A history of WoW store mounts predicting the next Expansion

[Teriz]

I thought this might be helpful for the current leak season. There is an interesting history of WoW store mounts leaking themes and concepts for the next expansion BEFORE the next expansion is announced.

Here are the examples (it seemingly started around MoP);

MoP hint for WoD: Enchanted Fey Dragon: This mount was a preview for the massive Enchanted Fey Dragons of Shadowmoon.
WoD hint for Legion : Mystic Runesaber: This mount was a preview for the mount used by the Nightbourne.
Legion hint for BFA: Stormwind Skychaser/Orgrimmar Interceptor. Indicating Horde and Alliance conflict. (special thanks to @ElitePeon)
BFA hint for Shadowlands : Vulpine Familiar and Sylverian Dreamer: Both of these mounts hinted the Shadowlands and particularly Ardenweald.

Recent mounts:
Steamscale Incinerator (Mechanical dragon, released at the tail end of BFA after Shadowlands was announced, also part of Dragon Pack promotion last month)
Sapphire Skyblazer (Blue Phoenix. Seems more like a homage to TBC classic)
Sunwarmed Feline (Giant cat, bears some resemblance to red dragons and Alexstraza)

Of those, the Steamscale Incinerator seems like the most likely to be a hint. Not only is it a dragon, but another mechanical dragon (the Timeless Mechanical Dragonling pet) was released this past year. Sunwarmed Furline is another very likely hint.

Here is the lore behind the Steamscale;

The fearsome Steamscale Incinerator is a spark-breathing robo-terror that rules the skies wherever it flies. Legends say a mad gnomish inventor had a deranged dream to ride a dragon, so he built this metal monstrosity powered with a trapped demon in order to create "an authentic dragon soul."

Sounds very fitting for a Dragon-based expansion. However, I'd be interested in hearing comments from other posters.

**Honorable Mention***
WotLK hint for MoP: Pandaren Monk Pet. Not a mount, but was also a store item. Released 2 expansions before MoP.

[Unlimited Power]

If you look at the actual promotional material of the Steamscale Incinerator, it's clearly just themed around Mechagon and Mechagnome technology.

It's not foreshadowing of Dragon Isles and is way too early for them to even be making actual Dragon Isles assets anyway.

For heavens sake, it released before Shadowlands was even out. You're clearly jumping the gun here.

I still think Dragon Isles is a realistic bet for the next expansion, but if you're asking me to pinpoint something from the store that we'll see again, possibly as NPCs in the next expansion, I'll point at the recent cat mount.

Besides, who's to say we won't see another store mount during Shadowlands that's taken from the upcoming expansion?

[Teriz]

If you look at the actual promotional material of the Steamscale Incinerator, it's clearly just themed around Mechagon and Mechagnome technology.

It's not foreshadowing of Dragon Isles and is way too early for them to even be making actual Dragon Isles assets anyway.

For heavens sake, it released before Shadowlands was even out. You're clearly jumping the gun here.

I still think Dragon Isles is a realistic bet for the next expansion, but if you're asking me to pinpoint something from the store that we'll see again, possibly as NPCs in the next expansion, I'll point at the recent cat mount.

Shadowlands was already announced (Nov. 2019), and Mechagon was released an entire year before this mount dropped (June 2019 vs July 2020). Again, the Incinerator came towards the end of BFA. Also there was a Timeless Mechanical Dragonling that arrived during Shadowlands, reinforcing the mechanical dragon theme.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Heart of the Aspects and Iron Skyreaver were released after the next expansions were announced, so they were not hints.

[DatToffer]

Lmao you left two of the three mounts out to keep the one that suited you.

[Teriz]

Heart of the Aspects and Iron Skyreaver were released after the next expansions were announced, so they were not hints.

Ah, good catch. Got those dates mixed up.

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Lmao you left two of the three mounts out to keep the one that suited you.

What mounts did I leave out?

[username993720]

That's like the 10th tinker thread you made this week. Are you taking your prescribed medication?

On the topic, as always, you forget to mention how the Life aspect could hint at another class: the Night Warrior.

Lmao you left two of the three mounts out to keep the one that suited you.

He does that often.

What mounts did I leave out?

Of those, the Steamscale Incinerator seems like the most likely to be a hint.

That's called tunnel vision.

[Teriz]

That's like the 10th tinker thread you made this week.

I've made 2 threads since the beginning of the year, and this isn't a Tinker thread.

On the topic, as always, you forget to mention how the Life aspect could hint at another class: the Night Warrior.

That really has nothing to do with this thread.

[Ximothy]

Dunno how much of a 'hint' it really was, but the Blizzcon that had BfA's announcement had Alliance/Horde themed mounts as part of the rewards for buying a ticket, and the announcement was a war between the Alliance and Horde. It was those airship mounts (just incase someone thought I was talking about the horse/raptor in the expansion delux)

That said I doubt the current mounts on the store are a hint. I think they got released too long ago or are already tied to a theme, like the robo drake being tied to mechagon.

On the topic, as always, you forget to mention how the Life aspect could hint at another class: the Night Warrior.

How is that on topic? It's a mount thread not a class thread.

[AwkwardSquirtle]

Frankly when you look at what they used, it's not worth trying to predict the expansion based on it. They may have featured, but you'd never have guessed anything about the expansion based on those reveals. We got Night Elf mounts for Legion, and Woodland creatures for the Shadowlands. While obviously they did feature in a way, it's so out of left field that it's barely even worth speculating. If it is to be the Steamscale Incinerator, then they at best belong to a faction who don't dictate overall story direction. Perhaps this indicates we are doing Lifelands and the Dragon is from the Gnome druids who are being introduced.

[kizcrew]

Of those, the Steamscale Incinerator seems like the most likely to be a hint.

No, it's from Mechagon.

The Sapphire Skyblazer is from Zereth Mortis.

And the cat is random shit for soccer moms.

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Heart of the Aspects and Iron Skyreaver were released after the next expansions were announced, so they were not hints.

They weren't hints, but they were evidence they take mounts out of the next expansion and release them earlier for extra profit.

[Teriz]

No, it's from Mechagon.

Mechagon isn't mentioned in its lore, it isn't built by a Mechagnome, it was released way after Mechagon, and we also got Timeless Mechanical Dragonling in 9.1 Shadowlands which was also a mechanical dragon.

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Dunno how much of a 'hint' it really was, but the Blizzcon that had BfA's announcement had Alliance/Horde themed mounts as part of the rewards for buying a ticket, and the announcement was a war between the Alliance and Horde. It was those airship mounts (just incase someone thought I was talking about the horse/raptor in the expansion delux)

Interesting. I'll look into that. It could show some consistency.

EDIT: Yep, they were added via Virtual Ticket purchase, and announced a few months before the official announcement of BFA. Good catch.

How is that on topic? It's a mount thread not a class thread.

I don't know his deal. He keeps bringing up Night Warriors for some reason.

[username993720]

and this isn't a Tinker thread.

Yes it is.

That really has nothing to do with this thread.

It does, because you don't address the bird and cat mounts.

How is that on topic? It's a mount thread not a class thread.

In disguise.
You are apparently unaware of his intentions.

I don't know his deal. He keeps bringing up Night Warriors for some reason.

To balance out your Tinker fanaticism.

[Shadochi]

I thought this might be helpful for the current leak season. There is an interesting history of WoW store mounts leaking themes and concepts for the next expansion BEFORE the next expansion is announced.

Here are the examples (it seemingly started around WoD);


WoD hint for Legion : Mystic Runesaber: This mount was a preview for the mount used by the Nightbourne.
BFA hint for Shadowlands : Vulpine Familiar and Sylverian Dreamer: Both of these mounts hinted the Shadowlands and particularly Ardenweald.

As you mentioned in your comment of the mounts, they hint at one of the areas of the next expansion, not the theme of the expansion. Mystic Runesaber is not connected to the Burning Legion, and Vulpin/Sylverian in no way to all of the SL zones.

So looking at mounts released in SL, either a zone with a phoenix or cats

[Teriz]

As you mentioned in your comment of the mounts, they hint at one of the areas of the next expansion, not the theme of the expansion. Mystic Runesaber is not connected to the Burning Legion, and Vulpin/Sylverian in no way to all of the SL zones.

So looking at mounts released in SL, either a zone with a phoenix or cats

I would say that the Mystic Runesaber represents the Nightbourne and Suramar. Vulpine and Dreamer represent Ardenweald.

There's also the two ship mounts released during Legion via the Viruta Ticket that did preview the upcoming theme of BFA.

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Frankly when you look at what they used, it's not worth trying to predict the expansion based on it. They may have featured, but you'd never have guessed anything about the expansion based on those reveals. We got Night Elf mounts for Legion, and Woodland creatures for the Shadowlands. While obviously they did feature in a way, it's so out of left field that it's barely even worth speculating. If it is to be the Steamscale Incinerator, then they at best belong to a faction who don't dictate overall story direction. Perhaps this indicates we are doing Lifelands and the Dragon is from the Gnome druids who are being introduced.

This is a good point. Obviously when the Runesaber was announced there was no way to predict it would be linked to a new Elven race on the Broken Isles. That said, it's definitely fun to speculate when the key is right under your nose.

[KainneAbsolute]

I think the Steamscale Incinerator was a hint for Mechagon

[Teriz]

It does, because you don't address the bird and cat mounts.

I addressed both in the OP.

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I think the Steamscale Incinerator was a hint for Mechagon

It came out 13 months after Mechagon's release, and 8 months after Shadowlands was announced.

[Khaza-R]

You could just as easily say the Alabaster mounts point to updated gryphon and wyvern models and revamp of some scale.

[datguy81]

Or.....new models are used for store mounts for $$$ than are used later in game so they don't got to make new models But yea its a sign of the Sign of the next x pac. The Cat Pack was released and they added a new cat pet to the game in the last year. The next x pac will be about cats

[username993720]

I addressed both in the OP.

Nope. You brush them off as nothing, basically.