Patch cycle for BFA is too long?

Friend and I were talking over BFA patches and how long they are coming out.
8.0-8.1 is 117 days
7.0-7.1 was 51 days, 7.1.5 came out Jan 10 which was 71 days after 7.1, which comes to 122 days for those two patches which is close to BFA’s first patch. What confuses me the most is that they said they want to keep the quick patch cycle like in legion but have made the first patch of BFA a big wait. To me it seems like this is a huge reason why people are bored of BFA so far.

1 Like

The devs have stated on several occasions that they felt that 7.1 was released too soon.

1 Like

They were working on these forums, and getting things prepared for Blizzcon, I guess.

I think this current patch cycle is fine… if one didn’t rush the content and do everything in the first couple of weeks.

I’d rather the patch comes out when it’s ready instead of too early and it has a lot of bugs…

2 Likes

Yes, but its also important to realize that the actual purposes of the first patch differ.
This is effectively Legion’s 7.1.5 with Nighthold’s release.

The patch will come, then apparently a month later the raid will come. Nighthold also came out in January, right?
So we basically just skipped a filler patch and went right to the main patch.

Unless they end up cutting raid tiers or something else in the future, there is no indication that the content cycle will be lessened in this expansion, especially with what we saw at Blizzcon on board.
I think, honestly, if you are bored this early into an expansion no new patches will change that.
You just don’t have the mindset or perhaps the social structures around you to support you playing an MMORPG.
Its only been like 3 months since competitive content as been out!

I actually have been batting around an idea that they might try to add another entire raid/cycle though.
I wont bore you guys with why I think that now, but for now enjoy the upcoming patch and raid!

Patch 7.1:
1 retrofitted megadungeon (8 bosses)
1 mini raid (3 bosses, near launch)
1 full size raid (??? bosses, 7.1.5)
1 timegated questline

Patch 8.1:
1 warfront (including world content)
1 (probably timegated) questline
2 new island expeditions + somewhat major system updates
1 full size raid (near launch)
1 mini raid (2 bosses, 7.1.5)
Faction Incursions
Dwarf & Blood Elf Heritage Armor

That aside, 7.1 absolutely came too early, even Blizzard admitted as much more than once. If nothing else, consider the length of a raid tier. Progression tends to not be a 3 week ordeal for most groups. 4-5 months is ideal.

8.1 has a new (9?) boss raid. Launching with that would cut Uldir progression short if it released any earlier than it is. Keep in mind Uldir didn’t launch until September. Releasing the patch in December and the raid in Jan-Feb fits the 4-5 month bill pretty decently.

They’re not going to release the patch and delay the major raid attached to it for several months. Roughly 1 is a lot more reasonable, and it’s something they’ve done with raids in Legion, so it’s par for the course there.

3 Likes