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Rumor: World of Warcraft's next expansion has been named

by Justin Olivetti on Aug 3rd 2011 8:30AM

World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Expansions, Rumors

110

First there was The Burning Crusade, then Wrath of the Lich King, and, most recently, Cataclysm. World of Warcraft's expansions have been the lifeblood of literally millions of gamers' playtime, which is why many fans are anxiously awaiting word of the fourth expansion pack to the hit MMO.

Today we may know the name of the expansion: Mists of Pandaria. According to MMO Champion, Blizzard filed a trademark with this title on July 28th, which is exactly in line with how the company has procured titles for the previous expansions. The trademark specifies that this is for "computer game software."

The Pandarens are one of the more light-hearted races in the Warcraft franchise, with kung fu panda bears from a secret empire somewhere in Azeroth. Despite being fan favorites, the Pandarens have been rarely seen in WoW, while Blizzard has used them in a couple different April Fool's jokes in the past.

We'll be keeping our eyes on Blizzard for any official confirmation.

Source: MMO Champion

Reader Comments (110)

the question is :
will they be alliance or horde?

@alzeer

If this is real (and I'm guessing this is a red herring by Blizzard at this point), then I'd guess it would be a neutral race -- too many implications with player actions for China, and Blizzard is unlikely to divide their audience into 50% can have the new sexy and 50% can have old and busted.

@alzeer

Can they honestly be horde? If they weren't so far past this point I would say Jump -> Shark

@(Unverified)
yeah, and i believe pandarens were going to be the alliance race in burning crusade but they got scratched for draenei due to chinese ethics or something...

@alzeer Alliance could get Panda, since they use to be friends with the Nightelves and apparently have relations with the Dwarves cause of booze.

Horde could get.. Furblongs?

@hami83 Ogres!

@alzeer If they are a playable race it would be fitting to make them the first race to be playable by both factions. Other wise prepare for community eruption that shadows all past WoW eruptions.

With that said I don't expect them to make the race playable but I will admit that if they do I will return to play them with one caveat. I would want them to be a heroic race and class combo think Death Knight but race locked. I have no desire to see Pandaren Druids, Warlocks, Warriors, Rogues, etc, etc the Brewmaster Martial arts is what I would like to see. :-p

So I suppose I won't be returning to WoW as I highly doubt that little dream will come true. Still if that is the title for the next expansion I am glad to see the race represented outside of easter eggs and jokes.

@(Unverified)

I'm pretty sure the depiction of pandas in a video game isn't a problem with China. I remember people proposing that back on WoW Insider and being corrected. It's just bones you have to watch out for censoring.

@desnargue

Nah the problem in the past was that they were shown wearing Japanese armors and weapons rather then Chinese, which naturally the Chinese weren't happy about with the Panda being a national symbol of theirs,

but since then they were redesigned from this:

http://images.wikia.com/wowwiki/images/0/0a/Pandarenbrewmaster.JPG

to this:

http://images.wikia.com/wowwiki/images/3/32/Pandaren.jpg

@desnargue There was an article that claimed this but it was BS.

Fun fact: Perfect World (a game which originates in China) also has playable panda-people.

@(Unverified) This has been said a bunch now but ehre goes again. There IS NO LAW in China about Pandas.

@(Unverified)

People thought Goblins would have to be neutral... they ended up Horde.
Not saying that Pandas will end up one side or another, just saying its possible.
(Personally, I doubt players will be allowed to play one. It will just be another NPC faction.)

@(Unverified)
I don't believe they need to even worry about the Chinese reaction anymore, considering all the trouble they've had lately even getting titles released there. It took them years to get Wrath officially, and not even sure if they have Cata yet.

@Unshra
Pretty much agree with you there. No panda druids. A humanoid bear that turns into a real bear is just stupid... Come to think of it thats even stupider than a werewolf that turns into a giant cat.

@hami83

Please oh please look at how to spell Furbolgs. I die a little every time I hear/see people misspell or mispronounce this great race's name. :(

Your first link in the second paragraph is pointing at the wrong tag.

no.

@Grumms

yes.

@AutobotIronhide But, but :(

I don't like this. At all. Not that I care really because I don't play it, but still.

Was any other WoW xpac this hurried (as in, name trademarked and semi-announced before the first content patch of the last one)? I can't help but wonder if they're compensating for something.

I really don't feel a rush of excitement at the thought of Pandaren: they're an April Fool's Day joke so old people are forgetting they're an April Fool's Day joke. They really don't strike me as the basis for an expansion I can take seriously. I *can't* take cuddly panda people seriously. The parade of anthropomorphized furry races has always been one of my least favorite aspects of the fantasy genre.

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Rumor: World of Warcraft's next expansion has been named

Reader Comments (110)

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 8:32AM alzeer said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 8:47AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 9:33AM SunnyRavencourt said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 9:44AM desnargue said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 10:14AM hami83 said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 10:44AM Mikkhail said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 11:18AM Unshra said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 11:31AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 12:27PM Qehb said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 2:22PM Eamil said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 2:52PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 3:08PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 3:12PM Jennacide said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 6:25PM DeadInside said

Posted: Aug 4th 2011 12:02AM herculesmrb said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 8:34AM coledognz said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 8:34AM Grumms said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 9:42AM AutobotIronhide said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 9:55AM Grumms said

Posted: Aug 3rd 2011 8:40AM j1083 said

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