Shadowlands will be the next expansion. However, all of the “leaks” claiming to have insider information will be proven to be fake and any information they have right will just be correct speculation and not actually insider information. The faction system will be restructured to allow cross-faction PvE, but it will not be eliminated entirely.
Patch 8.3 will not have any further surprises not currently available on the PTR
75% Sure
Diablo 4 will be announced, though it will not be in a playable state for attendees. There will not be a firm launch date.
9.0 will have two additional allied races available for those who pre-order Shadowlands. Lightforged Undead and Sethrak for the horde and alliance respectively.
60% sure
A new class will be added that wears mail. Potentially TInker
No new playable races will be showcased, though they will not discount the possibility of allied races becoming available later in the expansion
It’s not that I want them. But looking at all the options they best fit given the three criteria blizzard has deemed most important when making allied races (with a couple of exceptions)
They are at least somewhat lore relevant to what’s going on in the story RIGHT NOW (notable exception being Maghar)
They add something new thematically or visually that players currently do not have access to.
They can cut corners by borrowing assets from existing races to get them playable
So… they and Seth’rak seem very likely to me, though I wouldn’t completely count out San’lyn.
For me.
95% sure we get WoW 9.0, D4, and OW2.
The 9th expac will be heavily based around Lich King, Sylvanas, Old Gods, and Dragons.
70% sure we get D2 remastered and a new IP announcement
Also, as much as I hate to admit it, I really do think the Sethrak dream is dead. It just wouldn’t make sense, at all, for the Alliance to get them at this juncture.
I pretty much second this, especially with more of the “leaks” about OW2 today. ESPN essentially made me 100% sure of OW2 with their released information.
D4 seems pretty much guaranteed as well considering the German art book as well as Blizzard really needs to make up for the Diablo Immortal last year.
And I hate to be one to fall for hype, but that image of Bolvar has me convinced that’s from the next expansion cinematic that we’re going to get. If it’s not that, I’ll have been played the fool, but I’m pretty convinced.
Outside of that, I’m still putting money on a new IP. I think they need a fresh start in something.
Try 0% for Sethrak. As in you guys are not getting them, I have no idea where you even thought Alliance would but this is almost in the negatives as far as possibility. They’re on the Horde questing island with no reputation associated with them and the Alliance do very little to aid the few remaining left that are also allied with the Vulpera. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but I’d definitely lower your expectations from 70% for this to happen.
Looking at the allied races that were in 7.3.5, I think we’re most likely to see new allied races coming from the 8.3 content - which could mean mogu, potentially other Pandaria races, tol’vir, etc. (Not that I’d ever put money on them adding a centauriform AR.) I suppose it’s possible that they’ll drop back and loot 8.2 for more races - fish goblins and angry jinyu?
The last pair of allied races will come with the prepatch, but there won’t be any races launching with the actual expansion or any mentioned coming post-launch.
Yeah, I can see that happening. Honestly, I worry that it’s too greedy to expect any more allied races and a new class. I just really want the undead and worgen to get theirs.
From a lore perspective, they do not make the most sense. And it’s far from certain, it’s just speculation on my part. I believe they’re likely based on two things:
The alliance has no other real options that are lore relevant right now except perhaps high elves. But that’s a whole other can of worms.
They can use the yet un-used worgen skeleton
I admit from a lore perspective, it’s not a strong choice. But they can write whatever excuse they want, especially if the factions are on better terms now.
Like I said, these are just my predictions. I’m not here to try to convince anybody I’m right. I just thought it would be fun to write them down in public and see if I got anything right in five days.
