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While I appreciate the “lore” factor in the Barrens, I agree its a pretty bland and pointless place to base an expansion on.
Not that I think it makes a huge difference to Hearthstone since it is really all about the cards and mechanics. But I agree that it is a very odd and perhaps somewhat dull area to theme on.
You ask any Horde player about their most memorable experiences and I'm sure quite a few will have stories about the Barrens that still bring a smile to their face, so how it can be bland, dull and pointless I'm not sure. I for one have very fond memories of questing around the Barrens with friends and I'm looking forward to the references in this set to a zone I enjoyed so much.
No doubt when the Alliance players get their expansion next there will be the same complaints from people who didn't play through their starting zones (I have no idea about Duskwood, Ironforge or any other alliance areas it might be set so will probably have no nostalgia for the next set) , and I guess you have the players who didn't do either who may also feel like you do.
Classic is the in thing right now though and you don't get much more classic than the Barrens.
To be fair - this looks to be a year-long theme. The heroes introduced in the Barrens will be "levelling up" over the course of the expansions, mini-sets, and (apparently) the Book of Mercenaries, culminating at the end of the year in what looks like a big fight in Alterac valley between the Horde and Alliance. Presumably, that's why the story begins in the "levelling up" zone of the Barrens.
The Angry Chicken interviewed Liv and Joe during BlizzCon - the devs didn't exactly spoil anything, but it seems like this isn't so much the Year of the Gryphon as the Year of the Mercenary. Lots of HS content over the course of the year seems integrated with telling the evolving story of the ten new heroes we'll meet in the Barrens. It's a slightly different take on "block building" compared to Year of the Leagues.
I'm a Horde player since Beta. Alliance too, in fact. The most interesting thing that ever happened to me in the barrens was getting repeatedly ganked at the Xroads by high level players who thought it was fun to prey on low level players who had no chance of fighting back.
That's not to say that people cant have fond memories of the place - I'm sure they do - but it simply doesn't ignor the fact that the zone is big, empty of much other than desert and rocks and not really a place I would personally theme a whole expansion on when the world is so full of other rich, exotic and interesting areas.
Also, we already had a desert-style expansion theme with the year long adventure of the Explorers etc.
At the end of the day though, this is just my opinion. Others may differ...
As someone who doesn't play WoW at all, a lot of expansion themes are pretty uninspiring to me. I don't know why they feel like they have to stick to WoW lore at all. Give me a StarCraft expansion. An Overwatch crossover why not.
In fairness, the game is called Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
Or at least it was originally.
Ah, they dropped that ages ago. I know Warcraft is important to some people and that's cool (my pensioner mother plays it for example) but it means nothing to me. I've been playing since Gadgetzan and I couldn't tell you who anyone is beyond their HS content.
Yep, for sure. I wouldn't say its hugely important to me personally - but it's the basis of the game. Of course, incorporating other Blizzard IPs into the game would be quite cool in my opinion and I would probably support such a thing (though it wouldnt bother me either way so wouldn't nail my colours to the mast etc). Would at least be more interesting as an expansion than the Barrens. Lol! :-D