World of Warcraftbegan development in 1999, nearly 23 years ago, and the foundation for its story was built in parallel withWarcraft 3: Reign of Chaosand its subsequent expansion pack,The Frozen Throne. The world of Azeroth needed to grow, and the scope needed to widen to accommodate the demands of an MMO, and thoughWorld of Warcrafthad grown beyond its franchise’s strategy game roots, it still draws upon the foundations built inWarcraft 3to this day.
Sometimes, and perhaps especially so for a game whose story had been as long-lived as theWorld of Warcraftsagahas been, it is not surprising to find storytelling patterns within the game’s overall narrative – arcs and themes that show up in one expansion, that eventually get referenced and concluded in another. Perhaps the most obvious example isWorld of Warcraft: Legionfinally wrapping up the plotline of Sargeras and his demon generals introduced inWarcraft 3.
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AWorld of Warcraftplayer named Solicct noticed this pattern in 2017 and extrapolated it to account for future expansions down the road, and the results have been surprisingly accurate. The player put forward the idea thatThe Burning Crusadeintroduced two separate themes within its overarching storyline: that of Draenor, and that of the Burning Legion.Warlords of Draenorbecame the expansion that concluded one thread, whileLegionbecame the expansion that concluded the other.
By following this logic, Solicct claimed that the next two expansions would follow the themes introduced inWrath of the Lich King. Namely, that one expansion would conclude the Old Gods theme set in motion through Yogg-Saron and Ulduar, while the latter would focus on the Lich King and the realm of Death. Looking back, it’s beyond clear thatBattle for AzerothandShadowlandsare a perfect match, according to the criteria put forward by the post.
Which begs the question of what this means for the future expansion yet unannounced. In his original post, written a few months beforeBattle of Azerothwas announced, Solicct went on to say that the expansion afterShadowlandswould have a Dragon theme, given thatCataclysm’sstoryline dealt with two primary arcs: that of Dragons, and that of the Elemental Lords. He confidently introduced the idea that the expansion after would therefore deal with the Elemental Lords, and conclude both of these plotlines.
Given that rumors are heavily pointing towards aDragon Isles expansion forWorld of Warcraft, it would seem that Solicct’s prediction has rung true every single time thus far. If this pattern is to be believed, then the expansions that come after would involve the Elemental Lords, the Horde and Alliance war, before concluding with the Void Lords at last. Of course, it could very well be a happy coincidence – yet until the expansions get officially announced, the accuracy of Solicct’s speculation will remain an object of intrigue.
