While it could have color variants there are no indications that it currently does, the 5 textures mentioned in the post are spell effect textures that are also shared with one of the models, likely the mount. These 5 are all emerald colored particles/cloud textures (see my earlier reply).
Dragon xpac is all i wanted for years. god damn so nice!!!
This all but confirms a Light Cosmic expansion featuring Tinkers
The OP article has conjecture in it. It does not say they decrypted an 'deluxe edition' mount. It says 'it could be a deluxe edition mount' (I suspect it's not).
- - - Updated - - -
The article has conjecture in it. It does not say they figured out next x-pack's features, it says it 'could be' next expac features (because 'it could be' from a deluxe edition (it's possibly not)).
- - - Updated - - -
No because the article includes conjecture. It does not say they decrypted next expansion's features, it says "it could be from it" (it's possibly not).
- - - Updated - - -
No because the article is in part conjecture. It says: "it reminds of deluxe editions"; it might not be; I suspect it's not.
The main reason it's probably not true is that it's probably too early to start developing pre-sale gifts.
Like if we were going by the past the new expansion should have been announced in November with a release for this November, so we are well due some form of news.
Though obvious Covid+ Blizzard being scummy may prob set that back a lot
Everyone keeps talking about the Emerald Dream, but I have my doubts. In Legion, we had an entire zone dedicated to the Emerald Dream. Blizzard said they didn't feel there was enough content for them to do an entire expansion around it. But it wouldn't be the first time Blizzard went back on their words. I, for one, am not interested in revisiting the Emerald Dream if it's like Val'sharah. If the expansion is about the Dragon Isles and the Emerald Dream is a small part of it, that would be fine.
While the article by definition uses conjecture as it's not something that can be proven yet, timing wise, I'd say these things being added in 9.1.5 is very similar to how the preorder stuff for Shadowlands was added pre-announcement in 8.2.5. Both patches are the minor patch before the final major expansion patch that wraps up the story (8.3/9.2).
And with Blizzconline and what was likely the 10.0 announcement having supposed to happen in about a month from now and 9.2 still being on PTR at the moment, putting it in 9.1.5 would definitely have been the safest bet.
I do have the data, so the Shadowlands stuff being added in 8.2.5 is pretty easily verifiable if you know where to look so shouldn't be dismissed that easily.
As for the lawsuit and everything around that, things were just heating up around the time these assets would have been developed as the 9.1.5 build these assets were first publicly (albeit in encrypted form) shipped in is from August 29th, only little over month after the initial lawsuit was filed so this wouldn't have affected the addition of these as much. Blizzconline was still planned to be happening in February at the time as well. Obviously things aren't exactly the same as they were for Shadowlands, but this method of adding preorder assets in the patch the announcement is likely to be during is still pretty similar.
The 5 textures mentioned are used to render 1 spell effect
Everyone just needs to remember to not get too excited. An ‘emerald effect’ could be anything. It could be something with the green dragon flight, it could be the emerald dream, it could be something to do with Ysera and Elune/Winter Queen with how much she plays a role in the NF quest line, or it could be something we haven’t encountered yet.
Speculation is fine, it’s just that I’ve seen some people in this thread getting super hyped about an ‘all but confirmed’ Dragon Isles xpac which may not happen. Don’t want people getting heartbroken that they don’t get what they thought and be super letdown if Blizz announces something else.