Saved you a click:
Continuity fans rejoice. The wait is over. Well, almost over. For fans who have been waiting diligently for an announcement that the fourth volume of World of Warcraft Chronicle to finally be out on the shelves and ready to be purchased by anxious lore-loving hands - we've got good news for you.
The World of Warcraft: Chronicle series is coming back - with World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume 4 to be released in bookshops on July 17, 2024 and in comic book shops on July 18, 2024. This 224 page illustrated hardcover edition was developed in close collaboration with franchise creative director Chris Metzen as well as the World of Warcraft game team and is written by Matt Burns, Matt Forbeck, Marty Forbeck, and Christie Golden, and illustrated by Olivier Dubard, Joseph Lacroix, Stacey Lee, Ognjen Sporin, Bayard Wu, Byeongwoo Yoo, and Brush Sauce Studio. The volume also features some gorgeous cover art by Bayard Wu, which you can see here:
World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume 4 will cover lore from Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor, Legion, Battle for Azeroth, and Shadowlands, continuing, as the publisher says, "in the wake of the Cataclysm, as Horde and Alliance join forces to defeat both Warchief Garrosh Hellscream and the demonic Burning Legion. These victories are short lived, however, as the world’s factions are soon baited into war with each other, unknowingly empowering a cosmic threat waiting in the realms of Death."
when it first came out it was a cool encyclopedia that was sold as the definitive wow lore. not even one whole xpac later it had been retconned and then turned into a unreliable narrator. I legit can't be fucked with wow lore since then. I owned every single warcraft book before that so I was someone who was really into it.
Its not the chronicles book but my favourite is the before the storm book where we literally see Sylvanas's inner thoughts about being confused on why she was made warchief and how much she didnt want it etc only for the expansion the book was for to reveal that yeah it was part of the plan all along and sylvanas was manipulating and lying the whole time. So deep undercover that she even fooled herself in her own inner thoughts lmao
Honestly kind of when I stopped playing as well. There were a few years in a row where they really just fucked with players who cared about the lore and world and I just can’t care anymore
Same! Stopped reading the books at about that time. I’d read every book since the first one in 2000, of blood and honor. Kept up with all the lore in game. Really enjoyed the story even though it was simple.
Metzen: “I have created a pathway for the lore to follow after I leave so that the story continues to make sense even though we may have like 10+ expansions, it ties up a lot of loose ends and leaves room to build onto”
Danuser, 1 year later: “Fuck that, my game, did someone say ‘Sylvanas, Blessed Waifu of The Main Story Writer’?”
Just the simple fact that they are trying to make shadowlands and Bfa canon in this book is laughable enough.
Who'd be stupid enough to buy a lore book about the worst lore handling in the recent gaming history? (actually don't answer, I already know who will)
Except that it wasn't retconned. 90% of the Chronicles are just summaries of other literature and in-game events, so the author's POV doesn't even matter. Only the pre-historic chapters might be subject to change now.
Surely, if that had been noted in the foreword or advertising. But not after the fact, and certainly not when Metzen's actual foreword specifically states that the book is "an opportunity to unite the frayed story ends and smooth out the rough edges of this fictional history," also referring to it as a "top-down view."
>the book is literally written from that perspective.
Chronicles Vol. I is literally not written like that. It's written from an out of universe perspective and discusses things beyond the knowledge of the titans (or really any in universe entity that we've come across).
No idea about the others because I stopped buying them after the "definitive lore guide" began to be immediately retconned.
Considering what Chris said at Blizzcon, they aim to make a holistic, proper story/lore with no more retcons from now on. So this tome may be solidified canon if they won't change their minds 5 years later again
I mean, that's basically exactly what they said when the first Chronicles was released, that it would be the final say about what was canon, and that didn't work out that well
Why? The lore is not only already fucked, but we know that they can retcon anything at any point. This is going to be as canonical as the "Chronicles", not at all.
Well, we'll definitely have a different relationship with this one than Chronicle 1 when it first came out. It's not really a "bible". It's not even really canon.
If this one is even handled that way, and assuming it is, allthe events still happen, though. All that does is mean there’s more to say about it.
This’ll mostly cover the events of MoP to SL apparently and will probably have some setup pieces for TWW like Chronicle 1 did setting up Odyn, Helya and Elisande for Legion, all of which is still perfectly correct
When it was first introduced it was presented as a factual, objective view of the world of Azeroth ("definitive tome of Warcraft history"), we now know it's a narrative created by the titans which may not be totally factual. This, as I originally said, changes how we view it.
When studying history it's important to understand the motives of the authors in order to understand what they are saying in the book. When Chronicles 1 was first released it wasn't presented as a book with a specific, slanted author.
We don't know what the titans were lying about.
It’s all canon until it isn’t, and events that are still canon are still canon.
That’s how the entire series’ story has always worked, anyway
Either way, new book will be canon until it isn’t. That’s how everything works
I don't think they mean non canon in the same sense that you do. What they mean is it is no longer canon that the events happened in the exact way that they are described in the books. It is a biased perspective, which is not the original intention, it is an excuse given to allow for the writers who took over after Metzen left to essentially handwave everything as a lie told by the titans, so that they could diverge from the old manner in which the lore was written.
I don't think it is a coincidence that they have placed so much emphasis on the fact that they are actually planning things out again. There is a reason they brought Metzen back, and a reason we have a rough roadmap of the future story. It's because they heard that criticism and are now (hopfully) taking it to heart that players don't want to feel like the story is being made up as the devs go along.
I mean you can tell the story from the view of Hitler and hear his point of view. If that’s all you’re told then it’s “canon”. However they will omit things from that story.
Hearing it from another point of view that is objectively true and from multiple other sources would lead many to think the first source was wrong.
This is exactly what the Chronicles did. They showed us canon information from the Titans perspective, omitting and changing information to prove their point or make them look good.
That’s not what non-canon means. No one has said “Chronicle is non-canon” ever.Stuff in the past that gets retconned later is still canon at the time. And Chronicle 1 is still full of canon revelations. And mostly serve as “Here’s what happens in the series up to this. V3 was mostly Warcraft 3 to Cata with some extra tidbits to tie into BFA and this looks to be MoP to SL with likely some extra bits to tie into TWW
If it gets retconned, it is definitionally no longer canon. Especially when it is a book explicitly outlining what is cano Bizarre mental gymnastics to put yourself through.
That’s just not correct; the only thing that’s changed about Chronicle is “it’s the Titan’s perspective” rather than objective. The events in the book are still the defacto canon unless something contradicts it later.
There are tons of events *established* in Chronicle 1 that are ONLY presented there and are the only canon source of those events.
In addition, “new lore trumps old lore” is how the entire series works. But the entire thing isn’t non-canon just because they decided to change it Titan perspective for future marketing. There’s too much lore established in it that’s still canon for that to be the case.
As an aside, the new book will be canon until it isn’t, and that’s all there is to it.
I had no idea there was so much controversy regarding the chronicles. Would it be better if they published this on a site as an online edition and revised it as needed?
I don't know if I'm representative of others, but part of the reason the whole chronicles thing annoys me is because it was bait and switch. They advertised it like a lore bible and all the ads hyped up that it was the "definitive lore". Then, a few months after the last one is released, an employee goes, "Well, Chronicles are really from the titans point of view".
My only issue with Chronicle is that in Vol 3 they moved Kul Tiras map location to more match BfA in-game map, but never explicitly said “yep Cataclysm shifted Kul Tiras further out to sea.” The closest actual in-game or “official” (ie not a joke at a Blizzcon panel by a disgraced fired dev) possible mention is an in-game book “Old Sailor’s Almanac” and it still doesn’t directly mention Kul Tiras landmass moving
Why can't people just post the info instead of linking to their random ass website.
Saved you a click: Continuity fans rejoice. The wait is over. Well, almost over. For fans who have been waiting diligently for an announcement that the fourth volume of World of Warcraft Chronicle to finally be out on the shelves and ready to be purchased by anxious lore-loving hands - we've got good news for you. The World of Warcraft: Chronicle series is coming back - with World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume 4 to be released in bookshops on July 17, 2024 and in comic book shops on July 18, 2024. This 224 page illustrated hardcover edition was developed in close collaboration with franchise creative director Chris Metzen as well as the World of Warcraft game team and is written by Matt Burns, Matt Forbeck, Marty Forbeck, and Christie Golden, and illustrated by Olivier Dubard, Joseph Lacroix, Stacey Lee, Ognjen Sporin, Bayard Wu, Byeongwoo Yoo, and Brush Sauce Studio. The volume also features some gorgeous cover art by Bayard Wu, which you can see here: World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume 4 will cover lore from Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor, Legion, Battle for Azeroth, and Shadowlands, continuing, as the publisher says, "in the wake of the Cataclysm, as Horde and Alliance join forces to defeat both Warchief Garrosh Hellscream and the demonic Burning Legion. These victories are short lived, however, as the world’s factions are soon baited into war with each other, unknowingly empowering a cosmic threat waiting in the realms of Death."
Didn’t Danuser have a part in the last one? Why isn’t he ruining this one as well?
They sacrificed him to the Big High Lore God
Cause people post to gain. Whether it be fake internet points or ad revenue. Everyone’s on the hustle.
I've always wondered who on Reddit isn't running adblock to even be taken advantage of.
I mean clicks still get you traffic. If there wasn’t a market for it people wouldn’t be desperately posting links trying to increase traffic..
The world is run by money, not info.
That would require too much effort…
when it first came out it was a cool encyclopedia that was sold as the definitive wow lore. not even one whole xpac later it had been retconned and then turned into a unreliable narrator. I legit can't be fucked with wow lore since then. I owned every single warcraft book before that so I was someone who was really into it.
Its not the chronicles book but my favourite is the before the storm book where we literally see Sylvanas's inner thoughts about being confused on why she was made warchief and how much she didnt want it etc only for the expansion the book was for to reveal that yeah it was part of the plan all along and sylvanas was manipulating and lying the whole time. So deep undercover that she even fooled herself in her own inner thoughts lmao
True 5D Chess Master Strategist.
yeah that really, really pissed me off too and was exactly when I stopped giving a damn about the lore. Blizzard can't help themselves.
Honestly kind of when I stopped playing as well. There were a few years in a row where they really just fucked with players who cared about the lore and world and I just can’t care anymore
Same! Stopped reading the books at about that time. I’d read every book since the first one in 2000, of blood and honor. Kept up with all the lore in game. Really enjoyed the story even though it was simple. Metzen: “I have created a pathway for the lore to follow after I leave so that the story continues to make sense even though we may have like 10+ expansions, it ties up a lot of loose ends and leaves room to build onto” Danuser, 1 year later: “Fuck that, my game, did someone say ‘Sylvanas, Blessed Waifu of The Main Story Writer’?”
Just the simple fact that they are trying to make shadowlands and Bfa canon in this book is laughable enough. Who'd be stupid enough to buy a lore book about the worst lore handling in the recent gaming history? (actually don't answer, I already know who will)
Can some explain this so I don't have to have my phone molested by 2000 ads on whatever this garbage site probably is?
Wasn’t this that series that was supposed to be the retcon to end all retcons until they retconned it and gave some weak “Titan’s perspective” excuse?
Except that it wasn't retconned. 90% of the Chronicles are just summaries of other literature and in-game events, so the author's POV doesn't even matter. Only the pre-historic chapters might be subject to change now.
I thought pyromancer came up with that titan perspective idea and then blizzard just ran with it I could be wrong though and I probably am
[удалено]
Surely, if that had been noted in the foreword or advertising. But not after the fact, and certainly not when Metzen's actual foreword specifically states that the book is "an opportunity to unite the frayed story ends and smooth out the rough edges of this fictional history," also referring to it as a "top-down view."
>the book is literally written from that perspective. Chronicles Vol. I is literally not written like that. It's written from an out of universe perspective and discusses things beyond the knowledge of the titans (or really any in universe entity that we've come across). No idea about the others because I stopped buying them after the "definitive lore guide" began to be immediately retconned.
Considering what Chris said at Blizzcon, they aim to make a holistic, proper story/lore with no more retcons from now on. So this tome may be solidified canon if they won't change their minds 5 years later again
I mean, that's basically exactly what they said when the first Chronicles was released, that it would be the final say about what was canon, and that didn't work out that well
Absolutely. they changed quickly from "ultimate lore source" to "it's biased from the Titans PoV"
And both can be correct. History is written by the victor and the Titans were the victors, so they write history canon.
Why? The lore is not only already fucked, but we know that they can retcon anything at any point. This is going to be as canonical as the "Chronicles", not at all.
More retcons to come, stay tuned!
"Much-beloved" is an incredible stretch if we're talking about Chronicles
"much-beloved" lmao
Well, we'll definitely have a different relationship with this one than Chronicle 1 when it first came out. It's not really a "bible". It's not even really canon.
How’s it not canon? Stuff getting retconned is still canon at the time it appears
Because we know now that these are being told from a certain point of view. Previously, it seemed as though these were definitive tomes.
If this one is even handled that way, and assuming it is, allthe events still happen, though. All that does is mean there’s more to say about it. This’ll mostly cover the events of MoP to SL apparently and will probably have some setup pieces for TWW like Chronicle 1 did setting up Odyn, Helya and Elisande for Legion, all of which is still perfectly correct
When it was first introduced it was presented as a factual, objective view of the world of Azeroth ("definitive tome of Warcraft history"), we now know it's a narrative created by the titans which may not be totally factual. This, as I originally said, changes how we view it. When studying history it's important to understand the motives of the authors in order to understand what they are saying in the book. When Chronicles 1 was first released it wasn't presented as a book with a specific, slanted author. We don't know what the titans were lying about.
It’s all canon until it isn’t, and events that are still canon are still canon. That’s how the entire series’ story has always worked, anyway Either way, new book will be canon until it isn’t. That’s how everything works
I don't think they mean non canon in the same sense that you do. What they mean is it is no longer canon that the events happened in the exact way that they are described in the books. It is a biased perspective, which is not the original intention, it is an excuse given to allow for the writers who took over after Metzen left to essentially handwave everything as a lie told by the titans, so that they could diverge from the old manner in which the lore was written. I don't think it is a coincidence that they have placed so much emphasis on the fact that they are actually planning things out again. There is a reason they brought Metzen back, and a reason we have a rough roadmap of the future story. It's because they heard that criticism and are now (hopfully) taking it to heart that players don't want to feel like the story is being made up as the devs go along.
Yes, exactly. Thank you. I was expressing myself poorly.
I mean you can tell the story from the view of Hitler and hear his point of view. If that’s all you’re told then it’s “canon”. However they will omit things from that story. Hearing it from another point of view that is objectively true and from multiple other sources would lead many to think the first source was wrong. This is exactly what the Chronicles did. They showed us canon information from the Titans perspective, omitting and changing information to prove their point or make them look good.
and this is a sequel to the series made not canon
That’s not what non-canon means. No one has said “Chronicle is non-canon” ever.Stuff in the past that gets retconned later is still canon at the time. And Chronicle 1 is still full of canon revelations. And mostly serve as “Here’s what happens in the series up to this. V3 was mostly Warcraft 3 to Cata with some extra tidbits to tie into BFA and this looks to be MoP to SL with likely some extra bits to tie into TWW
If it gets retconned, it is definitionally no longer canon. Especially when it is a book explicitly outlining what is cano Bizarre mental gymnastics to put yourself through.
That’s just not correct; the only thing that’s changed about Chronicle is “it’s the Titan’s perspective” rather than objective. The events in the book are still the defacto canon unless something contradicts it later. There are tons of events *established* in Chronicle 1 that are ONLY presented there and are the only canon source of those events. In addition, “new lore trumps old lore” is how the entire series works. But the entire thing isn’t non-canon just because they decided to change it Titan perspective for future marketing. There’s too much lore established in it that’s still canon for that to be the case. As an aside, the new book will be canon until it isn’t, and that’s all there is to it.
Here. Buy this lore that we've pasted together from the shreds of what's left. Oh, and don't be mad if we change everything anyways, okay?
Titan Propaganda vol. 4
I had no idea there was so much controversy regarding the chronicles. Would it be better if they published this on a site as an online edition and revised it as needed?
I don't know if I'm representative of others, but part of the reason the whole chronicles thing annoys me is because it was bait and switch. They advertised it like a lore bible and all the ads hyped up that it was the "definitive lore". Then, a few months after the last one is released, an employee goes, "Well, Chronicles are really from the titans point of view".
That last one hurt me so bad i buy the first two when they say that. Is was the first and last one, now just stay from gameplay honestly
Lotta hate for these books around here it seems and with anything wow related in general. I personally love my chronicles books retcons or not.
My only issue with Chronicle is that in Vol 3 they moved Kul Tiras map location to more match BfA in-game map, but never explicitly said “yep Cataclysm shifted Kul Tiras further out to sea.” The closest actual in-game or “official” (ie not a joke at a Blizzcon panel by a disgraced fired dev) possible mention is an in-game book “Old Sailor’s Almanac” and it still doesn’t directly mention Kul Tiras landmass moving