Hunters are Changing...?

Much is changing for the hunters yet not really changing at the same time.

In a 'bold' move to allow each spec to have it's own identity, Blizzard have looked at three Hunter archetypes and moulded the specs to match.

Survival...
Has the biggest changes by far as they are essentially removing the spec completely and replacing it with a melee spec.

The new spec takes on the mantle of the old-fashioned tracker/trapper, using their woodcraft skills to trap their targets before going in for the kill at close combat.

A perfect fit for the Survival spec and maybe something they should have done long ago.

Beast Mastery...
This is the closest to the original WoW hunter concept and is undergoing the least amount of change.
 
Closely attuned to the beasts of the land, with them fighting for you while you protect them and pick off enemies from afar.

Having one spec working so closely with the pets should allow Blizzard to really explore and add depth to the relationship, with them truly working together to take down their enemies.

Marksmanship...
So clearly being directed towards the Legolas fantasy archer and that old elf didn't have a pet so now, neither does MM.

This spec is the combination sniper and all-action super elf of Tolkein's design.  Able to target weak spots in an enemy's armour with precision shots or unleash hell around them with a hail of arrows.

All three specs sound fantastic and really live up to the fantasy archetypes.
The focus (no pun intended) and direction that each spec has should allow more depth into that playstyle which will only further increase the differentiation between the specs

What's the problem?
Well... the main problem is that the Hunter class already exists.
 
If this was a new class, we would be lauding it's design and the variety between the specs of a pure damage dealer, living up to different hunter 'fantasies' we all know and love.

But it's not a new spec. 
It is the most popular spec in the game.
Which puts Blizzard in a very difficult position.

Everyone will admit that hunters needed some differentiation between the specs but Blizzard need to implement it in a way that doesn't alienate the huge Hunter population that already loves the class as it is.

The MM rapid-fire style is likely to be accentuated and have more depth which old MMers, who have chosen the spec for that reason, will love.

But what about those MMers that also loved their pet?
Or the BMers that loved their pets but also like the rapid-fire style?

Will enough of it be incorporated into BM to meet the expectations of those players?
Will enough of SV be preserved in MM talents (as they say it will be) to allow that old playstyle?

It's these crossover cases that Blizzard need to think about, not just the people who are completely behind one aspect of their spec.

While the changes truly bring in definitive identities they do so at the cost of the subtle nuances that already differentiated the specs to long-time hunters.

Can Blizzard balance the playstyles well enough for people to overcome that loss?

If not, players will really have to think about which aspect of being a Hunter is most important to them, because they will certainly have to make the decision.