Though datamining has a spotty history of uncovering false positives, new information revealed by dedicated players suggests a new zone could be integrated into Classic WoW in some form.
One of the major issues with datamining is that the developers retain some information that may not actually make it into the game, as part of the build. For example, a new Epic quality item could be created for the game before the developer eventually decides to shelve it.
Even though it’s not intended for use after that, they don’t actually go to the trouble of removing all traces of it from the code. Of course, dataminers have no way of knowing this and, as a result, not everything they discover will make it to live servers.
Bearing all of that in mind, new information may suggest that a new zone known as the Searing Basin could be on the way.
New data uncovers Classic zone with unclear purpose
According to a post on Twitter by WoW content creator and Esports caster MrGM, a new area known as the Searing Basin has been found in the game files.
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There appears to be a new zone in Classic WoW The zone is called "The Searing Basin". This Map is listed as a Dungeon in the files and is not currently accessible in-game.This screenshot is from the Classic Hardcore PTR. It's unknown whether this zone relates to Hardcore,… pic.twitter.com/itKxEE4XRM
— MrGM (@MrGMYT) January 30, 2024
The information itself was unearthed in the files of the Public Test Realm for Hardcore Classic. That said, that doesn’t mean it will be implemented in that version of the game only, or indeed at all.
Mr GM’s prediction in the responses posits that it could be a dueling arena for Hardcore, something that would undoubtedly draw a lot of attention. The relatively recent OTK PvP tournament in Hardcore brought in a huge audience for the game, and this could be a direct response to tangible evidence of the popularity of dueling in the game.
Whatever the case, it likely won’t be too long before these updates are applied to the live servers. Whether the searing basin will be there when it does is another thing entirely.
