Could we leave Azeroth?

Technically speaking, we’ve done two expansions that weren’t on Azeroth. But in both Burning Crusade and Warlords of Draenor there was a sense of connection back to Azeroth. What I’m curious about is whether or not we could do an expansion where for a significant period of time, you couldn’t go home?

I can see all sorts of pitfalls to this idea, but I can also see ways around at least some of them. We could easily be stranded on Argus (I’m just postulating here, mind you, I’m not saying Argus is the next expansion) for multiple levels. But would that be something players would accept or enjoy? Players like to be able to get back to their capital cities, not just for the Auction House but also for ease of getting around the world for purposes of old content.

Would taking that away for a few levels be something players would accept? Even if there was a replacement Auction House on Argus, would players be angry that they couldn’t do all the things they did before, however temporary the loss was? If we were stranded on Argus from level 111 to 117, and only got to come back after a big story moment where we opened a portal back home, would players feel triumphant or merely impatient?

What do you think? Can we ever do a story that strands our characters somewhere like that? Or must we always be able to hearth home so we can farm old content for transmog gear? I’m reminded of leveling in Vashj’ir. There were points in the story where you could portal back and forth. But you were ultimately considered to be stuck there until you reached the submarine part of the storyline. Could something like that work for an entire expansion? What do you guys think?