TL;DR Summary: In order to win a bet, I'm predicting here that a "Broken Steel" style DLC is implied by the latest patch.



All right, now the detailed anolysis and wager. I bet with a friend on the forums that the next DLC will be reminiscent of Broken Steel from Fallout 3. In my opinion that'll include more side quests for the various guilds (i.e. more named contracts for DB, newer heists for TG, and so on and so forth, but NOT a new plotline for each) as well as expanding upon the possible outcomes of the Civil War. That's not the bet though, my bet is that the next DLC will not include a new area ala Solsteim, but will be more like Dawnguard, expanding the main world map, probably with new epic dungeons to go with a plotline. The patch notes we currently have seem to suggest that the bugs being patched are a prelude to fixing up the main map's big flaws for specific places in preparation to reuse various NPCs or locations for upcoming DLC.

Here's my reasoning, based solely upon the recent patch notes:

"Legendary Skills - Skills of 100 can be made Legendary. This will reset the skill to 15, return its Perks and allow the skill to affect leveling again. This effectively removes the overall level cap."

I think this patch note implies that with the end of the current effective level cap, they're opening the door for bigger and badder enemies, much like they added with Dawnguard. Probably would include new dragons or other such things to improve content at the higher levels, plus making the higher levels more accessible for people who don't want to level up ALL the skills for RP or other reasons. It was pointed out in another thread too, that this move does seem to imply pending changes to the perk trees, perhaps changing what we have or (hopefully) adding something new.

"Recruited Blades now have appropriate dialogue while at Sky Haven Temple" and other similar fixes.

Depending on what exactly this means, whether they're just fixing existing dialogue or making new scripts for the currently available recruits, this oddly specific change may mean that the Blades are being looked at and patched up in preparation for new radiant quests via the Blades, or perhaps a new plotline after the fall of Alduin. Renewed Shadow War against the Thalmor anyone?

I'd also point out all the various fixes for known bugs with ALL of the main factions. These are bugs which have mostly been present since the beginning of the game's release, and have previously had shown no sign of being fixed. So the question is, why now? I mean it's entirely possible I'm way off base and that they're just getting around to fixing this stuff now that they've figured out their DLC problems too for the PC and PS3. I'd like to think though that this is all just the opening salvo of a new DLC that expands upon the vanilla factions and post-plot activities. Like I suggested at the beginning, I can't imagine that they'd include a new major plot for every faction, but I could see them adding a number of new side quests for each faction flavored appropriately. Assuming it's truly like Broken Steel, they'll make a new major quest for something, and as I am a betting man, my wager is upon a Civil War expansion, hopefully including the Moot. So the summary of my wagers, and I'll be winning $50 for each one I get right:

1. Next major DLC (DLC that isn't the size of the Hearthfire or smaller) will not be a new province and no new cities or towns will be included, but will rather be an expansion upon elements of the vanilla map.

2. The main focus of the plot of the next major DLC will be an expansion upon the Civil War.

3. Some element of the new DLC (Side quest or main quest) will deal with the Collapse of Winterhold.