I expect beta and pre-orders for next expansion to start on 21st October and TOV to becomes free if you preorder next expansion.
It's not "free", the content is just bundled in with the next expansion purchase. In a way, if you haven't bought ToV you're getting a 2 for 1 deal from a content perspective. So if you just want the content, then waiting & pre-ordering the next expansion is the way to go (since you're effectively getting 50% off each expansion, assuming the prices don't change.). I'm under the impression the next expansion will be like a ToV II, probably the rest of Velious will be included (well, at least the major western zones), it makes sense because if you look at the ToV map the rest of the the continent isn't grayed out like EoK/RoS's unused parts of the continent. But to digress, if you think of it as a 2 for 1 deal, yes ToV's content will be 50% off but the ToV collector, premium, and F&F versions will go poof. It sounds like 25% off is all we're getting on the ToV bundles this year.
You should look up the definition of quibble. I know there is a small portion of the community that has evolved to play a year or more behind on expansions and only takes advantage of the previous expansion sales that go on just before the new expansions launch. Kind of defeats the purpose if I'm paying full price for next expansion so that I can play the previous expansion for "free".
I've already explained on another thread that buying in arrears every year costs the same amount and was the worse deal. Quibbling is complaining that you only have a 2 for 1 option that's better from an unlock timing perspective, and losing the 50% option which always had you stuck an expansion behind. Paying $17.50 for TOV in Oct'20 & $17.50 for "TOV II" in Oct'20 is $35, & you get to play "TOV II" when everyone else is... Paying for $17.50 TOV in Sep'20 & "TOV II " in Sep'21 is also $35 but leaves you behind every year, instead of every other year. If paying $35 an account every other year is really an issue then: -You can briefly drop the subs on your alt boxes for a month to afford "TOV II" and the impact won't matter much since you could apply your exp to leveling instead of AA for that month. -You can still stagger your accounts if you have a set budget and get a similar effect. -Skip TOV, save your $17.5 now, and then buy "TOV II" & the next next expansion for $35 next year (i.e. just start saving...) If those options don't work, then someone probably isn't in the financial position to box as many accounts as they are and have more important financial/budgeting priorities to work through. It's not DBG's job to subsidize it's player's hobby, especially they offer a comparable price option. If "TOV II" costed significantly more, then I'd be concerned, but they haven't announced a change like that yet and hopefully know $35 is pushing it.
