Blizzard has never trademarked patch of the new Expansion
Blizzard has never trademarked patch names before, and the timing is consistent with when they trademarked Cataclysm and Wrath of the Lich King.
Anyways, it’s true there is little to no established lore on Pandaria. However, that entire means is Blizzard has a lot more freedom on how to make the continent. Instead of being restrained by pages and pages of existing lore, they are free to just let their imaginations run wild and create whatever they please. The only rule is they need to have at least one zone that feels like somewhere a Pandaren would want to live. Everything else is up in the air. Then use wow time card to help you.
If this becomes an expansion I wonder who the major bad-guy will be. My guess is Queen Azshara if anyone. Maybe the naga will invade Pandaria under the orders from Azshara and the pandaren race must seek aid from the horde and alliance thus making Pandaria a whole new continent like Northrend and outland? And if not that "Mists of Pandaria" could have been a major patch in a future expansion instead of an entire expansion. I really wonder what Blizzard has in store for us.
I just don't see 'Mists of Panderia' as an expansion title so I am more inclined to see it as something else (whatever that may be). The only way I could see it as an expansion title is if Bliz is going in a whole new direction in how they do expansions and not making it so raid centric (at end game). There is implied action in all of the other exp titles. 'Mists of Panderia' sounds much more like a new game title. The wow tcg loot card will make it last longer.
China has cherry blossoms too, and they are also depicted heavy on their art. Now, this pic IS Japanese, but this was one of the earliest concept arts of the pandarens, back when blizz gave them a Japanese background, after the fans pointed out how much of a symbol the panda is for china, they made the necessary changes and drew new concept art in more Chinese-looking gear. (For the un-aware, what the little panda on top of the big one is wearing is a Kimono, also the weapon of te big dude IS a Japanese sword, probably a Daito but hard to tell since we can’t see the actual blade, plus his sandals are Japanese Tabi)
This second pic also shows a Pandaren in Japanese outfit, but again, just like the first, this was an early draft, in-before the "let’s make them Chinese" initiative was taken. Every-single-official-pandaren-artwork by blizzard IS made with Chinese clothing and weaponry. The world of warcraft key help you get a new character.
Yet another pic of a Pandaren with Japanese gear. This time wearing the traditional mix of Katana+Wakizashi (long sword for attacking, short sword for parrying and/or when in-door where the larger sword is more cumbersome to use). But like the others, look at the date: 1999, way old, before the pandas were chinificated.
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