If you think redesigning vanilla WoW is a paltry task, you'd be grossly mistaken. It is a pretty large undertaking for a single expansion.
Also the class openings coming to different races is pretty controversial. There's a lot standing in the way, Lore-wise. So far they are just rumors, and people are already flying off the handle about it. I would say, that is also bold..
I wouldn't call it a "paltry task" - but it is far from "bold", it is the path of least resistance. As far as new classes in different races - sounds like a ton of new play experience with almost no new content aside from tons of balancing (which the PTR almost does for you). Again, not so bold. Blizzard hasn't done "bold" for quite some time. The last design risk they have taken was heroes in War3. Their last new IP was released 11 years ago. Their last non-WoW release was over 6 years ago. That's why I think the rumors are largely true - they are all about maximum money in with minimum risk and development cost.
Plus flying mounts in Azeroth, about freakin time.
Simply upgrading Azeroth to the standards of stuff which is 8 years younger and calling it an expansion while seeking a story-based excuse to wreck the weaker stuff from that generation and make new buildings/levels doesn't strike me as particularly "bold". But it does make commercial sense.
I more just wonder how they will monetize it - if everyone gets Azeroth 2.0 with the vanilla box, it kind of kills the whole point of the expansion. Of course, they could also make it such that the box just unlocks those features (aka Flying Mounts). That seems most likely. Whatever costs the least to implement and looks poised to recapture the most subscribers is probably what will happen, I guess. I also see the logic of not going overboard with the new IP in this one, so as not to compete with sc2 in terms of hype.
Personally, I think the "leak" about the WoW expanion has the ring of truth to it in terms of it largely being a re-do on old Azeroth. I'm not so sure about the Goblin and Worgen player class, however.
Blizzard in the past ten years has ALWAYS opted to do a sequel or a 're-imagining' of successful previous work, and I think the designers have grown increasingly worried and frustrated with the quality and design gap between the vintage stuff, some of which goes all the way back to 2001, and the latest material. So, a "cataclysm" which means a similar yet changed Azeroth makes sense.
So, here's my question for the peanut gallery - how will this be structured in terms of new players after this is released? Will there be 1.0 and 2.0 Azeroths, and newbies will just get the old one with the vanilla game? Will it just be an alternative Azeroth much like any other "new" zone which exists side-by-side with the old one?
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I wouldn't call it a "paltry task" - but it is far from "bold", it is the path of least resistance. As far as new classes in different races - sounds like a ton of new play experience with almost no new content aside from tons of balancing (which the PTR almost does for you). Again, not so bold. Blizzard hasn't done "bold" for quite some time. The last design risk they have taken was heroes in War3. Their last new IP was released 11 years ago. Their last non-WoW release was over 6 years ago. That's why I think the rumors are largely true - they are all about maximum money in with minimum risk and development cost.
Simply upgrading Azeroth to the standards of stuff which is 8 years younger and calling it an expansion while seeking a story-based excuse to wreck the weaker stuff from that generation and make new buildings/levels doesn't strike me as particularly "bold". But it does make commercial sense.
I more just wonder how they will monetize it - if everyone gets Azeroth 2.0 with the vanilla box, it kind of kills the whole point of the expansion. Of course, they could also make it such that the box just unlocks those features (aka Flying Mounts). That seems most likely. Whatever costs the least to implement and looks poised to recapture the most subscribers is probably what will happen, I guess. I also see the logic of not going overboard with the new IP in this one, so as not to compete with sc2 in terms of hype.
Blizzard in the past ten years has ALWAYS opted to do a sequel or a 're-imagining' of successful previous work, and I think the designers have grown increasingly worried and frustrated with the quality and design gap between the vintage stuff, some of which goes all the way back to 2001, and the latest material. So, a "cataclysm" which means a similar yet changed Azeroth makes sense.
So, here's my question for the peanut gallery - how will this be structured in terms of new players after this is released? Will there be 1.0 and 2.0 Azeroths, and newbies will just get the old one with the vanilla game? Will it just be an alternative Azeroth much like any other "new" zone which exists side-by-side with the old one?