Warning: leaks, rumors, speculation, and what may not be real spoilers abound!
Reddit Post
Seemingly originating on Reddit, a post titled Is this 11.0?? has generated quite a bit of hype and discussion within the WoW community.
The post includes an image of what appears to be 4 feature slides of new zones, the so far most convincing leak of the upcoming expansion, alongside the text “New Continent: Avalon”.
Laptop Photo
In an age of digital manipulation, this alone doesn’t tell us much, and the true original source of the potential leak remains unknown. However, as rumors and discussion circulate throughout the WoW community, further evidence appears to have arisen:
This second image shows both a laptop webpage of the presumed expansion on Battle.net, as well as a mobile phone open to another similar feature overview, alongside the word “mobile ready!” suggesting a screen cap of someone’s personal showcase of their work on the expansion.
The distant lands of Avaloren lay beyond the western horizon of Azeroth’s storming seas. Isolated for millennia, those that call these enchanted kingdoms home have relied upon the living world beneath them, bound to sacred oaths and divided by old hatreds.
AGG’ORAND
Charged with the defence of this harsh desert plateau, the furious Agg’ora have ruled over their earthen domain with brutal efficiency. As new threats arrive, the unity of these once unwavering goliaths has been fractured, giving rise to a conflict that sunders the region.
KHAZ ALGAR
Nestled in secluded mountain crags, this roaring canyon surges with devastating elemental power, suppressed by the constructs of an ancient facility. Known for their hardened nature and mastery of the skies, the Stormriders of Khaz Algar have forged a unique legacy from atop their aerie strongholds.
Right arrow points to something called The Everward.
Speculation
Although this is certainly the most convincing leak so far, more skeptical fans have noted several compelling reasons why this may be either a fantastic ruse or completely real, some of which we’ve highlighted below.
Birds!
In the first slide shared on Reddit, several birds can be spotted to the left and right of the Avaloren text. These look very similar to birds previously datamined in Patch 10.1, which we’ve paused mid-animation in order to match the poses in the image.
Light Pillar
Blizzard recently shared behind the scenes photos of props from their BlizzCon preparation, and the pillars in this image look very similar to those seen in the 4th slide shared on Reddit.
Compare the pillar in the back right of the image below to the ones among the green foliage in that fourth slide:
Text
The font choice for “New Continent: Avaloren” seems very similar to that of the Shadowlands trailer, although with a bit more shine. Interestingly though, Dragonflight used a completely different look in their feature overview.
Expansion Site
The picture with the laptop on it seems similar to what appears at the top of the expansion page for Dragonflight, just with new information. Nothing really sticks out with the listed information on the page. Interestingly though, the text for Khaz Algar mentions Stormriders of which “Algarian Stormrider” was previously leaked as a Heroic Edition mount achievement, suggesting that it is one of the customary perks for purchasing the expansion.
With all this and more, the evidence seems very compelling, although it is impossible to know for sure until Blizzard reveals what they’ve been working on in person, in just under two short weeks at BlizzCon 2023. What do you think?
