World of Warcraft is preparing to launch Eternity’s End, the final major patch of Shadowlands. In anticipation for the conclusion of the Shadowlands arc, a leak supposedly from a Blizzard development Discord has laid out the story and gameplay mechanics for the next World of Warcraft expansion. Warning: Spoilers and speculation for the World of Warcraft: Shadowlands expansion below.
According to this alleged leak, Shadowlands will end with the Jailer exacerbating Azeroth’s wounds before his defeat. The players will save the planet with Magni’s help, but earthquakes and elemental invasions in a massive pre-patch event will herald a big change in the next expansion.
World of Warcraft 10.0 will reportedly be titled The Dragon Isles, and will begin with a long cinematic of the Titan world-soul of Azeroth awakening into a dragon-like form. If this leak is true, players will work with Wrathion and his fledgling uncorrupted black dragonflight to guide the awakened Azeroth to reshape the world and repair the damage caused since Cataclysm. The expansion would add a new zone in the form of the Dragon Isles–a planned zone from Burning Crusade–and would add playable black dragons, who would have a horned humanoid form of any race to battle in, and a draconic flight form to fly in.
Though there is no confirmation on the accuracy of these WoW leaks, there's some evidence to support them. Assets associated with a new high-fidelity mount have been datamined from Patch 9.2 that make reference to an emerald drake mount, which many believe could be a deluxe edition pre-order reward for a dragon or Emerald Dream expansion. Additionally, World of Warcraft recently sold a dragon-themed pack on its cash shop that included several draconic mounts and minions together–a tactic that has previously hinted at future expansions in the past.
World of Warcraft fans are buzzing with the possibilities presented by these supposed leaks. With the otherworldly and cosmic themes of Shadowlands being one of its biggest criticisms, a return to Azeroth with a focus on rebirth is exactly what fans want. With no main villain, WoW can avoid creating another unpopular antagonist like the Jailer. On top of that, being able to play a dragon would be a dream come true for many fans of the iconic guardians of Azeroth.
Understandably, many Warcraft players are skeptical of the leaks. Some believe parts of it are too well-thought-out, while others point out features many believe will come in 10.0, like cross-faction play or a new class, are suspiciously absent. Others still think it could be real, but believe Blizzard will find a way to mess it up. World of Warcraft has yet to make any official announcements about what comes after Shadowlands, but with all eyes on Blizzard after Microsoft’s buyout, now would be a great time to do so.
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is available on PC. Eternity's End is currently in development.
Source: Icy Veins, MMO Champion