Here is some juicy info on 8.3 and the next expansion.
I can't say how much of this is 100% accurate. This is all stuff I've been able to patch together from the information I got.
About the leaked map: >It appears to be a WIP map, one of many that were presented during a layout pitch meeting about 1-2 years ago. The logo is a probably placeholder/suggestion made by the presenter for that particular pitch. It's not unusual for the developers to spice things up. The real logo is always finalized shortly before the actual announcement. Many of the 'hub' names are also placeholders, but the main zone names were pre-determined. >The map is actually very representative of the final design of Shadowlands. So far, every zone except Ny'kaithos is represented in the development version of 9.0. >Because the photo of the Shadowlands map was taken so long ago, probably nobody can recall who exactly attended the meeting, and certainly nobody remembers who was sitting where. >Shadowlands isn't all dark and gloomy. The concept art for Xiros and Darkfront is very colorful. The Riftlands feels more like a psychedelic Outland. >The blood trolls in Morbara are not our enemies. They are being tortured for their failure to worship Hakkar in life. The zone is nothing like Nazmir, so troll fatigue is not a concern. >Mueh'zala is present in Morbara, but is weak and afraid of Hakkar. He is shapeless because Hakkar has destroyed his corporeal form. >Ny'alotha lies within a pocket universe. That's why it says 'transit'. However, this does not change the fact that the Shadowlands and Ny'alotha are now connected. The island of Ny'kaithos is the Old Gods' attempt to build a permanent foothold within the Shadowlands, but this plan is foiled by us in the dungeon there.
Patch 8.3: >The last boss of BfA was indeed shown in the Azshara defeat cinematic, but it's more metaphorical than people realize. The last boss is us: Alliance & Horde, as indicated by the last shot of Jaina and Lor'themar. Azshara and N'Zoth are both bosses in the next expansion. We won't be facing them again (at least physically) in BfA. >Sylvanas will prepare a strike against Thunder Bluff, tricking both the Alliance and Horde into defending it. During this distraction, she will invade and conquer Stormwind. The latter will be explained through a comic released in October. >It has always been the plan to finish the expansion with a raid-version of Stormwind. Therefore, patch 8.3 includes a 10-boss raid within Elwynn and the city itself, along with a complementary, all-new 40-player battleground.
Alexander Anderson
Stormwind Raid: >In the raid, Horde and Alliance players fight alongside important lore characters and leaders from both factions. >Sylvanas has already taken Stormwind at this point. The raid is about defeating Sylvanas and reclaiming Stormwind. >The first boss is a sort of caravan-escort scenario. An azerite-powered battering ram made by goblins & gnomes will start at Goldshire and travel slowly towards the gates of Stormwind. Waves of adds will attack the ram in an attempt to destroy it. >The second boss is Old God aligned and has enslaved city guards and other famous Stormwind NPCs (such as Topper McNabb). >Another notable boss is Anduin. Halfway through the raid, he will succumb to the whispers of N'Zoth. We must fight him until he returns to his former self. Wrathion makes a special appearance during this fight. N'Zoth is trying very hard to keep us from reaching Sylvanas. >The 8th boss is Nathanos. This encounter takes place in Cathedral Square. Tyrande decapitates him at the end of the fight. >The penultimate boss is Sylvanas. She awaits us in Stormwind Harbor. MASSIVE SPOILERS NOW. BE WARNED! >Sylvanas is the first of two encounters that comprise the grand finale of BfA. Alliance and Horde will fight side by side against Sylvanas until Bolvar eventually appears and starts killing Horde leaders – first to go is Lor'themar. Bolvar will then side with Taelia and the Alliance. Sylvanas will shoot Genn in response, prompting the intermission. >During the intermission, all of the Horde leaders will rejoin Sylvanas. Genn dies, and Anduin and Jaina declare war on the Horde. The final fight begins. >The final boss is 'The Horde' or 'The Alliance'. This encounter is cosmetically unique to each faction, but strategically identical. Horde will win once Anduin is dead, and Alliance will win once Sylvanas is dead.
Ian Parker
>The encounter has been designed to have your faction's leaders die one by one as the opposing faction's health ticks down. The players will all die as well (like the Arthas fight), with Anduin and Sylvanas being the last ones standing. >A cinematic will play once the encounter is over. Anduin will end up killing Sylvanas or vice versa (depending on your faction), only to die of his/her wounds. Ultimately, everyone will be dead, and the harbor will be silent. Characters will then wake up in the Shadowlands, and a ghostly fleet of Helya's ships awaits us in the death version of Stormwind Harbor. With Nathanos by her side, Sylvanas declares that we're now strong enough to face the true battle for Azeroth.
Justin Johnson
General comments: >A short teaser-cinematic starring Gallywix and Mekkatorque will be shown at Blizzcon in November. Gallywix, who fled from the fight in Stormwind, will eventually find King Mekkatorque's escape pod and awaken him from suspended animation. Together they figure out what happened and construct a device that will allow us to enter and leave the Shadowlands at will. Their cooperation lays the groundwork for the new Tinker class. The device is rumored to be the 'Dalaran Hearthstone' of 9.0, given to you at the end of the introductory questline. It works like monks' Transcendence ability. >Calia is the interim Forsaken faction leader during the raid. >BfA's patch release schedule feels slower because the plan is to lead into 9.0 much quicker than ever before after the release of 8.3. >You can have a physical form in the Shadowlands if you are brought there artificially, either by its denizens (such as spirit healers) or by means of 'dimensional' technology. >The Dragon Isles, the Shadowlands and the Old Gods have a much deeper connection than one would think. This is explained by lots of quests and dungeons, but I don't know any specifics besides the shrines in Dragonblight and on the Dragon Isles being connected to the Shadowlands, somehow. This connection will also play a major role and be explored in the patches going forward. The Curse of Flesh also plays a role in this.
Angel Ramirez
>Sylvanas declares that we're now strong enough to face the true battle for Azeroth.
Had me up to this. We truly are a World of Warcraft.
Asher Murphy
>zero mention of the Durotar warfront in the files fake, nice larp
who cares now that classic is out THE true mmorpg, challenging and fun (althought combat suck but that's mmorpg for you, can't have everything in such a large scale game)
Eli Rivera
okay, there's shitty fanart and then there's blizzard's artstyle ... dont want this to be true but it sure looks like it
Brayden Robinson
I don't know the water looks off
Dominic Cook
Maybe if they turn it into something like Old School Runescape and add new updates. Otherwise, whats the point of paying $15 a month for something that'll never be updated?
Jeremiah Anderson
if you think this is bad, you should see the nazjatar intro. they honestly change their water every other cinematic so there's no telling, really
Kayden Flores
>sees map labelled "Durotar Warfront" >thinks it means Durotar Warfront
Anthony Miller
sounds like shit >The Dragon Isles, later than expected
Robert Rogers
Now that i have read everything it sounds belieavable. But Sylvanas could just have told us what she knew instead of all this clusterfuck but oh well, just Blizzard things
James Long
So, in canon, whos dying this time around? What the fuck are the Shadowlands? How the fuck is Sylv powerful enough to take stormwind
Josiah Moore
>What the fuck are the Shadowlands Hell, basically. They've been part of the lore for ages but rarely brought up.
Hunter Roberts
Looks like everyone but Anduin, Mekkatorque and Gallywix
William Cox
anduin dies too apparently
Jacob Rodriguez
players' characters go to the shadowlands when they die, and they can be revived. its not permadeath.
Jordan Reed
>that pic OH NO NO NO NO NO
Colton Ward
Literally the only part of this I like is my main squeeze, the man, the myth, the legend Hakkar finally coming back.
Them making up some random Blood God when Hakkar already existed really ruffled my jammies.
Blake Taylor
>until Bolvar eventually appears and starts killing Horde leaders – first to go is Lor'themar. Bolvar will then side with Taelia and the Alliance. Sylvanas will shoot Genn in response, prompting the intermission. >Bolvar getting out of his chair fake
This. If blizzard starting killing alliance leaders it's gonna end up being a really bad time especially as alliance players. If BfA ends another way other then with sylvanas dead, it's a pointless exp
Evan Ward
Nobody will play this. We're all playing Classic now.
This is so bullshit it's stupid. Doesn't even make any fucking sense and it clashes with a bunch of information we already know. Such as you missed out the durotar warfront coming next patch so why would stormwind be a raid at the same time? Wrathion gets a new model next patch which obviously indicates he is somewhat of an important character that will be involved next patch.
Jordan Anderson
It might be Durotar Warfront and Sylvanas in Stormwind Raid (which Sylvanas attacks while Alliance helps Horde in Durotar), but this leak is still bullshit
Eli Green
>The last boss is us WOW BRAVO
John Gray
Both the warfront and assault on stormwind were datamined on the PTR
Ayden Watson
Huh, nice
Evan Williams
and OP doesn't mention the Durotar warfront at all, he fell for the Thunder Bluff red herring
Brandon Watson
>Old Gods and their minions view Sylvanas as anathema, screeching for her immediate death on sight >Uhhhh actually they're helping her!! Okay gay
Jaxon Parker
>Sylvanas will prepare a strike against Thunder Bluff, tricking both the Alliance and Horde into defending it. During this distraction, she will invade and conquer Stormwind. Why the alliance should giv a fucking fuck about Thunder Bluff >The latter will be explained through a comic released in October. Yeah the old don't show just put it in a comic offscreen
Can you stop fucking leaking shit you autistic sperglord? Nobody gives a fuck about wow, tell me how much they'll ruin warcraft 3 remaster right now
Noah Harris
Who cares about your fag game, babies.
Alexander Torres
Pointless post that can be made in literally any thread in this board, end yourself
Julian Bailey
Thank Christ they are releasing WC3 Remastered and supporting Classic, because that story is even more retarded and even more full off asspulls than the fucking Last Jedi. OP AND Blizz are both faggots.
I meant in respect ti Sylvannas pulling an attack on SW off with what Transports? Her fucking fleet was decimated? What Staging area? Undecity is FUBAR and Silvermoon is fucking far as fuck with Booty Bay being 100% neutral and a hefty fight if Sylvannas tries to take or move her army through that zone. She is also able to move an army capable or sacking the city without anyone noticing while maintaining the guise of attacking Thunder Bluff without Tauren support which makes up a large portion of Horde combat forces? Like everything in this entire situation is so incredibly farcical like that of the Last Jedi where they can use an FTL engine to wipe out an entire Star Destroyer fleet but no ones thought to do that before or since? Idk i thought the LJ was more apt of an asspull comparison.
Jason Davis
I mean within relative context yeah? Like TBCs story might have been fucked compared to what WC2/3 but its nowhere near as retarded as current retail?
Blake Wright
let me guess, you're on drugs?
Blake Evans
So you're saying you will have an active subscription during that time? All part of the plan, my man!
>Shadowbringers expansion just came out >Blizzard: "WE'RE GOING INTO THE SHADOWLANDS"
Owen Richardson
Please kill yourself retailnigger.
Bentley Bell
>Jaina was sealed away in the gay part of the Shadowlands >all that shit with Vol'jin and the Tauren heritage about something being wrong in the afterlife Yeah, they clearly did this as a reaction to some weeb shit instead of scraping the bottom of the barrel for anything they could find
Dominic Cruz
retail is done for
Samuel Clark
>The zone is nothing like Nazmir, so troll fatigue is not a concern. troll fatigue is never a concern
Jordan Morris
don't overdose my dude
Dylan Torres
>Lel no matter who wins they all die anyway This all sounds terrible
Elijah Edwards
This all sounds awful, yet I believe that they would be retarded enough to write a story like this.
Dominic Garcia
Leave it to Christie Golden
Lincoln Sanders
Didnt she have a good book or two or is all of her writing this dogshit tier?
Colton Perry
She's a NYT best seller, so I'd let that speak for itself. But I don't think she should be in charge of WoW's story.
