Speculations aside, I really don't get the argument - "This is Maiden." Yes, Maiden are predictable until they aren't.
"They'll do this like they did back in ...." or "This is the same as the year..." Yeah, it could be. Or not.
It is much easier to plan something (tour, album) if you have a well-established pattern which reduces unpredictable difficulties you can stumble upon. Long-term and short-term plans are part of every business and I think Maiden management always had several that covered all aspects of their doing (financial, timing, longevity and similar). Looking back at these past 20 years you can see that planning worked wonderfully. Early 2000s there were several bands who were on the same spot. Now, there is maybe one metal band or two that over-tops them (Metallica maybe, for example). And yes, I'll be even braver and say that isn't due only to the quality (or lack of it) of the new albums. There were several things Maiden did right in the past two decades and planning has been a big part of that.
But, last year and a half has been completely unpredictable and the future seems vaguer than it used to be. This pandemic has hit every aspect in every corner of the world and the music business isn't an exception. Maiden had probably scrapped several plans they had and they'll probably scrap even more.
So, I'm in a camp "Anything Goes" And by anything goes, I really anything.
I can see them sitting on the new album until proper conditions arrive for them to tour it. I can see them delaying it even a bit further and finishing the LOTB tour. I can see them going for the next 5-10 years with rotating band members during tours. I can see them even not playing a single live show and still releasing an album or two even. Why not?
Because some band members said in a couple of interviews they wouldn't do that? If they stick to everything what they said during their career we wouldn't have Somewhere in Time, full-album setlists and 3 year long best-of/history tours. Yes, they are individuals with their own views but six of them are also "responsible" for a lot of people who have bills to pay. At the end of the day, while still trying to do what they want to do, they also consider what is profitable. If rules of touring and playing live keep on changing (and in near future they probably will) and Maiden don't see the point of doing it as they used to do - they'll change their plans. Meanwhile, their second most profitable aspect, merchandise and royalties, won't suffer that much from new regulations and moreso, can make them profit even long after they retire. I wouldn't be even surprised if they are currently hoarding material for a worst-case scenario (being Maiden had already played their last live gig).
And don't give me that "Oh, they won't replace Nicko / They won't put out something new without touring / They're a live band etc." We all forget that Maiden management, with Rod upfront, is a well-oiled machine who will spin any and every story for masses to feast upon it. You don't have to look further from this board to find examples where fans "moaned" while doing exactly what the management counted on.
So, we can speculate and have fun with it, but I wouldn't be that fast in crossing anything just because "This is Maiden".
Oh, and this wasn't aimed at anybody here. This was just me saying that Maiden future, at this point, is really unpredictable and thus susceptible to major changes.