The War Within 11.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[flan1337]

It really did not cause anything, this has been planned for a while.

that's good to hear! I hate if leaks cause stuff to be announced sooner takes away from the excitement. I wonder then if this was announced early because of the tight panel discussions this year? Maybe we won't have a hearthstone panel showing off the new cards.

[Sondrelk]

Unless their opening ceremony is already packed. They got to keep it under 45 minutes somehow.

They 100% would not preview the Early 2024 expansion two weeks after announcing the Late 2023 expansion. Especially not when that expansion is rendering half the standard cards obsolete. They might show a 2024 roadmap, but they didn't do that for 2023. They're likely just going to show the animated trailer.

I hate that I want a cowboy expansion for wow now.

Hearthstone kinda shows why 2 year expansions for WoW might not be the best for varied themes. 1 year expansions might have been ideal for content variety if there was only a way to make the expansions actually worthwhile.

- - - Updated - - -

We did have that big dragon bundle in the store not too long before Dragonflight was announced. To be fair, though, almost everyone was expecting a dragon expansion by that point, anyway.

I can't really see what bundle they would push before Blizzcon that would actually hint at a future expansion at this point. Given the hidgepodge of themes present my only guess would be a world revamp, but if it's the backside of Azeroth then what mounts and pets could they possibly give?

[Nebron]

Alright, now, how can we use these bundled items as clues about the next expansion...

We have the Iron Skyreaver, a chimaera mount ridden by the Iron Horde. Could this point to Garrosh returning?

Then we have several demon- or fel-themed additions, including Mischief, Reins of the Illidari Felstalker, and Nibbles. These are fairly obviously foreshadowing Illidan's return in 11.0.

And finally, the Warforged Nightmare, whose flavor text reads "a nightmarish steed of hardened steel and vengeful spirits, this companion will follow you to the depths of the Firelands and back without complaint." The mention of Firelands brings us to another obvious conclusion: Ragnaros.

So, based on all this, it looks like 11.0 will deal with Garrosh, Illidan, and Ragnaros. I don't know what kind of story that's going to be, but I'm here for it.

To be fair, not to ruin the fun of course but I wouldn't look much into it, as to me it doesn't point in any logical direction. In fact, all of these mounts are "horrific" one way or another, and stay in Halloween's theme pretty well, so I guess it's just that - Halloween Bundle.

Of course - we already have some "hints" of what we could expect - and none of the items from the bundle correlates with the algarian stuff.

But who knows, maybe this year Blizzard went 5D chess and all what we have datamined until now is just red-herring bullshit, and we will get something out of the box

[Sondrelk]

Man this music is great:

https://twitter.com/Warcraft/status/1714325517552255250

But is it just me, or does it sound an awful lot like... Frostfire Ridge or something?

It evokes the same feeling of grandeur at least. I wonder where this track will be played, seems a bit too much for generic wandering.

[flan1337]

Unless their opening ceremony is already packed. They got to keep it under 45 minutes somehow.

I am sorry but where did you grab that number - 2019 opening ceremony was almost 2 hours long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so0w...5nIGNlcmVtb255

2018 was 1hour and 30mins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxdqdYsAKGE

They almost never do small opening ceremonies. So they can pack in a lot

[Ersula]

I may not have been completely 100% serious about my extremely thorough analysis about Garrosh returning.

Consider it setting the record straight because for every joke on here there'll be at least 3 people asking "is this real?"

I am sorry but where did you grab that number - 2019 opening ceremony was almost 2 hours long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so0w...5nIGNlcmVtb255

2018 was 1hour and 30mins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxdqdYsAKGE

They almost never do small opening ceremonies. So they can pack in a lot

Then I guess the standard is 90 minutes then because the ceremony only starts 30 minutes into that 2019 video

[Nightshade711]

Why don't you just google the Jonothan Staats interview?



Except we have multiple maps from early WoW that show Undermine. Here's one from alpha that clearly shows Undermine as a continent.

Except now we know that Undermine is part of Kezan. That very small island that the goblin starting zone is on. Which we know playing through the goblin starting zone because we can find the tunnel to it.

So changes of them changing that and making Undermine a continent is slim to none. At most it’d be a patch zone.

[Harbour]

Alright, now, how can we use these bundled items as clues about the next expansion...

We have the Iron Skyreaver, a chimaera mount ridden by the Iron Horde. Could this point to Garrosh returning?

Then we have several demon- or fel-themed additions, including Mischief, Reins of the Illidari Felstalker, and Nibbles. These are fairly obviously foreshadowing Illidan's return in 11.0.

And finally, the Warforged Nightmare, whose flavor text reads "a nightmarish steed of hardened steel and vengeful spirits, this companion will follow you to the depths of the Firelands and back without complaint." The mention of Firelands brings us to another obvious conclusion: Ragnaros.

So, based on all this, it looks like 11.0 will deal with Garrosh, Illidan, and Ragnaros. I don't know what kind of story that's going to be, but I'm here for it.

Garrosh return but not the Garrosh you expect.
Garrosh from AU Draenor. And Yrel. And her Army.
Illidan is coming back as well.
And some elemental stuff.
Light expansion with major part of it happening at Avaloren.
Let's go baby!

[Cheezits]

Do people expect devs to apologize over something entirely subjective like quality of writing? They aren't supposed to acknowledge supposed weakness, and if they say that the writing is poor they are also making a jab at the people who DO like the current writing.

If anything them allowing the question means they are aware of the complaint and may address it properly ingame. But they aren't going to go "you're right" and apologize because that's not how western corporate culture works

[Grazrug]

Except now we know that Undermine is part of Kezan. That very small island that the goblin starting zone is on. Which we know playing through the goblin starting zone because we can find the tunnel to it.

So changes of them changing that and making Undermine a continent is slim to none. At most it’d be a patch zone.

Undermine as a city is mostly underground as the name suggests.

- - - Updated - - -

Garrosh return but not the Garrosh you expect.
Garrosh from AU Draenor. And Yrel. And her Army.
Illidan is coming back as well.
And some elemental stuff.
Light expansion with major part of it happening at Avaloren.
Let's go baby!

AU Grommash return and helps us kick Draenei ass.

[Nightshade711]

Undermine as a city is mostly underground as the name suggests.

Yes and it’s under the small island of Kezan (which got turned into Pompeii by Deathwing)
Not it’s own continent.

Wouldn’t be surprised if the Undermine was destroyed or heavily damaged by the volcano that it was built under erupted.

[Gregoronsen]

https: //imgur.com/a/ p7a8yDt
blizzard promoting the next 12 month sub bundle early on the mobile battle net app
new druid owl bear with armour and recoloured murloc for 12 month, and what looks like and emerald dream themed slitherdrake for the next 6 month mount

[Grazrug]

Yes and it’s under the small island of Kezan (which got turned into Pompeii by Deathwing)
Not it’s own continent.

Wouldn’t be surprised if the Undermine was destroyed or heavily damaged by the volcano that it was built under erupted.

It is the final thing I want to see before we go cosmic again. A proper new Horde capital if we can make the other cartells commit to our cause.

[Teriz]

Except now we know that Undermine is part of Kezan. That very small island that the goblin starting zone is on. Which we know playing through the goblin starting zone because we can find the tunnel to it.

So changes of them changing that and making Undermine a continent is slim to none. At most it’d be a patch zone.

Just FYI, volcanic islands have far more area underwater than the portion that’s above the water. Thus Undermine can easily be several times larger than Kezan.

[Marlamin]

https: //imgur.com/a/ p7a8yDt
blizzard promoting the next 12 month sub bundle early on the mobile battle net app
new druid owl bear with armour and recoloured murloc for 12 month, and what looks like and emerald dream themed slitherdrake for the next 6 month mount

Iiiiinteresting, wonder which one is which encrypted mount.

[ercarp]

blizzard promoting the next 12 month sub bundle early on the mobile battle net app
new druid owl bear with armour and recoloured murloc for 12 month, and what looks like and emerald dream themed slitherdrake for the next 6 month mount

Why is one of the mounts blacked out? Why does it have to be a secret if it's not the Algarian Stormrider? I don't get it.

[Marlamin]

Why is one of the mounts blacked out? Why does it have to be a secret if it's not the Algarian Stormrider? I don't get it.

Probably because it is 2 months or so before we -should- be seeing it (if it is the 6mo mount).

[Reive]

Iiiiinteresting, wonder which one is which encrypted mount.

wow: eclipse is back boys

[Wangming]

wow: eclipse is back boys

I mean, I have to say, that would be a pretty banger of a title.

[Nightshade711]

Just FYI, volcanic islands have far more area underwater than the portion that’s above the water. Thus Undermine can easily be several times larger than Kezan.

Maybe to fit the size of a “dragonflight sized zone” but nowhere near its own continent. Like I said, at most patch content. Maybe it’d only be a dungeon just like Azjol’Nerub was.