Five Predictions of Mammoth Proportions

As many savvy Hearthstone players know, back in February Blizzard teased the three expansions that would be released during the Year of the Mammoth. While many correctly guessed the themes for the first and second expansions, Journey to Un’Goro and Knights of the Frozen Throne, the third still remains a mystery.

It was recently revealed that we’ll be getting the official first look at the final expansion during BlizzCon on November 3rd. That’s still weeks away, so let’s make some educated guesses and wild speculations about what it could be!

1. Booty Bay - Yarrrrr Not More Pirates!

Booty Bay represents, by and large, the most common, and perhaps most dreaded, theory of the bunch. This theory is mainly held aloft by the teaser image Blizzard provided at the start of the Year of the Mammoth. The mysterious image for the third expansion appears to show piles of gold and gems, and it prominently features a bag of coins cut open (more on that in a bit).

What would a Booty Bay expansion entail? Odds are it would include more than just pirates, but pirates do feature quite extensively in Booty Bay, which is an area run by the Blackwater Raiders and frequently plagued by the Bloodsail Buccaneers.

The Blackwater Raiders, and Booty Bay, are run by a charming goblin by the name Baron Revilgaz (I smell a potential legendary here) and are traditionally associated with the Steamwheedle Cartel. This opens up the potential for some more goblin fun, and it ties into previous expansions, as the Steamwheedle Cartel are based in that great city whose mean streets we’ve already strolled, Gadgetzan.

2. The Isle of Kezan - South Seas

The Souths Seas is another area that comes up frequently among predictions and hopes for future expansions, but one particularly likely area is the Isle of Kezan. This island is the goblin homeland and a rich mercantile hub, which could possibly tie into the riches we see pictured in the teaser image.

Located beneath Kezan is the goblin city of Undermine, home to the famed Trade Princes. We’ve already been graced with the presence of one in the form of rogue legendary, Trade Prince Gallywix, but there at least four more that we could potentially see if Kezan is the theme of the next expansion.

3. Deadmines and the Defias Brotherhood

As mentioned above, the teaser image prominently features a money bag that is cut at the bottom and spilling out coins. This imagery has led many to the conclusion that thieves or cutpurses will be at the heart of the next expansion... enter the Defias Brotherhood and the Deadmines!

In addition to the hint from the image, we may also have received a clue from the BlizzCon schedule itself. In the summary for the “Hearthstone: What’s Next” event we get the following:

Greetings, travelers! Gather at the inn as the Hearthstone team gives you a look at what they’re serving up next and delve deep into how the Year of the Mammoth will come to a close!

This could be a stretch but it’s possible that “delve deep” is another hint, one that suggests our next expansion will be taking place underground! This doesn’t necessarily mean it will be the Deadmines, but it does lend credence to the theory.

The idea certainly holds some fun potential for the adventure portion of the expansion, as each wing could be a new part of the Deadmines, culminating in a final fight against Vanessa VanCleef herself. There’s a lot of material here for the developers to mine, but here’s hoping we see a new murloc legendary in the form of “Captain” Cookie!

4. Darkmoon Faire

As some have pointed out, it’s possible that the coins in the teaser image could be tokens to the Darkmoon Faire, the spectacle of bizarre hosted by Silas Darkmoon (another potential legendary). Although the idea isn’t as likely as some of the others, solely based on the clues, it still holds potential.

The main thing working in favor of the Darkmoon Faire is the sheer amount of humor and creativity that the developers could work with here. It has a wealth of opportunity for lighthearted fun in the vein of One Night at Karazhan and The Grand Tournament. After the much darker Knights of the Frozen Throne, this could be just the thing to bring that lighthearted spirit back to the game.

5. Deathwing the Destroyer

Is it possible that we’ll finally get an expansion based around everyone’s favorite evil dragon of doom? Deathwing seems like the perfect candidate for the big boss of the adventure this time around, especially after the last expansion’s epic battle with the Lich King.

You can just make out the faint image of what looks like a mountain behind the pile of gold in the teaser image, so it’s possible that the next expansion could be related to or take place in a mountain. Could it possibly be Deepholm, where Deathwing retreated after the events of Day of the Dragon? It would certainly fit in with the clues, as Deepholm is lined with tunnels and caves that are rich with gold and gems.

Another possibility, although unlikely, is Neltharion’s Lair which is where Deathwing lived before he became Deathwing. (Origin story, anyone?) Neltharion’s Lair is located in Highmountain, which ties into another theory that’s been making the rounds, Treasures of Highmountain. How cool would it be if the adventure was a treasure heist of some sort, maybe one where you have to face off against the Destroyer himself at the end?

Now that you’ve seen our predictions, what do you think?

Have any wild ideas or carefully crafted theories about what it could be? Let us know in the comments!