Leaked Midnight cinematic trailer footage and Northrend map analysis
Three alleged images from the upcoming Midnight release show trailer footage and a Northrend map. We investigate whether these are genuine leaks or just clever fakes.
Key takeaways
- Three alleged Midnight leak images show The Jailer, Xal’atath, and a Northrend map.
- The images are likely fan-made.
- The Northrend map fits The Last Titan more than Midnight and may be an authentic hand drawing by Chris Metzen.
Rumors and speculation are swirling in the World of Warcraft community after three alleged images from the upcoming Midnight expansion surfaced online. Two appear to be cinematic trailer shots featuring The Jailer and Xal’atath, while the third shows a hand-drawn map of Northrend.
In this breakdown, we’ll examine the images, their possible origins, and how they might connect to upcoming WoW expansions.
Midnight reveal at Gamescom
The Midnight cinematic is set to arrive next week, August 20–24, and excitement for the upcoming expansion is building fast. While official details remain scarce, speculation is running wild, with rumors and alleged leaks adding fuel to the fire.
One such leak, featuring intriguing and unusual images, recently surfaced on the MMO-Champion forum. Let’s take a closer look at what’s been shared.
Leaked Midnight trailer footage
Three images have allegedly leaked, two of which appear to be from the Midnight cinematic trailer. They show The Jailer, defeated and without a heart, with Xal’atath on the second image looming in the background.
The third image depicts a hand-drawn map of Northrend, which we’re expected to revisit in the Worldsoul Saga. Its drawing style and handwriting bear a strong resemblance to the work of Chris Metzen.
Midnight leaks breakdown
We believe these images are likely fake and fan-made. Still, their quality and consistency are decent enough to leave a small chance they could be real. Let’s take a closer look at these leaks.
Art style and the image itself
The images look decent on their own, especially considering they’re photos of a screen, which is fairly typical for leaks. When it comes to quality, we’re well aware of what AI can do and how convincing it can be. These two Jailer shots share a consistent design and include small details that AI often gets wrong. Because of this, we can’t dismiss these images solely based on their quality or say with 100% certainty that they are AI-made. The presumed fan creator did a good job covering their tracks.
The Jailer’s problem
The first major issue with these images is the character choice itself. Shadowlands was one of the least popular expansions among players, and The Jailer remains one of its most recognizable figures. It seems unlikely that Blizzard would choose to bring him back into the spotlight just two expansions later, as revisiting Shadowlands in any capacity so soon wouldn’t be a strong marketing move.
Blizzard Entertainment Present – strange logo positioning
Another strong reason to believe this image is fake is the “Blizzard Entertainment Presents” text on the first shot. Traditionally, this text appears on a black screen, never overlaid on a character image, even when it shows up later in a trailer. Take The War Within trailer, for example.
Strange Northrend connections
Finally, the Northrend map being linked with the two Jailer images doesn’t make much sense. We are set to revisit Northrend, but not in the Midnight expansion, but rather in The Last Titan. This suggests the map was likely added just to lend credibility and make the Jailer images seem more convincing.
It’s worth noting that this same Northrend drawing surfaced online about a month ago and is more likely to be genuine. However, it appears to be a concept design: an interesting look into the artist’s thought process, rather than a strict plan for future content.
While Midnight is certainly intriguing, we still have the entirety of Season 3 in The War Within ahead of us. If you need help with the Manaforge Omega raid, check out our WoW raid carry services.
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