Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Ersula]

Imo 10.2.7 PTR will start even before S4 launch (there will be 2 PTRs running like with 10.0.7 and 10.1), but somewhere in April.

I think it's more likely that since the Alpha is starting soon the testing of s4 changes will simply overlap into the 10.2.7 build. It wouldn't be too intrusive to apply fixes to 10.2.6 on a build that's already in 10.2.7, even if it means a little logistical discomfort internally.

[Reive]

the alpha is "late". on the roadmap it should have come out after 10.2.6 but before spring

tbh i don't even know how are they going to test s4, 10.2.7 and the alpha in such a short amount of time

[Ersula]

the alpha is "late". on the roadmap it should have come out after 10.2.6 but before spring

tbh i don't even know how are they going to test s4, 10.2.7 and the alpha in such a short amount of time

Let's try to come up with a speculative schedule based on the roadmap & what we already know:

Winter 2024:
01/16: Seeds of Renewal 10.2.5
03/19: Plunderstorm 10.2.6

Spring 2024:
04/02: TWW Alpha
04/16: Dragonflight Season 4
04/30: Dark Heart 10.2.7 (this is also when Plunderstorm is scheduled to end)
05/28: TWW Beta

Summer 2024:
06/18: TWW Pre-Patch 11.0

Autumn 2024:
10/08: The War Within Release.
11/19: 20th Anniversary Event 11.0.5

If 6 weeks per major release is the goal, this will be 2024's schedule.

[Reive]

Let's try to come up with a speculative schedule based on the roadmap & what we already know:

Winter 2024:
01/16: Seeds of Renewal 10.2.5
03/19: Plunderstorm 10.2.6

Spring 2024:
04/02: TWW Alpha
04/16: Dragonflight Season 4
04/30: Dark Heart 10.2.7
05/28: TWW Beta

Summer 2024:
06/18: TWW Pre-Patch 11.0

Autumn 2024:
10/08: The War Within Release.
11/19: 20th Anniversary Event 11.0.5

If 6 weeks per major release is the goal, this will be 2024's schedule.

10/08 for the release feels too late. september is a better guess

for the rest i agree

[Dracullus]

10/08 for the release feels too late. september is a better guess

for the rest i agree

You think S4 will be in 3 weeks, 2 weeks later 10.2.7 and pre-patch will last 3 months? xD

[Ersula]

10/08 for the release feels too late. september is a better guess

for the rest i agree

I think it entirely depends on how elaborate the pre-patch even will be. The Legion event was very elaborate & lasted 6 weeks. The BFA event was pretty simple & lasted 2 weeks. And then the Shadowlands & Dragonflight events were in-between that specturm.

[Woggmer]

10/08 for the release feels too late. september is a better guess

for the rest i agree

If they release the alpha this week, we could expect it to be an August release.. which I think is what they might go for but we'll have to see.

[Reive]

You think S4 will be in 3 weeks, 2 weeks later 10.2.7 and pre-patch will last 3 months? xD

the guy above me wrote dates by putting months before days (the american way). he suggested an october release date if you didn't understand

anyway, to address your points:

1) s4 is roughly 1 month away
2) 10.2.7 is already getting internal builds. end of april/first half of may is a plausible window time
3) pre patch will probably come out in in august

[Ersula]

You think S4 will be in 3 weeks, 2 weeks later 10.2.7 and pre-patch will last 3 months? xD

Each of those releases is 6 weeks, just like the projected patches during Dragonflight. Season 4 will be lasting until TWW's release, so it has to come soon after s4 begins or else how are they going to fit in two major patches during it, as portrayed by the 2024 roadmap?

[Reive]

If they release the alpha this week, we could expect it to be an August release.. which I think is what they might go for but we'll have to see.

it's an october release date the way ersula wrote the dates

[Woggmer]

it's an october release date the way ersula wrote the dates

...That doesn't make much sense since they would need to be gearing up for WoW's 20th Anniversary.

[Ersula]

it's an october release date the way ersula wrote the dates

It's my assumption based on the way they keep saying 6 week release windows are their goal. Though, I would agree with you that September is more likely just so Season 4 doesn't last 6 months. (Shadowlands s4 lasted 4 months)

...That doesn't make much sense since they would need to be gearing up for WoW's 20th Anniversary.

...And I counted them from the Anniversary going backwards. October 8th is 6 weeks before the Anniversary (11.0.5) then the expansion release 6 weeks before that, 11.0 six weeks before that ala legion pre-patch, and 10.2.7 six week before that etc.

[Reive]

It's my assumption based on the way they keep saying 6 week release windows are their goal. Though, I would agree with you that September is more likely just so Season 4 doesn't last 6 months. (Shadowlands s4 lasted 4 months)
...And I counted them from the Anniversary going backwards. October 8th is 6 weeks before the Anniversary (11.0.5)

they've been releasing a patch every 8-9 weeks for a while now. following that trend and starting from 10.2.6 this could be the schedule:

16/04: season 4

14/05: 10.2.7

16/07: pre patch

end of august-early september: expansion release

[hattahat]

Since everyone seems to be speculating, I'll throw my hat in the ring and say Season 4 will be the first week of May and TWW the first week of September.

[Murlocos]

Expansion pre-patches have always been about a month out from the full release with the exception of Cata which was a much more unique occasion. The DF patch cycle has been 8-10 weeks. If we go with the fastest case of 8 weeks each leading up to patches:

10.2.7: May 14th
11.0: July 9th
TWW release: August 6th or 13th

10 weeks would be

10.2.7: May 28th
11.0: August 6th
TWW release: September 3rd or 10th

Unless TWW gets a delay of several months out of nowhere, they seem to be going for the DF testing cycle of only about 4-5 months. I'm leaning towards a September release and hoping that they get all the time they need given at least one dev stated that DF was rushed out to meet the fall 2022 launch window.

[Nymrohd]

Hope we get a beefy This Week in WoW tomorrow

[Reive]

Expansion pre-patches have always been about a month out from the full release with the exception of Cata which was a much more unique occasion. The DF patch cycle has been 8-10 weeks. If we go with the fastest case of 8 weeks each leading up to patches:

10.2.7: May 14th
11.0: July 9th
TWW release: August 6th or 13th

10 weeks would be

10.2.7: May 28th
11.0: August 6th
TWW release: September 3rd or 10th

Unless TWW gets a delay of several months out of nowhere, they seem to be going for the DF testing cycle of only about 4-5 months. I'm leaning towards a September release and hoping that they get all the time they need given at least one dev stated that DF was rushed out to meet the fall 2022 launch window.

legion had a longer pre patch: july 19th-august 29th

devs usually work less in the first 2 weeks of august.

[Murlocos]

legion had a longer pre patch: july 19th-august 29th

devs usually work less in the first 2 weeks of august.

Fair, I forgot Legion's was longer as well.

[Ersula]

they've been releasing a patch every 8-9 weeks for a while now. following that trend and starting from 10.2.6 this could be the schedule:

16/04: season 4

14/05: 10.2.7

16/07: pre patch

end of august-early september: expansion release

Yes, but TWW release isn't actually a patch. The Pre-patch is a patch. But 6 weeks for each larger arrowpoint on the roadmap makes more sense: Otherwise your schedule would mean 10.1 is going to come at least 25 weeks after 10.0? I would hope not. Though I guess that's the plan if Worldsoul Saga will only have 3 seasons per expansion.

[Reive]

Yes, but TWW release isn't actually a patch. The Pre-patch is a patch. But 6 weeks for each larger arrowpoint on the roadmap makes more sense: Otherwise your schedule would mean 10.1 is going to come at least 25 weeks after 10.0? I would hope not. Though I guess that's the plan if Worldsoul Saga will only have 3 seasons per expansion.

a major patch every 5-6 months fits perfectly in their new 18 months expansion cycle