Also, more on this point. There was a patch to the Anniversary/Hardcore servers that broke ALL the UI mods. They basically shoved the Retail UI code into the Classic client. This just further clears the way for more QoL enchancements for whatever they are sending out in Classic+...
SoD was a seasonal server. This will be the first time they really make something more permanent than retail for a long time. Even the Anniversary servers are one and done offerings.
I think this is where a lot of people will either be really happy or really disappointed. The level gating...
You really think after all the work they put into SoD to create warrior alternatives, including tank alternatives, they are just going to throw all that away? Interadesting
The "continuation" will be whatever happens after Last Titan. It will continue the world as we know it today. The "radical departure" will come from Classic+ where the Dark Portal never opens. THAT would invalidate every single expansion WoW ever put out and would be the very definition of a...
Thinking Blizzard is going to announce Classic+ at Blizzcon and then wait for a year plus to release it is just insane thinking. Classic+ will release in 2026. Last Titan will release Spring/Summer of 2027. And Anniversary WotLK will likely be Summer / Fall 2027.
The game is not going to hold your hand and, in fact, is simply going to ignore you all together. If you don't mind looking up information on your own outside the game, then you'll do fine.
Given what we saw from Ascension and Turtle WoW, I don't think this is even in the realm of possibility on release. Maybe in a year or two of further development.
This is all going to come down to: If you want to find faults that prevent you from playing, you will find them. If you want to find enough good things to justify playing, you will find them.