Any guesses on when Mop Launch?

[Kalliope]

If nothing else, there's still a lot of placeholder artwork, an entire zone yet to be released, and the level cap hasn't hit 90 yet.

Plus silkworms haven't been reclassified yet. (TEENY FEET BURROWS! <3)

There's still a good amount of time, no doubt.

[Rikaku]

I´d say july then.. cant imagine 4.3 until august or september..

I mean in the summer holydays all the kids have time to play wow

So no chance of MoP hitting in an month or so?

I'd say probably not. Usually they announce release dates 2 months before the actual release date (if Cataclysm and Wrath announcement-to-release-date timeline if I am remembering Wrath/Cataclysm info properly), so I'd imagine if it was going to hit in a month, we'd know the date by now.

But hey, you never know

Personally, I really hope its out in summer (the earlier the better plus I am so sick of dragon soul), but I still don't see it releasing in the summer.

[Ana]

Heh What should i do with my summer vacation now huh ..

Might accually need to go out into the sun.. ARGH IM MELTING

[Newnaurtura]

word on the street is it's slated for a nov/dec release

[Slickrock]

word on the street is it's slated for a nov/dec release

Ugh... that's the street named quit the game.

[Agravaine]

Blizzard's been relatively consistent with WoW expansion timelines. The trick is to count business weeks from announcement date to release.

Best case scenario: they've learned so much from their previous work that they can release, say, 3 months earlier than their prevous average... but that would still put it in October.

Worst case scenario: they would stay within their average timeline and release in January. Needless to say, I dislike that scenario.

[Slickrock]

Blizzard's been relatively consistent with WoW expansion timelines. The trick is to count business weeks from announcement date to release.

Best case scenario: they've learned so much from their previous work that they can release, say, 3 months earlier than their prevous average... but that would still put it in October.

Worst case scenario: they would stay within their average timeline and release in January. Needless to say, I dislike that scenario.

Given the timing of beta, they can't go that long with it, or they will loose a lot of people. As I said before, my casual guild is already 4/8H, what are we going to do for another 6+ months? They have been pushing people through the content. They can't sit that long.

End of August would be 5+ months of Beta. They better be ready by then.

[Agravaine]

Given the timing of beta, they can't go that long with it, or they will loose a lot of people. As I said before, my casual guild is already 4/8H, what are we going to do for another 6+ months? They have been pushing people through the content. They can't sit that long.

End of August would be 5+ months of Beta. They better be ready by then.

To be honest, I hope you're right. In fact, it should be out earlier than that. They're certainly capable. But for a number of reasons, I don't see it happening though I'd be really happy if it did.

[Kalliope]

I dunno, Blizzard just put off D3 by a year and delayed SC2 by about 9 months to make sure they were ready. I don't care when MoP comes out provided that it's only when Blizz thinks it's ready. Sure, the natives might get restless, but they'd prefer a better product in the long run, even if they hate waiting for it.

Compare this with SWTOR, which clearly was not ready for release. So many bugs - and hardly any endgame. >_<

[Chimera]

I dont mind a nov/dec release, like, sure its an expensive addition to the christmas list of the family buying it for their kids instead of a $20 game that they originally had their eyes on but its good buisness for blizz money wise because people will still have money in their pockets if its a november release. Come january everyone will be broke!

[Agravaine]

I don't believe Blizzard is scared about losing any more subscriptions than they already have over the past couple of years. People who hate the concepts of MoP have had all the time they need to ragequit. So what's left?

- A relatively loyal userbase who might play less for the time being, but will be around for MoP when it's out

- Roughly a million people who committed to staying subscribed for a year, ranging from last October to the beginning of this month. A good portion of that million are putting MoP beta through its paces. A good portion of that million are also getting Diablo III for free.

- Indepentedly of WoW, Diablo III has broken a number of preorder records and is set to become one of the bestselling PC titles of all time.

- A little franchise called Starcraft which seems to be doing decently in Asia

In a nutshell, WoW is not Blizzard's only cash cow. Billions of people have quit WoW over the years for a number of reasons, but billions are still playing. Blizzard does not have its release dates dictated to it. Blizzard is famous for not releasing titles until they deem them ready. Which, as I have noted, they have done so in relatively consistent timelines.

As for casuals... guess what, my guild stopped raiding after Firelands and we've just been whiling away our time with LFR, raid PUGs and honor grinding in BGs since the beginning of the year. We're still around. We'll still be around even if MoP release gets pushed back to Q2 next year (God forbid!).

[Royi]

My guess has been July - August.

8-9 months of 4.3 sounds scary though.

They will likely put out 5.0.1 or something a month or so ahead of time (like they do with all other expansions)


Also that one little Diablo thing seems kind of neat. I like being able to chat with others through Realid and whatnot as well.

[Agravaine]

With MoP's cinematic set to be unveiled in August, any further guesses on the release date?

This could be another timeline hint, but cinematic reveal date to expansion release timelines have been getting shorter each expansion... perhaps 1 month this time?

BC: Cinematic: May 2006 (Spike VGA) -- Release: January 2007 (8 Months)
WotLK: Cinematic: August 2008 (GC Leipzig) -- Release: November 2008 (3 Months)
Cataclysm: Cinematic: October 2010 (Zarhym, forums) -- Release: December 2010 (2 Months)

BTW, where I said "billions" earlier? Should've been "millions", hehe...

[Vephriel]

I'm going to say...September. Late August would be perfect, but perhaps realistically a September date might be the most feasible.

[Kalliope]

Seconded. September sounds about right for this one.

[Slickrock]

Seconded. September sounds about right for this one.

I certainly hope so...

Don't remember when my pass is up, but, if it expires before the xpac is out, I will take a "unpaid" vacation and maybe let someone scroll me when it does come out.

[Royi]

I hope they at least release 5.0.1 soon. To get us used to the new talent specs and whatnot. Maybe have some new random bosses you can queue for ilvl 403ish gear (like the elemental bosses from pre-cata, the pre wotlk-event invasion stuff, etc.

Plus I wouldn't mind the new glyphs coming out so my scribe can make a lot of gold too

[Meggers]

I dunno, Blizzard just put off D3 by a year and delayed SC2 by about 9 months to make sure they were ready. I don't care when MoP comes out provided that it's only when Blizz thinks it's ready. Sure, the natives might get restless, but they'd prefer a better product in the long run, even if they hate waiting for it.

Compare this with SWTOR, which clearly was not ready for release. So many bugs - and hardly any endgame. >_<

Sadly, D3 was released in a beta state. Its finally getting to the point where, if I had worked for the company, I'd release it. XD

[Kalliope]

I dunno, Blizzard just put off D3 by a year and delayed SC2 by about 9 months to make sure they were ready. I don't care when MoP comes out provided that it's only when Blizz thinks it's ready. Sure, the natives might get restless, but they'd prefer a better product in the long run, even if they hate waiting for it.

Compare this with SWTOR, which clearly was not ready for release. So many bugs - and hardly any endgame. >_<

Sadly, D3 was released in a beta state. Its finally getting to the point where, if I had worked for the company, I'd release it. XD

See, that doesn't make sense to me. If you put out two games that aren't ready back to back, people might start to think it's a pattern.

[Ebonrook]

I'll say September, in light of this, while hoping for late August. Though I can see an October release, when Blizzcon should of been.