It has been a couple of weeks sinceWorld of WarcraftreleasedEternity’s End, the final chapter of theShadowlandsstory, meaning players have been awaiting an announcement of what comes next. Blizzard just announced a roadmap of announcements forWarcrafttitles, including the upcoming ninth expansion pack forWorld of Warcraft.According to the press release, Blizzard will announce the ninthWoWexpansion pack on April 19, giving players time to defeat the Jailer and seethe epilogue chapters ofShadowlandsin the coming weeks. Though unconfirmed, it is also likelyWorld of Warcraft’sannouncement will be paired with a new pre-rendered cutscene, likeBattle for AzerothandShadowlandsbefore it.RELATED:World of Warcraft Developers Talk Worldbuilding in Shadowlands and Eternity’s EndBlizzard also announced dates for other reveals forWarcrafttitles. It plans on revealing the next expansion forHearthstoneon March 15, which will bring with it a new cycle of updates to core cards and a new season of standard. Later in May, theupcomingWarcraftmobile gamewill be revealed, which will hopefully give an idea as to what kind of game it will be, and how it will play into theWarcraftuniverse.
The announcement of the nextWorld of Warcraft expansionhas been highly anticipated. In the last couple of months, dozens of rumors, concepts, and supposed leaks have cropped up around the internet. Many of them point towards adragon-themedWorld of Warcraftexpansion, either revolving around the storied Dragon Isles or the Emerald Dream. Fans will not have to wait long to see how accurate these predictions and reported leaks were.
World of Warcraftplayers are glad to finally have a date to mark on their calendars regarding the next expansion.Shadowlandshas been a controversial expansion pack, and though some have enjoyed the narrative it presented, many have been looking forward to what comes next. After the “cosmic burnout” many have experienced with the lofty narrative, many fans hope for a chance to return to their Azerothian adventures, like howFinal Fantasy 14is doing with its upcomingNewfound Adventurepatch forEndwalker.
SomeWorld of Warcraft fansare less optimistic.Shadowlandshas experienced myriad delays over the last two years due to the COVID-19 epidemic and thesexual harassment and discrimination allegations and lawsuits Blizzardhas been entangled with. Though many fans have given up hope on Blizzard, some are willing to give it one more chance. Either way, whateverWorld of Warcraftreveals on April 19 could make or break the venerable MMORPG.
World of Warcraft: Shadowlandsis available on PC.
MORE:What World of Warcraft Needs to Get Right in its Ninth Expansion
