I think Classic will have some small influence on the next expansion, but nothing major.
Most likely thing is making the leveling experience somehow more important, and placing less emphasis on the endgame (though in my opinion this ship has long sailed for retail).
I don’t think so. The retail majority would go ape over any loss of QoL, imo. I think a solid Classic player base might influence a TBC Classic, however. Classic+ thoughts are just too far out of the park – if there is this much division in just NOT changing Classic, imagine the million differing opinions on what they dream for Classic+. It’ll be Armageddon.
TLDR: Influence Retail - doubt it. Influence Classic TBC -probably.
I like the talent system, just not as much as the old trees, can I have both? 
I forgot to add removal of Warmode as well, I also don’t like my keybinds changing from PvP to PvE.
I think finding a happy medium where talent choices are abundant but at the same time are meaningful which is hard as usually large trees are overly saturated with things like +1% damage on xx ability which is great and all but not really ‘meaningful’
And herein lies the reason why retail and classic players are at each other throats half the time. BFA and classic are such wildly different games, any classic-style changes will rightly be a threat to much they hold dear, but if classic is popular enough I am sure Bilzzard would love to take a shot at bringing us back into the fold more. With more expansions and microtransactions, I have no doubt retail is more profitable than classic.
I hope so. Another BFA or Legion will kill retail WoW.
I think Ion has realised they went to far with class pruning and how they destroyed class identity. So the content probably won’t change at all, still mythic+, world quests, new legendary etc. but classes will.
I highly, highly doubt it. There just isn’t enough time even if it explodes in popularity like crazy.
I hope not.
BFA, yes. But Legion was well-liked, especially once the Legendaries were un-f*cked. Granted, most of that was due to the Artifact weapons, and stuff like the Mage Tower, and the lore being top notch, which covered for the shortfalls, which BFA revealed once things were pulled back.
Not all at once, not for 9.0. However, 9.0 was being worked on while people were in the office working on Classic and playing it internally. It isn’t impossible for some design ideas to filter in, which could be improved on by 10.0.
If they can find a way to somewhat “fix” the damage they did with the last several expansions and give the retail communities a reason to actually interact with one another again, then just maybe?
It would be nice if Blizz would decide on going back to a more “old school” approach and stick to their guns, knowing they can’t make everyone happy.
If they simply did away with the dungeon finder and instant porting to them which created the lazy meta retail is today, that would be a good start.
Maybe not, I think they’re more influenced by selling cosmetics and chasing a big esports break.
Doubt it. If it influences their design at all, it probably won’t be until expansion 9.
retail and classic are so much diffrent games.
where i love classic and dislike retail (just not really a game for me)
that being said, still looking at the story and stuff each time. and if the game is fun to me.
so i think with classic not being out and the next exp probably already in development, the time for classic like changes might not be the upcomming addon but the one after that.
but i would love them to go 180° backwards, make classes destinct, care more about fantasy than balance, and make retail more of a rpg and not an action game.
I hope so. WoD was the worst thing to ever happen to class identity. Then Legion was released and it looked like they were going in the right direction…then BFA…went back to their old evil ways again.
Honestly, if there isn’t a major class overhaul I doubt I will ever go back to retail.
Mostly because modern gamers are too soft and wimpy… You can see this in how they get offended by almost anything and beg for micro-transactions and really dumb stuff.
Well, I literally ment both, like talent trees AND Master poisoner vs Elaborate planning vs Blindside.
While 1% dmg, or 1% crit doesn’t feel like much, having the incremental progress feels pretty good while leveling, even if 99% of builds end up being simular.
There was still a feeling of identity as well when respecing, 50 points into “your” character.
i think its already showing some effect if the “level squish” is to be believed. would play nicely into making the old talent trees happen again.
Psst. Expansion 9 is the next expansion.
It already has with level squishing
I personally believe, that The griping on the forums, in classic and retail combined; will effect the way they see the next expansion. Its TOO BIG of a matter to ignore, and I know they are reading the forums for these thoughts from the community.
If the community wants a harder, more RPG engaged Expansion, I am pretty sure they will accommodate that concept. I personally think they will, but they have to make it a slow concept to implement because were used to quick fast gameplay.