Blizzard Won't Make Xbox MMO until It's Sure Live Can Take It

[Logan Westbrook]

Blizzard Won't Make Xbox MMO until It's Sure Live Can Take It

A Blizzard console MMO would put heavy demands on Xbox Live, says World of Warcraft's lead system designer.

In order for MMO heavyweight Blizzard to bring something like World of Warcraft to the Xbox 360, there would need to be some long discussions with Microsoft about the state of Xbox Live, and how it might interfere with a console MMO.

Microsoft puts limits on how many free updates developers can put out for their games, which would present significant difficulties for Blizzard when it came to adding new content. Blizzard's Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street said that the developer would need assurances from Microsoft that Live would be able to handle the demands of an MMO before it would even think about starting development.

Street added that the infrastructure of Live wasn't the only barrier to getting an MMO on the 360. He thought that the design for most MMOs relied on having a keyboard and mouse, whether one was actually present or not. A proper console MMO meant throwing out a lot of what had come before and instead building something with a streamlined interface and much more elegant control system. Street expressed surprise that no one had done this yet, but was confident that someone would in the next few years.

The structure of Xbox Live is something that multiple developers have decried. Square Enix made it very clear [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/101640-Final-Fantasy-XIV-Not-Coming-to-360s-Because-of-Xbox-Live] that the reason that Final Fantasy XIV wasn't coming to the Xbox 360 was because of Live, and Valve described the rules as a "train wreck [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103359-Valve-Xbox-Live-Rules-are-a-Train-Wreck]," and assumed they would have to be change because of how broken they were. It remains to be seen whether Microsoft is willing the bend the rules in order to get something like WoW on the service, however.


Source: CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=279348?cid=OTC-RSS&attr=CVG-News-RSS]




Permalink

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I'm fairly sure Microsoft would lift the limit for a Blizzard MMO, like how they eventually gave up on the XBLA 50 MB limit. Now there are now Arcade games nearly 2 GB.

Didn't Microsoft also get rid of one of the "rules" for Shivering Isles, too?

By the way, for the elegant control system, look at Sacred 2. Controlled beautifully.

Seriously. LB brought up a ring around you, and any items around you got sucked into the inventory, unless that item was marked for another player because it was their kill.

You had 12 (or was it 8?) hotkeys, and a fast and easy menu system.

 

[Hippobatman]

If there will ever be a console MMORPG, it has to be "dumbed down" a bit. A regular controller can't compete with a keyboard and a mouse. It would make gameplay and socializing awkward and unintuitive.

But that's just the negative me talking. I suppose there might be some way to work around the controll mechanics. I know I'd be interested in playing if they got the gameplay right.

 

[Xabekrn]

I don't think that Xbox could handle it to be honest, if as many people that play WOW or any other Blizzard online game play the MMO for Xbox then there would defiantly be some crashing. The first night of most big releases there is crashing online.

 

[Adzma]

If there will ever be a console MMORPG, it has to be "dumbed down" a bit. A regular controller can't compete with a keyboard and a mouse. It would make gameplay and socializing awkward and unintuitive.

But that's just the negative me talking. I suppose there might be some way to work around the controll mechanics. I know I'd be interested in playing if they got the gameplay right.

I for one agree with you there. MMOs at this stage of gaming anyway are meant for PCs.

I would go on to say that FPS are meant for PCs too but I'll get labelled as a fanboy so I'll stop at MMOs.

 

[rsvp42]

What's the justification for not allowing developers to give free updates over Live? Is it just that Microsoft wants more money and more paid DLC equals more money? Seems so transparently selfish, especially considering it's already a paid service. I don't mind them getting a cut of DLC sold over Live, but if a developer wants to give it away for free (and especially if it's free on other platforms), then Microsoft should allow that.

Of course, I'm sure I'm not the first to say that. I just want to know what the rationale is.

 

[Jezzascmezza]

A few rule tweaks and I don't see how it wouldn't work...

 

[Korten12]

If there will ever be a console MMORPG, it has to be "dumbed down" a bit. A regular controller can't compete with a keyboard and a mouse. It would make gameplay and socializing awkward and unintuitive.

But that's just the negative me talking. I suppose there might be some way to work around the controll mechanics. I know I'd be interested in playing if they got the gameplay right.

Not really it depends on the gameplay, odds are if its for consoles it would be more real time, something like Vindictus could work easily on Consoles.

There was also Phantasy Star...

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

I'm fairly sure Microsoft would lift the limit for a Blizzard MMO, like how they eventually gave up on the XBLA 50 MB limit. Now there are Arcade games over 2 GB.

Didn't Microsoft also get rid of one of the "rules" for Shivering Isles, too?

By the way, for the elegant control system, look at Sacred 2. Controlled beautifully.

It's less getting rid of the rules and more having the game download in 2GB parts. And the thing with Shivering Isles is that it was DLC, not an Arcade game. It's not standalone either. DLC rules are different. Recently it was announced that Oddworld Stranger's Wrath will not be released on the XBL Marketplace because it's 2.1 Gigs. This upgraded original Xbox game is currently being released on the PS3 only. Just Add Water is in talk with Microsoft to change this but it's uncertain on a 360 release.

I'd also like you to name some XBL Arcade games that are over 2 GB. Just curious.

 

[gbemery]

Would you have to subscribe to both xbox live and the MMORPG? If so I would be interested in knowing how much total.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I'm fairly sure Microsoft would lift the limit for a Blizzard MMO, like how they eventually gave up on the XBLA 50 MB limit. Now there are Arcade games over 2 GB.

Didn't Microsoft also get rid of one of the "rules" for Shivering Isles, too?

By the way, for the elegant control system, look at Sacred 2. Controlled beautifully.

It's less getting rid of the rules and more having the game download in 2GB parts. And the thing with Shivering Isles is that it was DLC, not an Arcade game. It's not standalone either. DLC rules are different. Recently it was announced that Oddworld Stranger's Wrath will not be released on the XBL Marketplace because it's 2.1 Gigs. This upgraded original Xbox game is currently being released on the PS3 only. Just Add Water is in talk with Microsoft to change this but it's uncertain on a 360 release.

I'd also like you to name some XBL Arcade games that are over 2 GB. Just curious.

Hmm...I thought wrong. But the point is, they broke the limit. I was thinking more about the Original Xbox games' downloads service they had a year or so before they followed up with "games on demand".

 

[Gvaz]

"Microsoft puts limits on how many free updates developers can put out for their games" is the highlight of that article.

You can't update your game too much on our service. Instead, release it as an expansion pack and pay us royalties for using our service. Microsoft is a shithead.

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

I'm fairly sure Microsoft would lift the limit for a Blizzard MMO, like how they eventually gave up on the XBLA 50 MB limit. Now there are Arcade games over 2 GB.

Didn't Microsoft also get rid of one of the "rules" for Shivering Isles, too?

By the way, for the elegant control system, look at Sacred 2. Controlled beautifully.

It's less getting rid of the rules and more having the game download in 2GB parts. And the thing with Shivering Isles is that it was DLC, not an Arcade game. It's not standalone either. DLC rules are different. Recently it was announced that Oddworld Stranger's Wrath will not be released on the XBL Marketplace because it's 2.1 Gigs. This upgraded original Xbox game is currently being released on the PS3 only. Just Add Water is in talk with Microsoft to change this but it's uncertain on a 360 release.

I'd also like you to name some XBL Arcade games that are over 2 GB. Just curious.

Hmm...I thought wrong. But the point is, they broke the limit. I was thinking more about the Original Xbox games' downloads service they had a year or so before they followed up with "games on demand".

Which games did they break their limit on? That's what I want to know.

 

[Gvaz]

edit: double post, oops. forum didn't update fast enough.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I'm fairly sure Microsoft would lift the limit for a Blizzard MMO, like how they eventually gave up on the XBLA 50 MB limit. Now there are Arcade games over 2 GB.

Didn't Microsoft also get rid of one of the "rules" for Shivering Isles, too?

By the way, for the elegant control system, look at Sacred 2. Controlled beautifully.

It's less getting rid of the rules and more having the game download in 2GB parts. And the thing with Shivering Isles is that it was DLC, not an Arcade game. It's not standalone either. DLC rules are different. Recently it was announced that Oddworld Stranger's Wrath will not be released on the XBL Marketplace because it's 2.1 Gigs. This upgraded original Xbox game is currently being released on the PS3 only. Just Add Water is in talk with Microsoft to change this but it's uncertain on a 360 release.

I'd also like you to name some XBL Arcade games that are over 2 GB. Just curious.

Hmm...I thought wrong. But the point is, they broke the limit. I was thinking more about the Original Xbox games' downloads service they had a year or so before they followed up with "games on demand".

Which games did they break their limit on? That's what I want to know.

I said I was wrong, I thought I saw 2 GB games, but I didn't. But I have seen things like 1.6 GB.

That still doesn't change the fact that they got rid of their original "50 MB" limit.

 

[MichaelJ325]

If there will ever be a console MMORPG, it has to be "dumbed down" a bit. A regular controller can't compete with a keyboard and a mouse. It would make gameplay and socializing awkward and unintuitive.

But that's just the negative me talking. I suppose there might be some way to work around the controll mechanics. I know I'd be interested in playing if they got the gameplay right.

I for one agree with you there. MMOs at this stage of gaming anyway are meant for PCs.

I would go on to say that FPS are meant for PCs too but I'll get labelled as a fanboy so I'll stop at MMOs.

I agree as well.

If MMOs transferred to consoles, they would never be able to pull everyone from PC to the console. At the most they would only take part of the audience. If someone really wants to play WoW, they will play it on their sub-par PC.

Essentially, you'll have your hardcore MMO fans who stick to the PC, and your casual players who have to struggle with controls. If an MMO is streamlined for consoles, then all it will do is entice those casual MMO players to play something with a little more depth, like WoW on PC.

In the end, MMOs are designed for PCs because they have a lot of power, storage space, and lack of limitations.

 

[Delusibeta]

"Microsoft puts limits on how many free updates developers can put out for their games" is the highlight of that article.

You can't update your game too much on our service. Instead, release it as an expansion pack and pay us royalties for using our service. Microsoft is a shithead.

Er, did you even stop and consider that Microsoft actually has to pay to upkeep its servers, y'know the things where files are stored? All of those expansion packs and patches and arcade games aren't just floating around in the air. There's a shit load of Xbox 360 games and almost all of them receive patches: that's a hell of a lot of files.

If there was no limit on the number of free patches a developer could put out, then we'd quickly see Xbox Live fees rise to cover the additional server space needed to store all those extra files.

Microsoft's not a shithead (yeah, that's real mature...). Stuff is not free. And server space is not cheap.

I would like to now point in the direction of Steam. I don't know the PSN policy on patches, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were unlimited too. Point is, if the competition is doing it for nothing, then Microsoft is dumb for charging it (if they were competition on the same format. There's a reason why GfWL, which is essentually Xbox Live PC Edition, is wilting).