WoW Yearly Expansion Possible But Unlikely

Speaking to IncGamers at BlizzCon, Blizzard Co-Founder Mike Morhaime said that although Blizzard would like to be able to release one expansion for WoW a year, and that's still the aim, it's unlikely to happen.

As we all know, Blizzard will not release a game until it is ready, no matter what. They had no problem with missing a Christmas release for the Burning Crusade, and the same goes for their previous claim of releasing one expansion per year. So we shouldn't expect the next expansion until 2010 then?

"The next one? I think it is still unlikely that we're going to get it down to a calendar year. We're going to continue to try and decrease that, but really the content of the expansion is more important."

However, we can probably expect to find out what the next expansion will be at next year's BlizzCon.

[Medievaldragon]

It would certainly be great to have a yearly expansion, but that's nigh impossible. Northrend got so much content, it makes you wonder how they were able to cram all that in two years. 15 months would be a good timeframe for each expansion, with maybe 2-3 months of beta testing.

[Maticus]

Well if the next expansion is anywhere as good as Lich King, most people will be happy, even if it does take this long again. He did say though, that the next expansion shouldn't take as long. *hopes*

[Leord]

I don't mind they take a bit more than a year, actually. Gives you time to enjoy what you got.

On the other hand, perhaps they should be coming out more often, as the story progresses very slow in the current shape, compared to how fast people can consume content. By that I don't mean grinding content, which in theory can be infinite.

[Maticus]

I think around 18 months between expansions should be fine. There really hasn't been much to do since Sunwell was released a few months ago, but unless you're a top-end raider, that was only a few weeks worth of content in the form of new dailies to grind.

[Medievaldragon]

It was nice they released the Sunwell so many months ago. I remember -- what was it, Naxxramas? was like the last content patch before Burning Crusade. It was released in a small window before the release date of the expansion.

Heck, I didn't even get to play Naxxramas, when I was already leveling to 70 in Burning Crusade. This time around, at least I had the chance to play some of the Sunwell. Still haven't gone past Kalecgos though -- shame on me. Seems like I am very unlucky with dragons. First guild kicked me at Vaelastrasz a few years back. About 4-5 months ago, I joined a new guild. In less than a month, when we tried Kalecgos ... again got /gkick. Hate dragons ...

err, except my name. ;p

[Jinxstar]

Lots of WoW news atm... I guess it's all Blizzcon. Any release date for Diablo 3? or estimate.

[Zerodin]

The beast that won't FvCKING DIE!!!!!