Even though I absolutely don't want to go deeper into the "Jon was forced to do WAN in 2013 discussion", here's why it wasn't intended that way:
- Jon talked about "the band taking a break" a few times near the end of the 2011 tour. Being the hands-on guy who wants to be in control of everything, he wouldn't have said that if he knew they'd have to be back in the studio the next spring.
- Tico's refusal to go back and play on tracks that early because Jon had promised them a break and he didn't feel ready to go back that early.
- Richie wouldn't have planned a solo album, had they known beforehand that there was one more album due to be delivered within about a year.
- Jon's talks about a possible solo album in that era.

The record company had been planning the big anniversary release of New Jersey for 2013, a band album in 2014 and some whatever-contractual release in 2015. This would've added up in the timeline since 2013 was the 25th anniversary of the New Jersey album, there would've been the room for proper solo endeavours or simply breaks and they could've re-gathered around 1.5 years later for the next album.

I'd even go as far as saying that if they had stuck to that schedule, we'd still roughly have a Bon Jovi of 2011 with only natural further decline in music and voice instead of the train wreck there is today.