"We go through multiple expansions at a time and there was a point in which we were trying to decide the order of which should come first, Warlords of Draenor versus Legion ... and we had decided that the right thing story wise was for Warlords to come first and lead into Legion. So we have known what we are going to do on core level since two and half three years ago or so now. It was around 2012 we were talking about that."
Starting with the Khadgar voiceover for Legion.
Punchy title felt right for this expansion. Ton of excitement, very happy to see. Went through over a year of knowing what we're doing before we could talk about it.
Did you question your decisions and choices? Not so much -- more concerned about how much information they're giving out. Too much? Too little? Don't want to disappoint people.
Roadmap? Idea first blossomed several years ago during expansion planning. Tried to decide order of Legion and WoD, decided that WoD should come first and lead into Legion. Knew what was going to happen at a core level since 2012.
Rough sketches back in 2012? The high-level concept has been there for a long time, want to tie expansions together better. Had threads with Garrosh that led into Warlords, and now into Legion. Had talked about new classes for a while, but once they settled on Legion, they realized this was the best time to introduce the Demon Hunter.
How much iteration was there? Tons of iteration, even the name of the expansion. Already had two zones in production -- some things get a longer head start than others. Different elements have different start and end times.
What were some of the rejected names for Legion? Settled on it two years ago. Doesn't want to say.
What you do you want to do differently in the Broken Isles? Started with Tomb of Sargaeras, mapped out the lore, what was near that to visit? What cultures do we need to visit? Before it was a tomb, it was a Temple of Elune and there was Night Elf civilization all around. It's been a long time since we've played with that culture, a good direction after all the orcs. Natural additions like naga, tidal pools, mountains of Stormheim. Distinct variety in different regions. We heard you about disappointment with all the orc stuff--wanted to tell us about the new feel in the future! *We always know what the next thing is because we're working on it, but we're not ready to talk about it just yet.
New level cap is the right number? Complaints? Right number--10 level increments feel pretty satisfying.
Elaborate on what you want to see artifact weapons bring into Warcraft? Ultimately represent an alternate progression system that allows players to customize their weapons and abilities. Add depth, choice, flexibility to your class that's tied to your weapon, instead of adding new buttons and abilities. Transcends traditional game structure.
Ongoing concern about progression? Huge part of what we do -- a huge part of what RPGs are about. If we don't do it well, people aren't having fun. Players say they have the most fun early on when everything is new and relevant, then options to progress become narrower with tunnel focus on gearing.
Creating a single piece of art to represent the expansion? Driven by the team. Pieces developed for different conferences and gatherings. The group of them define the iconic look for the expansion. Focusing on what the fantasy is and distilling it down. Tying this together is a challenge. Imgur
Drop in subscriber numbers an ongoing concern or always a state of fluctuation? Yes, a state of fluctuation, but more concerned with people being happy and having fun. Focus on rate, delivery, amount of content. Lots of factors that make up the subscription numbers, some which can be controlled, other which can't.
Pressure to know what players want--bigger & better? Definitely better, not necessarily bigger. Interest in replayability, progression & reward systems to make a satisfying experience. Right mix of social and single-player activity.
One of the struggles working on a live game -- committed to quality, but we have to get content into players hands to make them happy. Need content to stay relevant and interesting over time. Deliver on that in the long term and give people reasons to keep playing, as well as more to do.
Immediate future focus? Internal alpha at the office, get that as far along as possible to prepare for beta. Ready to listen to player feedback now that we can talk about the new expansion -- see what people are excited about and make sure we're on the right track.
Thoughts about the expansion after Legion? Already well in-process on the next expansion.
http://www.gamereactor.eu/news/339523/Worl...ning+for+years/ 
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World Of Warcraft, Part LXI, Official Realm
