New date may not be til spring...

[gaymer77]

I'm ok with a spring or late winter (Feb-March) release date if they release all the pre-expansion events soon and let us have a few months of that crap to help gear alts and stuff that weren't even in BFA range when 9.0 hit.

[arkanon]

There are three possibilities:
1) Announce the pre-expansion event starting.
2) Announce the expansion date.
3) Do nothing.

1 and 2 are more likely, but I have learned to never underestimated the power of stupid decisions being made.

HAHA, fair call, i totally agree. I worded my post terribly, so let me try to clarify what i was saying. To me, it seems unlikely they would announce/start the pre expansion event without announcing the new release date first/at the same time (same time being most likely, obviously).

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I'm ok with a spring or late winter (Feb-March) release date if they release all the pre-expansion events soon and let us have a few months of that crap to help gear alts and stuff that weren't even in BFA range when 9.0 hit.

No offence, but I think "a few months" of "gearing alts" just isn't really on the table right now.

[rhorle]

This is circular reasoning, with nothing to support it. You are honestly just going around and around in circles arguing with yourself.

The game supported it. This is the 9th expansion. If each expansion adds 2-3 new abilities and new talents there is ability bloat. That means each expansion would need to have abilities and talents that impact the rotations and continually be balanced and updated. You may disagree that is a problem to design with but it is still something that existed and something Blizzard is trying different approaches to combat.

[Adoxe]

Legally obliged to release it this year, they also stated it's still coming this year. Cataclysm came out in December. It's going to be early December and raid opens after holidays.

[whoisqnx]

It would be awesome if they announce both the new release date and the pre expansion event on the original release date, next week

[arkanon]

The game supported it. This is the 9th expansion. If each expansion adds 2-3 new abilities and new talents there is ability bloat. T.

Thats all im saying, its only IF.

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Legally obliged to release it this year, they also stated it's still coming this year. Cataclysm came out in December. It's going to be early December and raid opens after holidays.

No, they are not. Where do you guys come up with this stuff? All they are required to do in some instances is offer refunds. Thats it. There will be no lawsuit, no ones going to jail, nothing will happen.

[Thrif]

Not a chance it'll take that long, this is costing them too much money as it is. It's still going to be a 2020 release.

[arkanon]

Not a chance it'll take that long, this is costing them too much money as it is. It's still going to be a 2020 release.

How much money is it costing them do you think?

[rhorle]

Thats all im saying, its only IF.

There is a very small chance that Blizzard would add zero new abilities or talents to a class over the course of an expansion. It is silly to even claim that when discussing the very real concept of bloat that was happening with the game prior to the "One expansion system" they have adopted since Warlords.

[arkanon]

There is a very small chance that Blizzard would add zero new abilities or talents to a class over the course of an expansion. It is silly to even claim that when discussing the very real concept of bloat that was happening with the game prior to the "One expansion system" they have adopted since Warlords.

Its also "silly" to claim the previous 8 expansions are relevant at all, when plenty of other options exist - removing deadweight and replacing with fresh, new ideas. Changing classes entirely (combat rogue, SV hunter, Demo lock etc). adding multiple new abilities every expansion is not the only option, and as I said, the past is the past, it is not relevant when looking forward.

Its not like when designing a spec for the next expansion they go "ok guys, we have a really fun and enjoyable spec atm, now all we have to do is add 2-3 abilities to account for each expansion, so we are forced to add another 20-25 new abilities! get to work!"

[Byleth]

The only answer is - No one knows, because Blizz hasn't told us anything.

Everything else is just opinions and guesswork.

[rhorle]

Are you now going to claim that you meant every 3 months? or just stick to the "reliably happened EVERY 6 MONTHS"

Up until the transmog outfit it has been pretty close to 6 month intervals. It should also be noted that the free bundle lasts until 12/13/20 which is longer then the other bundles which were only around 1-month long. They could just be going for a new model for SL, it could have released early because of the delay, or any other reasons. It really isn't a good indicator that they are delaying the launch by 6-months though.

[LanToaster]

But, as I said, WHY is it better evidence? They have been proven wrong once before, and proved the "its going to be delayed" crowd RIGHT. Its 1-0 to those expecting delays vs Blizzards word.

I think I told you exactly why.

Basic Example, its like when I´m holding an Apple in my Hand, and I say the Apple falls at time X to the Ground, and Random Guy on the Internet says it falls at time Y to the Ground.
Who would know better? The Guy who can Literally just drop the Apple whenever he wants, or the guy who has no Influence whatsoever?

[arkanon]

Up until the transmog outfit it has been pretty close to 6 month intervals. It should also be noted that the free bundle lasts until 12/13/20 which is longer then the other bundles which were only around 1-month long. They could just be going for a new model for SL, it could have released early because of the delay, or any other reasons. It really isn't a good indicator that they are delaying the launch by 6-months though.

Right, so just "historically" roughly ever 6 months, but for some reason they broke with that tradition and halved the time between releases. For the record im not claiming the very early release of the promo has anything to do with the delay.

[Ringthane]

Those guys at Blizzard had internal data when they publicly announced a release date of October 27th 2020 as well though......thats all im saying.

And now they have more internal data. Just like when you were in school. First you learned how to add, then you learned how to multiply, then you hit algebra. Now you can (hopefully) do more than just 2+2=4.

[rhorle]

Its also "silly" to claim the previous 8 expansions are relevant at all, when plenty of other options exist - removing deadweight and replacing with fresh, new ideas. Changing classes entirely (combat rogue, SV hunter, Demo lock etc). adding multiple new abilities every expansion is not the only option, and as I said, the past is the past, it is not relevant when looking forward.

Do you even read what you are discussing? The context was not having to prune classes of abilities because of the bloat caused by adding abilities each expansion. When Blizzard removes "dead weight" people tend to get upset because they don't like they class being pruned. Replacing with fresh new ideas each expansion is pretty much what Balanced power is.

When talking about "borrowed power" or the old way they are the only options. Because not adding new stuff is a very bad option that hardly anyone would advocate for.

[arkanon]

I think I told you exactly why.

Basic Example, its like when I´m holding an Apple in my Hand, and I say the Apple falls at time X to the Ground, and Random Guy on the Internet says it falls at time Y to the Ground.
Who would know better? The Guy who can Literally just drop the Apple whenever he wants, or the guy who has no Influence whatsoever?

Blizzard didn't drop an apple though, they dropped the ball. And if you said to me "the apple will take 2 seconds to hit the ground", and then came out and said "actually, change that, it didn't take 2 seconds, I was wrong, and furthermore, im not actually telling you how long it will take", im going to listen to someone who says "you know, i dont think they have any idea how long it takes for the apple to drop".

All your example proves is that Blizzard are apparently terrible at confirming how long the apple takes to drop, and now we just have to wait for the penny to drop for you.

[rhorle]

Right, so just "historically" roughly ever 6 months, but for some reason they broke with that tradition and halved the time between releases. For the record im not claiming the very early release of the promo has anything to do with the delay.

You don't know if they halved the time between releases because they have only done it for one so far. Of course you are claiming it might have something to do with the delay because that is what you keep arguing that it could possibly indicate.

[arkanon]

And now they have more internal data. Just like when you were in school. First you learned how to add, then you learned how to multiply, then you hit algebra. Now you can (hopefully) do more than just 2+2=4.

So the old internal data was inaccurate, but the new internal data is accurate? Your analogy doesn't work at all, for the record. A release date is a fundamental component of releasing a game, something blizzard have been doing for 20+ years. What you are really saying is that Blizzard suddenly forgot how to do basic addition, something they should have mastered decades ago.

[Mozu]

They did not say it was "off the table", they said it was unlikely. And why are you now shifting the goalposts all the way back to November?

It is as unlikely as it is likely.

Late November is not "all the way back" to November. Late November is included in the holiday season, unless you don't consider Thanksgiving a holiday. It's not moving goalposts, it's specifically replying to people who say things like "Holidays are off-limits for game releases since staff need to be available!!!" I shouldn't need to spell every contextual detail out for you to understand my intention here. It's obvious.