The plot thickens:

So yesterday we learned that Blizzard had trademarked “The Dark Below.” The big question was whether this was the next World of Warcraft expansion, or the next Diablo expansion.

And now Blizzard has launched a site for Diablo III: Reaper of Souls.

The odds of this being anything but the expansion pack for D3 (which will probably be annnounced at Gamescom in a few days) are slim to none.

So that can only mean one thing.

[UPDATE: Okay, it’s getting weirder. MMO-Champion is now reporting that Blizzard has trademarked “Corgis Unleashed.” This somewhat throws into question whether “The Dark Below” is legit or not. Someone is obviously trolling us. The question is whether Blizzard is intentionally trying to throw us off the scent (they’ve done similar things in the past), or whether this is all just some douche’s idea of a joke.

I’m still inclined to think The Dark Below is real. The timing is right, and it sounds like a WoW expansion. But maybe it’s wishful thinking on my part.

On with the original post.]

World of Warcraft: The Dark Below

I think this is all but confirmed now. The timing is right for this to be the next WoW expansion. It’s not a Diablo expansion. It’s not a StarCraft expansion. It’s almost certainly not related to Titan considering that just got reset.

So what could the Dark Below refer to? Despite all the hints of a Legion expansion being next, my money is on Azshara.

Let’s put on our tinfoil hats here. Ozumat is the Fiend of the Dark Below. There have been hints that something really nasty is happening in Azeroth’s seas from as far as back as Warcraft III. There have been repeated mentions of N’zoth, the Drowned God, in both Cataclysm and Mists of Pandaria. We never did find out what happened to Neptulon, and if Azshara succeeded in corrupting him, she would now have complete control over the element of water. Sounds like an expansion-level threat to me.

Also, Blizzard said that Mists of Pandaria was sort of a late addition. They originally had a different plan for expansion five fully planned out, then decided to put it off in favour of PandaLand. Cataclysm had a lot of Naga involvement and hints of Azshara, as if they were planning that as the next big threat…

An Azshara expansion is something I’m whole-heartedly in favour of. Azshara is one of the last major villains from pre-WoW lore we haven’t tangled with yet. She’s one of the most unabashedly evil characters in Azeroth’s history, and she was a mage of near godlike power before the Old Gods turned into her into an immortal Lovecraftian monster and before she conquered the elemental plane of water.

She’s also a female villain, which is something WoW doesn’t have a lot of. And this could be a great opportunity to bring Tyrande back into the spotlight, as she’s probably Azshara’s most iconic rival.

And the Great Sea includes all kinds of interesting places, like Zandalar, the Rift of Aln, Kul Tiras, and the Tomb of friggin’ Sargeras.

Of course, it could also be an underground expansion focused on the dark places within Azeroth. Which could also be very cool. Azjol-Nerub, anyone? Or it could even combine elements of both.

I’m trying not to get too excited. Expectation is almost always better than reality.

And then there’s the other news:

And we mustn’t forget that this is big news on the Diablo front, as well.

Surprisingly, I am quite excited about a D3 expansion. Although I’ve not always been the biggest Diablo fan, I did quite enjoy D3 — despite its many notable flaws — and I’m very eager to see the next installment of the story.

It’s hard to speculate based just on this vague title, but the website quotes a line from the Prophecy of the End Days that most people assume to refer to Malthael, the missing archangel of wisdom.

I’ve said before that I want a D3 expansion with the angels as the main villains, so that would definitely get my seal of approval.

Mostly, I’m just excited to return to slaying demons with Kormac, Eirena, and Shen. Love the characters in that game.

* * *

So, what say you about this news? Does the Dark Below tickle your fancy as a WoW expansion? What do you think it might be about? And what are your thoughts on Reaper of Souls as the Diablo expansion?

Well, now…

MMO-Champion has just reported that Blizzard has trademarked the title “The Dark Below,” and that the trademark applies to an electronic game.

So, are we looking at World of Warcraft: The Dark Below to be announced as the next expansion?

I’d hope so. “The Dark Below,” aside from being an all around awesome title, strongly hints at either an ocean-themed expansion (Ozumat bore the title “Fiend of the Dark Below”) or an underground expansion.

My two main wishes for the next WoW expansion are either an ocean-themed expansion with Azshara as the main villain, or an underground expansion based on the Old Gods, so this has me very excited. Azjol-Nerub, Nyalotha, Nazjatar… all places I’d love to go.

Now, it should be noted that there is mention of the Dark Below being associated with demons in Warcraft lore, so it could be a hint of a Burning Legion expansion, which is what everyone expected to follow Pandaria, but this mention of the Dark Below comes from the non-canon RPG, so I wouldn’t put too much stock in the idea.

Of course, there is one more possibility.

Dios mio! El Diablo!

It could also be the title for the Diablo III expansion. Certainly, “The Dark Below” does sound very Diablo-y, and there is a lot of talk that they may be announcing the D3 expansion soon, possibly at Gamescom roughly a week from now.

I hope it’s not, though. Partly because I really like the idea of Azshara and/or the Old Gods getting an expansion, and partly because I was hoping the D3 expansion would involve the angels as the main villains. “The Dark Below,” if it is a Diablo expansion, sounds like yet another traipse through Hell. Which is all well and good, but I’d like to see Diablo explore new frontiers a bit more.

* * *

So, commence weeks of rampant speculation. What do you think? Naga? Old Gods? Diablo? Azshara riding Diablo riding N’zoth riding a T-rex riding a frickin’ shark with a frickin’ laser on its head?

Please be an Azshara expansion, please be an Azshara expansion…