While we'll know for certain what the next expansion will be in just a few more days, it's hard to stop speculating. Right now we've got lots of evidence supporting the idea of a Northrend expansion (there's
the music, as well as some
excellent supporting facts), but we've also got unnamed sources suggesting the next expansion will send us
into the Maelstrom currently located between Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms. But for those of you still wishing to speculate, BlizzPlanet has a
list of potential expansion candidates, and WoWWiki has
an excellent list as well, though theirs ranges into perhaps more far-fetched suggestions.
- Obviously, there's Northrend, which contains 13 distinct regions,
- then there's the South Seas, 5 islands located off the southern coast of the Eastern Kingdoms (and include Zandalar, which I must note already exists in the game) -- on one of these isles you'll find the well-known Goblin city of Undermine,
- then there are a number of other islands located in the Great Sea: Kul'Tiras, Tol Barad, Crestfall, Zul'Dare, Dragon Isle, Balor, and Pandaria,
- the Emerald Dream, which could be as large as Azeroth itself.
However, considering the size of the last expansion, it would not be impossible for Blizzard to, perhaps, pick more than one of these ideas to implement. Perhaps Northrend will focus on new end-game content while the South Seas will provide new mid-range content? We'll find out soon!
Tags: blizzcon, blizzcon 2007, Blizzcon2007, expansion, world of warcraft, WorldOfWarcraft, wow
Filed under: Expansions, BlizzCon
Aug 1st 2007 at 4:27PM 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Frankintroll Aug 1st 2007 5:28PM
The thing I'd like to see the most for the next expansion... Azeroth revisited... Seriously... Remake Azeroth so that we can have our flying mounts everywhere.
Sonvar Aug 1st 2007 5:03PM
It certainly would be nice for them to add more mid-level content cause after hitting about 20 its still the same since before TBC
Cosmic Aug 1st 2007 5:12PM
Which causes a problem if they want to add new races. Everytime they add a new race, or if players want to reroll, they are telling players to make due with the mediocre process of leveling their character to 70 (now 80). But extending the level cap to 80 the need for a 20-58 review grows.
orgle Aug 1st 2007 5:19PM
http://www.wowszene.de/news.php?extend.1182
the expansion will be northrend,level gap improved to level 80 and Death Knight class will be implented..
the link tells all
Todd Aug 1st 2007 5:21PM
What about Dalaran? When are going to see that city available?
Todd Aug 1st 2007 5:23PM
Then there's the current world version of Mt. Hyjal... though I wager we'll be visiting that area later and not this expansion.
chaz Aug 1st 2007 5:28PM
If they add a lot of mid-level content without lots of high level content people will leave in droves. More stuff at the top is what makes people play the game.
Adam Aug 1st 2007 5:53PM
@7: If they only add upper-level stuff, the people begging for new mid/low-level stuff will be pissed. If they only add mid/low-level stuff, the upper level people will be pissed. It's near impossible to please everyone but here's a solution: add both upper and mid/low-level stuff.
Seriously, leveling a new character through old world 20-58 is painful right now. It desperately needs a revamp; new zones, new quests, etc. But they also will have to oblige the upper level players and add new stuff for them.
klink-o Aug 1st 2007 5:53PM
@7:
The flip-side is that the dated mid-level content could discourage new players.
hashpipe Aug 1st 2007 6:00PM
i will be the buzzkill but I personally kinda tired of endgame content. Why doesnt blizzard make some new middle level content. kinda spice it up with something new. i have 3 lvl 70s and ill tell it was boring doing the 30-60 crap over and over and if they do, do more classes or Hero class, they should throw some new content in there somewhere. Hell open up the Greymane Wall as a lvl 20-30.
Could of made Zul'Aman a new Horde mid lvl instance instead making it ANOTHER raid for lvl70. If anything Blizz should made some of the 5man instance a little bit bigger and into 10 man.
I could on and on about what I think Blizz could of done to make the gameplay more interesting and yet fun to play but I'll just keep what i wrote here at it is.
good bye
antikorper Aug 1st 2007 6:16PM
@ all those guys that complain about the way this stuff is written (aka write style):
we have only seen the faq in german sofar, so this might be a somewhat fishy translation.
Dracula Jones Aug 1st 2007 6:30PM
@10: Mid-level content does not keep people... content... for very long. If you have 3 level 70s, you're likely to do it again and again no matter what. So Blizzard can add more content, but you're going to blitz right through it over and over again, get bored, and then you have even more mid-level zones that go unutilized while you complain that Blizzard needs to add more.
I agree they need to look at adding additional quests to existing areas, reitemizing existing mid-level quest rewards, and add a viable alternative to Stranglethorn in that level range, but you're consuming this content more than it was designed to be consumed if you're seriously that bored with what's out there.
@9: Wouldn't it be new content to new players?
Urthona Aug 1st 2007 6:35PM
The current mid-level content wouldn't be bad IF:
1. There were more flight paths per zone.
2. Each zone had twice as many quests.
3. The quest rewards were better considered.
4. The quest sequences built to a satisfying conclusion, either an elite final target, a quest for an instance, or a unique game mechanic.
5. Reputations were easier gained, had corresponding quests, and desirable reputation rewards.
6. Older instances had cemetaries moved closer to the instance portal, and had access to a nearby repair vendor.
7. Older instances were examined and reduced in commitment in time by reducing the difficulty of trash mobs.
8. Older instances could be modified, similar to a Heroic setting, to a difficulty 20 levels higher than its original design.
All of these things can be patched, but more easily changed through an expansion. In summary: we don't need new territories to explore, just more reasons to explore the territory we have overlooked.
I look forward to leveling to 80 on my druid main.
shkss Aug 1st 2007 6:35PM
What about Tor'watha? I noticed this place in south-east eversong woods and is faintly like Zul'amman complete with door with spikes in front. These are so closely compact That you cannot see through. I have no idea what prpose this holds, unless I'm missing something here, except that, like Zul'amman, it belongs to the ammani trolls in the suurounding area. However, there are no mobs within Zul'Watha itself or in it's boundaries, a bit like the early stages of an instance, again like Zul'amman. A possibility, maybe not this expansion, but in the one after perhaps?
Daghol Aug 2nd 2007 4:10PM
Hey Blizzard!
Here's an idea. Rather than make all new mid-level content, reposition some of the Level 60 "end game" for earlier levels. I for one only barely hit 60 before TBC came along. I've barely been to Scholo, Strat or LBRS (remember the old days when you'd see UBRS & LBRS all the time in LFG chat). I have yet to but to UBRS, Molten Core, AQ ... has anyone really been to Naxx?
If they redo the loot tables in these places, there would be good reason to visit these again. Isn't this content just sitting there not being used anyway? Plus, if I could get Tier 0 or Tier 1 stuff at lvl 45 to 50, that would definitely be awesome.
Alexisonfire Aug 1st 2007 8:28PM
Did someone say Pandaria?
Monday Aug 1st 2007 8:59PM
@14
If your gonna make the game ultimate ez mode, why not just let players into outland from the get go while your at it.
skbid Aug 1st 2007 9:05PM
# 16 has the closest thing to the best solution IMO... we don't need to add a ton of new mid level content when there's already a ton of it that's going unused. LBRS, UBRS, MC, BWL, Scholo, Strat, Maraudin, ST, DM...all of these instances are for the most part going unused or at best extremely under-used. What Blizz should do is re-vamp these instances to allow access at slightly earlier levels to coincide with the levels of the loot tables. I mean how many times have you run an instance that you needed to be 60 to even get into to have level 50 to 55 or a little higher items drop? It seems pointless to have items drop in an instance and you are already 5 or more levels higher than the item but yet only meeting the minimum level requirements for the instance. No matter if you run VC, or MC the loot tables all need to be adjusted to provide items appropriate to the levels of the instance. If Blizz did that you'd start seeing these older instances getting a lot more traffic because you could get into the instance at a slightly lower level which helps for the mid ranges, and provides the gear necessary to get you through until you can transition to the outlands or whatever is coming next.
Gazmik Fizzwidget Aug 1st 2007 9:28PM
The island of Zandalar doesn't exist in-game, currently. Maybe you're thinking of Yojamba Isle in STV, where some of the Zandalarian trolls have established a small forward outpost for their attacks on Zul'Gurub.
Pelle Aug 1st 2007 9:44PM
You can pre-order from sweden =)
http://www.webhallen.com/prod.php?id=78061