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

[Dvalin]

Yeah, the Army of the Light still has to fulfill some kind of role, too. As they were mentioned by Metzen during Midnight's announcement, no? So, I think patch-zones could very well be islands/zones far away from Quel'thalas itself. One of the Zereths, the Moon, Azuremyst, you name it. The Coreway is probably a bit too early, but could also be an option for the second patch leading up to TLT. Or be a part of TLT itself.

[Golden Yak]

I wonder how much the Light will get involved. Naaru showing up? The Arathi Empire coming in force?

Or are we going to get Light Lords from the Lightlands dropping in?

[Hitei]

If it is a war between the Light vs the Void instead of simply a Void Invasion of Azeroth, then perhaps we resolve the issue in Quel'thalas and the war just moves on to Azuremyst/Bloodmyst

Why would the war move on to a pair of small, completely pointless, and totally unremarkable islands? It's not like Quel'thalas is a random target, they want the Sunwell.

Yeah, the Army of the Light still has to fulfill some kind of role, too. As they were mentioned by Metzen during Midnight's announcement, no? So, I think patch-zones could very well be islands/zones far away from Quel'thalas itself. One of the Zereths, the Moon, Azuremyst, you name it. The Coreway is probably a bit too early, but could also be an option for the second patch leading up to TLT. Or be a part of TLT itself.

Metzen said the forces of the Light. Which is a lot more likely to mean Lightspawn, Naaru and other light-based creatures than the small group of Draenei (who have absolutely nothing to do with the Void and were entirely about fighting the Legion).

[Wangming]

Why would the war move on to a pair of small, completely pointless, and totally unremarkable islands? It's not like Quel'thalas is a random target, they want the Sunwell.



Metzen said the forces of the Light. Which is a lot more likely to mean Lightspawn, Naaru and other light-based creatures than the small group of Draenei.

Light Yagami and all the Kira supporters coming to kick some Void butt.

[Makorus]

I just re-read Son of the Wolf seeing how it ends (in one version anyway) with the final fight against the Void, and Anduin is literally sitting in a still-decrepit Exodar lmao

I understand it's not really canon anymore, still funny that even in an AU, Exodar is completely forgotten about

[Joshuaj]

I wonder how much the Light will get involved. Naaru showing up? The Arathi Empire coming in force?

Or are we going to get Light Lords from the Lightlands dropping in?

At best, we'll likely see 1 Light Lord.

Also, I imagine the forces of the Light equates to the Naaru, the Lightspawn, the Arathi Empire, the Lightforged, and some new Light entities, maybe we'll see more beings like the Guardian of Ancient Kings and whatnot? Idk

[Makorus]

I don't think they are going to bring the main Arathi Empire into the fold just yet. Very much feels like an Avaloren-Saga plot thread.

[Hitei]

I just re-read Son of the Wolf seeing how it ends (in one version anyway) with the final fight against the Void, and Anduin is literally sitting in a still-decrepit Exodar lmao

I understand it's not really canon anymore, still funny that even in an AU, Exodar is completely forgotten about

For the record, it isn't even actually definitively "the final fight against the Void". Velen's "the light will trumph over the shadow this day" is not necessarily a literal comment, but could instead just be generic priest-speak for "we're going to win" (he could say it fighting the Legion, or the Scourge, or the Iron Horde, or most faction that are pretty far down the evil axis). It also does not align with anything else anymore. The whole point of the scene is that it's supposed to be the last battle before there's finally peace.

[Joshuaj]

I don't think they are going to bring the main Arathi Empire into the fold just yet. Very much feels like an Avaloren-Saga plot thread.

Well, I mean, they can still arrive to the Eastern Kingdoms VIA ship LMAO

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For the record, it isn't even actually definitively "the final fight against the Void". Velen's "the light will trumph over the shadow this day" is not necessarily a literal comment, but could instead just be generic priest-speak for "we're going to win" (he could say it fighting the Legion, or the Scourge, or the Iron Horde, or most faction that are pretty far down the evil axis). It also does not align with anything else anymore. The whole point of the scene is that it's supposed to be the last battle before there's finally peace.

Also, a reminder that his comment was removed, so it could literally mean anything at this rate

[Makorus]

Well, I mean, they can still arrive to the Eastern Kingdoms VIA ship LMAO

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Also, a reminder that his comment was removed, so it could literally mean anything at this rate

I mean, I don't mean that they can't show up logistically, it just that Blizzard probably doesn't want them in the game just yet.

[Nymrohd]

Why would the war move on to a pair of small, completely pointless, and totally unremarkable islands? It's not like Quel'thalas is a random target, they want the Sunwell.



Metzen said the forces of the Light. Which is a lot more likely to mean Lightspawn, Naaru and other light-based creatures than the small group of Draenei (who have absolutely nothing to do with the Void and were entirely about fighting the Legion).

You know what would be equal to the Sunwell? A new Auchindoun built to house the remains of X'era and O'ros

[Joshuaj]

You know what would be equal to the Sunwell? A new Auchindoun built to house the remains of X'era and O'ros

Ya know what would be just as cool? Multiple Demonic Factions warring against one another in the Nether, with the primary battleground being Outland.

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I mean, I don't mean that they can't show up logistically, it just that Blizzard probably doesn't want them in the game just yet.

If that's the case, a lot of things wouldn't have been introduced this saga.

[Makorus]

Ya know what would be just as cool? Multiple Demonic Factions warring against one another in the Nether, with the primary battleground being Outland.

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If that's the case, a lot of things wouldn't have been introduced this saga.

Like what? The main empire has hardly been "introduced", they are mentioned off-hand at best.

The Expedition that was sent out to fight in Renilash are the Arathi we see in Hallowfall. There wouldn't even be a logical reason for the main Empire to show up, seeing how they already sent their best warriors away.

[Viridiel]

Mists of Pandaria? 99% was about Pandaria and Garrosh being the end boss was told pretty early on. You might argue that Chen Stormstout had deceptively little presence in it, but that is al.

We're talking about knowing how the story is going to end before the expansion even comes out, based on the box art and how it's described to us. It was sold heavily as Horde vs. Alliance, but as a Horde player at the time that certainly didn't read to me as "you will be fighting your own warchief in your capital city". Hindsight is great but you cannot tell me killing Garrosh in Orgrimmar was how MoP was sold to us.

Actually Shadowlands only half counts, too. The initial announcement was really heavy on selling Sylvanas as the final boss and only vaguely hinted at the Jailer by showing the Runecarver, but they were really forthcoming in the Q&As and by the end of BlizzCon we came out of it knowing the Jailer was the real final boss. Kind of an odd choice.

[Makorus]

We're talking about knowing how the story is going to end before the expansion even comes out, based on the box art and how it's described to us. It was sold heavily as Horde vs. Alliance, but as a Horde player at the time that certainly didn't read to me as "you will be fighting your own warchief in your capital city". Hindsight is great but you cannot tell me killing Garrosh in Orgrimmar was how MoP was sold to us.

Actually Shadowlands only half counts, too. The initial announcement was really heavy on selling Sylvanas as the final boss and only vaguely hinted at the Jailer by showing the Runecarver, but they were really forthcoming in the Q&As and by the end of BlizzCon we came out of it knowing the Jailer was the real final boss. Kind of an odd choice.

We knew Garrosh was the final boss before MoP came out. They explicitly said it.

We even knew Siege of Orgrimmar was the last raid before release.

[Joshuaj]

We knew Garrosh was the final boss before MoP came out. They explicitly said it.

We even knew Siege of Orgrimmar was the last raid before release.

I remember when they said Grommash would be the final boss of WoD as well...

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Not trying to discredit you, but it is funny

[Pyrophax]

I don’t think we’ll get another "Saga" in the future. My guess is that the Worldsoul Saga is a transitional project — a way to shift both the payment model and in-game structure. A grand finale, and a fresh start.

Instead of traditional 1.5–2-year expansions with underwhelming financial results, we might move to a seasonal model — smaller purchases at around one-third the current expansion price. The subscription would remain as-is.

Leveling could be phased out entirely, replaced by seasonal borrowed power. Honestly, we’re already halfway there with seasonal systems like the ring, belt, and cloak. This would open up room for more varied zone themes, with potentially linear narratives spanning just 2–3 seasons before moving on.

For example, imagine a “Times Change” arc in Northern Kalimdor:

Season 1: Orc-focused, revamping the Barrens and Durotar.

Season 2: Night Elf response, with Ashenvale and Darkshore updates.

Season 3: Goblins in Azshara and Winterspring,

Season 4: Concluding in Felwood and Hyjal.

That’s three seasons of storytelling without dragging a single narrative across two full years. It avoids unnecessary filler like Sureki in 11.5, which feels tacked on just because the expansion happens to be about Nerubians.

Or take another arc — "Time of Growing Threat":

- Gnolls threatening Elwynn Forest (Human content).
- Centaurs stirring in Mulgore (Tauren content).
- Troggs in Dun Morogh (Dwarf content with a revamp of Dun Morogh).

Each season could have a central theme, with occasional linear storylines to tie it all together.

We don’t need to imagine sprawling epic arcs that stretch for 2 year expansion. One season we help Humans, another Orcs, then Forsaken, Gnomes, Goblins, Blood Elves, Night Elves — each season pinning revamped zones onto a gradually evolving map.

And - after that we could add sprawling epic arcs that stretch for years. For expample - we helped Rokara in Durotar with Burning Blade cultists, we jouney with her (after season or two) in Felwood, go help in Diremaul. Then we meet her in Outland to end their demonic masters (after another couple of seasons), ending multiseasonal arc of demonic threat to Kalimdor.
This arcs can intertwine for as long as it takes. Add new characters, new stories, adding them naturaly ingame, instead of using Thrall and Jaina for some reason to AFK after 15 minutes.

[Makorus]

Because what WoW needs is more rushed story after TWW lmao

[Xilurm]

Instead of traditional 1.5–2-year expansions with underwhelming financial results, we might move to a seasonal model — smaller purchases at around one-third the current expansion price. The subscription would remain as-is.

As long as they keep making cash shop stuff they got the budget to do whatever they want.

[Wangming]

As long as they keep making cash shop stuff they got the budget to do whatever they want.

Let's be honest. The times when the sub based MMOs were the big money printing machines and everyone wanted to do a WoW clone are pretty much done.
The current trend is open world, microtransaction based live service game and the go to template is Genshin Impact.
I remember when going free to play was scene as basically the end of an MMO. But that is pretty much the norm now.