Analyst: No StarCraft II This Year

[Keane Ng]

Analyst: No StarCraft II This Year

Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey is predicting that Blizzard's highly anticipated StarCraft II won't make it into 2009, one of several snags that could make the end of this year a little bit rougher than Activision thinks it will be.

Though Blizzard's own Mike Morhaime recently declared that StarCraft II is being targeted [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/92102-StarCraft-II-On-Target-For-09-Release] for a release sometime later this year, some industry analysts are using recently revealed information to argue that the game might not make it until the fiscal year for 2010.

Yesterday Kotaku reported [http://kotaku.com/5303533/starcraft-ii-beta-planned-to-last-4-to-6-months] that Blizzard is planning for the SC2 multiplayer beta to last four to six months, which, depending on when the beta starts, could put SC2 dangerously on the edge of 2009, considering we're already six months into this year. Hopeful fans no doubt have their fingers crossed that's not what this means, but Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey isn't going to beat around the bush, saying: "We find it increasingly probable that the game will be released in [Activision's] fiscal '10 period."

And that's just the beginning of the bad news Janco Partners has for Activision-Blizzard. Hickey pointed out the recent boost in Activision shareholders unloading their shares as a bad sign. And despite a number of huge titles on the horizon for the year including Modern Warfare 2 and Guitar Hero 5, Hickey thinks that without price cuts, current console asking prices could "compromise holiday sales expectations."

While I am worried about Blizzard's plan for the beta pushing back the game, if that does happen it can't mean that we'll have to wait too much longer. They're not going to end the beta and then wait another year to put the game out. And what about Blizzard's declaration to put out "one front line release per year?" Without StarCraft II, they'd have nothing, right? Unless they pull World of Lost Vikings out at BlizzCon, I think they'll try their best to get StarCraft II out in 2009.

[Via Gamasutra [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24259]]


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[murphy7801]

I don't mind if it come out later if the games better for the extra work.

 

[captainwalrus]

Bah. They always push release dates back. It'd be a cold day in hell if Blizzard made a release on time.

 

[John Funk]

Predicting a delay in a Blizzard game is like predicting it'll be dark at night.

 

[Harbinger_]

I'm guessing early 2010 before a release.

 

[ShadowKirby]

We've been waiting for ten years for a sequel, I guess we can wait a few more months.

 

[Dectilon]

I don't think Starcraft 2 can be analyzed in the same way most products are. First of all, it's not a hard sell. Even without expanding the audience they will have a formidable number of buyers, regardless of when it's released. Secondly, SC2 has (if I've understood correctly) been developed very much in cooperation with pro-level Starcraft players, so the beta will probably be far more polished than most betas.

Basically, I think it'll be a quick process to finish the game once the beta period is over.

 

[Nazulu]

I thought it would be to good to be true but as long as they don't do what HAL Labratory did with Brawl, it doesn't bother me.

 

[Gamer137]

So long as it's better, I'll wait another year. This game has to be the closest thing to perfect I have ever seen after waiting a decade.

 

[paketep]

2012 for all I care. StarCraft without LAN is no stinkin' StarCraft.

 

[Zeldadudes]

Bah. They always push release dates back. It'd be a cold day in hell if Blizzard made a release on time.

Cold day in hell, with a blue moon plus the second and third comings of Christ maybe. Even then, I bet they'd run into shipping problems and still be late on the shelves.

I like you, you know Blizzard awfully well.
Lets hope that they don't cancel Starcraft II and work on the SC:Ghost -.-

 

[Gladion]

You'd think, with all that money Blizzard/Activision is making, they could afford some more employees to kick out their damn games on schedule.

Edit: SC: Ghost was a game I fuckin wanted to play :/ but I guess if it had been any good they would have released it. You can say about Blizzard whatever you want (e.g. that you hate half their releases, like me) but they only release games that are well crafted. No rushed shit, no extremely bad stuff.

 

[HobbesMkii]

Killjoy. That's what this guy is. I mean, we all know the truth, but he didn't have to tell it to us.

 

[VincentX3]

FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-

Ok not really, I really dont mind when it comes out.

 

[WNxSajuukCor]

Blizzard said they could've released it last year, but I severely doubt it would look like the gem it is today. Since the annoucement units have been added, others cut, skills tweaked, and graphics revamped. Not to mention Windows 7 support probably as well.

Can't just put a sticker on a game and call it done, and if they released a buggy unbalanced mess to tarnish the Starcraft name I doubt anyone would put faith in another Starcraft title again. Let them work on it, and I bet it'll be out in 2009 like they said.

 

[TaborMallory]

Whoever knows Blizzard is not surprised.
Honestly, I would rather wait a few more months than have them deliver an unfinished game.

And this, too.

You can say about Blizzard whatever you want (e.g. that you hate half their releases, like me) but they only release games that are well crafted. No rushed shit, no extremely bad stuff.