the franchise has already had more than its fair share of those.

Not regarding main villains. Also, so what if it's boring? Darkseid is one of the most generic bad guys yet, and the Jailer's literally a carbon copy of him personality wise. Reminder that Darkseid is still the most well known DC villain.

[Moozart]

Last week I read several different quotes and all saying best honest guess for 9.1 release is July / August, no earlier.

I was coming to say the same thing, Bellular was saying around August from some of the people he had talked to and hes WAY more in the know than nearly anyone on these forums.

[Soon-TM]

I was coming to say the same thing, Bellular was saying around August from some of the people he had talked to and hes WAY more in the know than nearly anyone on these forums.

B-b-b-b-but muh clickbaits

[huth]

We don‘t have any evidence. I‘m just basing my opinion on facts from previous expansions and PTS cycles. June is de facto the earliest month they can release 9.1. Everything later than that has yet to be seen, but the June date gets more and more unlikely the longer 9.1 isn’t on the PTR.

Actually, if the PTR starts this week, May is still a possibility. You really need to check a calendar. June isn't the earliest with a 10 week PTR until next week.

[Nyel]

Actually, if the PTR starts this week, May is still a possibility. You really need to check a calendar. June isn't the earliest with a 10 week PTR until next week.

Funny how you’re just quoting me and none of the guys that are saying August or September, but keep quoting me for the sake of quoting me.

And maybe with some more thoughts & prayers we’re getting 9.1 live by tomorrow. Source: feelings.

[huth]

Funny how you’re just quoting me and none of the guys that are saying August or September, but keep quoting me for the sake of quoting me.

And maybe with some more thoughts & prayers we’re getting 9.1 live by tomorrow. Source: feelings.

Because they're just talking out of their waste disposal openings. You're verifiably miscalculating.

[Dracullus]

Because they're just talking out of their waste disposal openings. You're verifiably miscalculating.

Last days of May would be possible if they made PTR shorter than usual, let's say 8 or 9 weeks. But no reason to cut PTR short, June is end of quarter, no May. So I would exclude that month even if PTR drop this week.

[huth]

Last days of May would be possible if they made PTR shorter than usual, let's say 8 or 9 weeks. But no reason to cut PTR short, June is end of quarter, no May. So I would exclude that month even if PTR drop this week.

Sure, it's not terribly likely, but certainly not impossible. But July with a 10 week PTR would require at least 3 more weeks of no PTR.

[Dracullus]

Sure, it's not terribly likely, but certainly not impossible. But July with a 10 week PTR would require at least 3 more weeks of no PTR.

Yep. Overall I think if there would be risk of 9.1 not releasing in June, devs would have to make decision to release at least raid on later date and release ANYTHING. WoW has long history of June patches: 3.3.5, 4.2, 6.2, 7.2.5, 8.2 and this happen for a reason (and it's not like every month has some patch release, there are few "hot" months like January, March, September).

Only alternative I see is releasing TBC in June for short sub spike. I could even lean towards it, if Blizzard wouldn't say they aim to start 9.1 PTR soon (tm) after 9.0.5. I just don't see patch with one small zone, raid, dungeon and no big system updates (not even tier sets, even more, all sets are already in game) would sit on PTR for months.

[Nyel]

TBC beta for two months and a June release sounds more likely than the PTR goes live tomorrow and 9.1 releases in June though.

I don’t expect June to be an empty month overall, I just expect TBC to launch there. Pre patch in May as the strings from the beta suggest and 9.1 4 weeks or more after TBC launch.

Sure they can swap TBC launch and 9.1 launch, but I don’t see it - maybe if the PTR launches tomorrow I’ll change my mind.

[Wangming]

Because they're just talking out of their waste disposal openings. You're verifiably miscalculating.

Is he? I mean mathematically possible but from today to the very last day of May we have 63 days. Can you honestly believe that amidst all this chaos and obvious delays (let's not argue semantics, this is a delay even if a date was not announced) they will have one of the shortest PTR cycles for a summer patch?

[Zorachus]

My gut feeling based off everything I've read and watched tells me, the earliest we'll possibly see patch 9.1 is mid June, best case. But I'm still sticking with the July / August release, that seems most realistic, and hopefully means some good changes to this expansion as well.

Would love for them to create one big SL continent, all zones somehow came together to form a big land mass and easier travel, no need to go through Oribos every time.

[Soon-TM]

Is he? I mean mathematically possible but from today to the very last day of May we have 63 days. Can you honestly believe that amidst all this chaos and obvious delays (let's not argue semantics, this is a delay even if a date was not announced) they will have one of the shortest PTR cycles for a summer patch?

I think that in principle, they could get away with a short PTR. But again, 9.0.5 was a no-content patch, but even it brough tons of bugs.. Sure, they were nothing gamebreaking, but quite annoying.

[Wangming]

I think that in principle, they could get away with a short PTR. But again, 9.0.5 was a no-content patch, but even it brough tons of bugs.. Sure, they were nothing gamebreaking, but quite annoying.

Yeah. One whole month for a system update patch that had to get daily hotfixes for a week. No way in well will 9.1 have a short PTR.