Blizzard explains in Patch 9.2 of World of Warcraft where Incubi actually come from. It’s just a short passage, but it answers pretty much all questions.
With Patch 9.2, World of Warcraft offers Warlocks a small but nice upgrade. The spell “Summon Succubus” is renamed and its function expanded, and is now called “Summon Sayaad”. Sayaad is the “demonic” name of the species that also includes Succubi. Instead of a Succubus, an Incubus can now also be summoned. However, this raised some story-related questions. Where do Incubi come from? Have they always existed? Do they just pop up out of nowhere?
Blizzard has hidden an answer in a new quest: Sayaad are and were “genderfluid” – they choose their gender as they see fit.
Where does the info come from? From the PTR for Patch 9.2. When Warlocks summon their Succubus in Patch 9.2, it has a small quest that can be accepted and subsequently leads to the Warlock trainer. The quest not only provides hints on how to switch between Succubus and Incubus – but also clarifies where the Incubi actually come from.
What exactly is being said? The quest “Whatever You Sayaad” is currently only available in English because it does not yet have an official translation on the PTR. Translated by us, the text reads as follows:
As my master, you should know – I am quite flexible when it comes to… suitable preferences. <The demon gestures to itself.>
If you don’t like that, I can also take on a single form that will haunt your dreams. One of your mentors should be able to teach you how to adjust the summoning ritual accordingly.
But of course, if you want to leave that to me… well, I guarantee you a good time either way.
The quest then leads to the Warlock trainer, where the spell “Summon Sayaad” can be adjusted so that either only the Succubus, only the Incubus, or randomly one of both is summoned.
From the quest text, it is also clear that in both cases it is the same demon – one and the same form. This means that Sayaad, at least those under the control of Warlocks, are likely to be considered “genderfluid”, thus fluidly assigned to a gender. Sometimes male, sometimes female, or something completely different.
Alternatively, one could argue that these demons are entirely genderless and choose an appearance that pleases the Warlock (or rather the victim) – entirely without their own preference or identity.
In any case, Blizzard has easily solved the “problem” of the suddenly existing Incubi – they are simply Succubi in another form.
What do you think? A good solution to retroactively implement a “new” demon? Or should it have been handled differently?
