I have some small hope that the new leadership at Blizzard will recognize the importance of continuing RTS into the future combined with MOBA like hero gameplay that made WC3 and its mods what it was. Pure RTS is more Starcraft related (which I feel like deserves a 1st person or WOW like universe for its next game in that universe, but I digress).
To that end, the only way Warcraft IV is going to happen is for a plausible and cohesive storyline to move from Warcraft 3: TFT to Warcraft 4. However, all the crap that WOW has introduced has become a convoluted mess. After all, you can’t just have insanely powerful random heroes with godly like inventory just strolling around Azeroth all willy nilly like. There’s only two ways around that, you either introduce a multiverse which was sorta confirmed by the terrible Warcraft movie that took place in “another” universe according to Blizzard, or you simply let WOW be a standalone thing, everything within is no longer canon but “Legends” so to speak such as Star Wars.
So lets say the quickest method is to make WOW just legends, and end it with the final expansion. Great, moving on. Now that that’s settled, lets remember where we left off:
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Arthas is rightfully still combined with Ner’zhul and is the ultimate Lich King. No one can approach Northrend or they are instantly slaughtered. Other than that, he has not invaded any other nation, yet.
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Illidan has failed Kiljaedon, and returns back to Outland with Kael and Vashj, but is awaiting his wrath.
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Maiev is also on Outland still, and is looking for a way to recapture Illidan once he returns defeated
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Tyrande and Malfurion have returned to Ashenvale to live out their lives, now timed that they are becoming mortal
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Thrall has secured Durotar with the help from Rexxar from defeating Proudmore. Jaina is keeping the peace at Theramore. Rexxar has left Thrall, for now
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Sylvanas and Varimathras are building up their isolated undead forces as the Forsaken, still not under control of Arthas/Lich King, yet
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Kel’thuzad and the remaining Scourge around the fallen Lordaeron are building up their forces, waiting for Arthas/Lich King to return.
OK got all that? Good. That’s where we left off. Now 20 years will have passed between Warcraft 3 and Warcraft 4. 2003->2023 (ha, ok it’ll be more like 2025, but lets ish it at 20). The engine should have a polished look such as Diablo 4 with realistic units and buildings. The gameplay style should be somewhere between Warcraft 2 and Warcraft 3, such that, you still gain heroes to level up, items, etc. However, there is no upkeep cap. You can build a full 200 army, and your units and damage are lessened than Warcraft 3, but not quite as low as Warcraft 2. You should be able to build a massive army bolstered by heroes, but a single maxed out hero can’t necessarily just lay waste to an army like in Warcraft 3. Races should be:
- Human/Dwarf/Gnome - Human Faction
- Orc/Ogre/Troll/Tauren - Orc Faction
- Blood Elf/Naga - Elven Faction
- Nathrezim/Eredar/Generic Demons - Burning Legion Faction
- Forsaken/Scourge - Undead Faction
Here’s where I think the story should go. Thoughts?
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It is revealed that Jaina was pregnant with Arthas’ son just before his turn to madness at Strathholme. That kid is now 20 at Theremore. Jaina, now a wise and extremely powerful sorceress, has been worried about the Undead and Burning Legion being quiet for so long, they feel its time to explore back to Azeroth, and the fallen remains of Stormwind from the 1st war to establish a new human settlement on that continent across the sea.
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Upon building the new settlement, you come across Forsaken, who have already moved south into that territory. You learn they were pushed out of Lordaeron by Kel’Thuzad and the Scourge and they are invading south to take Azeroth as well. You establish a tentative alliance to push north and retake the fallen capital
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After some skirmishes to fully secure Azeroth, Arthas’ son comes across a report of a large demon that has been seen in the cursed lands surrounding Karazhan and the site of Medivh’s tower from the 1st war. After battling the demons, you learn the leader is Illidan, now looking more like Kil’jaedon. You learn he stole something from the tower
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Pushing into the top continent, you have a final battle with Kel’thuzad, just before Arthas and a massive Scourge army halts the advance. He informs them of the Burning Legions new plan to ressurect Sargeras. Illidan was not killed, but has become a slave to Kiljaedon, and given unfathomable powers. He proposes a new alliance.
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This new massive alliance between Humans and Undead descend upon Sargeras’ tomb where they battle a new wave of Burning Legion after a secret portal was opened. Illidan cannot be reasoned with as he is a slave. He succeeds in securing the essence remains of Sargeras and escapes.
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The new alliance travels to Durotar to enlist the Orcs aid but they refuse and wish to stay neutral. The Forsaken and Scourge stay behind not wishing to give the Night Elves the wrong idea while the humans travel to Ashenvale to enlist the now aging Night Elves, having been stripped of their immortality from the end of the 3rd war. Wary of an alliance with the undead, Malfurion agrees to take the fight to the Burning Legion to end the threat once and for all
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Returning to Durotar, they find the city under attack by both undead factions. Sylvannas, fearing Arthas will take control of her, strikes first. The conflict draws in the Orcs who fight them both to protect their new city. Thrall is nearly killed before a shadowy figure defends him, revealed to be Rexxar. Rexxar calls upon the Stonemaul Ogre’s after they saw the Undead attack. The Horde alligns themselves with Ogre’s again, under Rexxar’s leadership.
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Sylvannas escapes back to Lordaeron, with Arthas on her tail looking to reclaim the Forsaken back into the Scourge fold. Meanwhile, the Humans, Orcs, and Night Elves decide the time has come to take the fight to the Legion’s doorstep and end the threats to their world forever. Malfurion enlists the help of ancient Dragons to open a powerful doorway to the Twisted Nether, but realizes it will place him in eternal sleep in the Emerald Dream. He makes the sacrifice anyway.
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Back in Outland, Illidan and his remaining Blood Elf/Naga allies, come to dissagreements on their alliance, and they attack each other. Illidan abandons them and fully joins the Legion, not fully under control of his own powers. The Blood Elves and Naga return to Azeroth to seek refuge, but are brought in between a power struggle between the Forsaken and the Scourge.
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Sylvannas agrees to ally with them and retake Quel’thalas in exchange for peace. Their combined might pushes the Scourge back to Northrend and the Blood Elves/Naga claim Quel’thalas as Sylvannas regains Lordaeron.
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Meanwhile, Illidan succeeds in reviving Sargeras, and assumes full control of the Legion. Illidan becomes his Lieutenant slave. The Legion claims Outland and its Dark Portals as its staging ground for their final invasion to Azeroth just as the new Human/Orc/Night Elf alliance battles them. Sargeras succeeds in crushing them as he invades Ashenvale himself, and drains the World Tree, becoming god-like while the world is left dying.
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The new alliance discovers a key artifact from the Titans that can revive the world and pushes through new worlds to find it. Some random backstory with Orcs and Dranei likely to mend old wounds should take place.
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Arthas meanwhile senses the portal to the Twisting Nether and follows the Alliance through, leaving Sylvannas alone. She takes this opportunity to kill Kel’Thuzad and claims all of Lordaeron for herself, eventually backstabbing the Blood Elves/Naga wanting Quel’thalas for her Forsaken also. The Elves/Naga escape south to Azeroth.
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Eventually, you’re going to have a reckoning where Arthas’ son reveals himself to Arthas, Arthas finds the last shred of humanity in him and defies Ner’zhul, sacficing himself to either revive the world with the artifact or deal a critical blow to Sargeras. Either case, the Scourge is undone, leaving only the Forsaken as the undead.
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The final battle should take place on the Legion’s doorstep, and Illidan should make the final blow against Sargeras, sacrificing himself to save Tyrande after she is nearly killed. Instead, he is revived and returned to Night Elf form, giving them some possible love triangles between the sleeping Malfurion. Likely Sylvannas would stay in the backgrounds to be used in a future expansion, now plotting for a way to kill Arthas’ son or just become ruler of the world herself. I realize I also don’t have a plot for Maiev yet on Outland. I assume she will accidentally hurt the new alliance and night elves in her zeal to capture Illidan, but I don’t know how yet. It won’t be a big deal in the overall Warcraft 4 story however. The core points should be about these new alliances, Arthas’ redemption, Sylvannas lust for power growing, and Sargeras being the big bad.
What would you like to see in a Warcraft IV story?