Blizzard on datamined beta art: some of it is not meant for Forever

On 16 October, Blizzard community manager Kaivax posted a short note on the US forums, with the same text on the European forums seconds later. It said a number of art assets had recently been datamined from the latest Forever beta build. It thanked players for the feedback and discussion, then said those assets are “not intended for this version of World of Warcraft.”

What the note covers

The note is about one particular batch: art assets, recently datamined, from the beta build that was current at the time. It does not name the assets or say how many there were. It also does not say which version of the game, if any, they were made for.

What it does not say

The note makes no general rule. It does not say that every datamined file is unintended for Forever, that the assets were cancelled, or anything about data other than art. It is one confirmed case of beta files not intended for Forever, not a verdict on datamining as a whole.

Reading the next find

Our suggestions, drawn from this case:

• Treat a file as a lead, not an announcement. The 16 October note shows that art found in a beta build can be unintended for Forever.
• Look for a statement about that specific find. This note settles only the assets it refers to, and it does not list them.
• Do not stretch the note to other finds. It covers art assets from one build.