Activision Blizzard is Not Blizzard
Former Activision-Blizzard [http://www.blizzard.com], what the company does and how it has, and hasn't, affected the day-to-day operations at Blizzard.
It's been over a year since the WoW Insider [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/79490-Vivendi-and-Activision-Merge-in-18-9-Billion-Deal], in which he explains that "Activision-Blizzard is not Blizzard."
"Blizzard is a game development studio. They create video games from start to finish and prepare them for distribution," Sacco wrote. "Activision-Blizzard is a publisher. It is the publishing company formerly known as Vivendi Games, which published studios like Blizzard and Sierra. Vivendi Games shares were converted into Vivendi Universal [http://www.activision.com] immediately purchased 52 percent."
He acknowledged that publishers generally have some degree of control over developers, including the projects they undertake, release dates and game content, but noted that Blizzard has a far greater degree of freedom than most other studios. "There are obviously certain considerations, such as funding, that a developer must be aware of when making their game, but Blizzard is in a unique situation in that they (and WoW [http://www.worldofwarcraft.com]) are such a cash cow that any Activision-Blizzard interference would likely result in an inferior product - and, subsequently, lower sales," he continued. "They know that Blizzard does things right."
And while recent Blizzard decisions to push out Warcraft III [http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/wrath/], and release it as one game; make the campaigns as robust as possible and release the Protoss and Zerg campaigns in expansions; or put everything in one game exactly how they want it and have Starcraft II come out in 2014. They said the choice was obvious and I agree. It's about delivering the best playing experience."
Still, he admits that Activision isn't above "stupid cross-promotions" to maximize its new relationship with Blizzard, saying the company "desperately tried to equate our flagship properties with their licensed crap." Activision also sent Blizzard a pile of Rock Band [http://www.guitarhero.com/ghaerosmith/] guitar, right?"
Permalink
Former Activision-Blizzard [http://www.blizzard.com], what the company does and how it has, and hasn't, affected the day-to-day operations at Blizzard.
It's been over a year since the WoW Insider [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/79490-Vivendi-and-Activision-Merge-in-18-9-Billion-Deal], in which he explains that "Activision-Blizzard is not Blizzard."
"Blizzard is a game development studio. They create video games from start to finish and prepare them for distribution," Sacco wrote. "Activision-Blizzard is a publisher. It is the publishing company formerly known as Vivendi Games, which published studios like Blizzard and Sierra. Vivendi Games shares were converted into Vivendi Universal [http://www.activision.com] immediately purchased 52 percent."
He acknowledged that publishers generally have some degree of control over developers, including the projects they undertake, release dates and game content, but noted that Blizzard has a far greater degree of freedom than most other studios. "There are obviously certain considerations, such as funding, that a developer must be aware of when making their game, but Blizzard is in a unique situation in that they (and WoW [http://www.worldofwarcraft.com]) are such a cash cow that any Activision-Blizzard interference would likely result in an inferior product - and, subsequently, lower sales," he continued. "They know that Blizzard does things right."
And while recent Blizzard decisions to push out Warcraft III [http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/wrath/], and release it as one game; make the campaigns as robust as possible and release the Protoss and Zerg campaigns in expansions; or put everything in one game exactly how they want it and have Starcraft II come out in 2014. They said the choice was obvious and I agree. It's about delivering the best playing experience."
Still, he admits that Activision isn't above "stupid cross-promotions" to maximize its new relationship with Blizzard, saying the company "desperately tried to equate our flagship properties with their licensed crap." Activision also sent Blizzard a pile of Rock Band [http://www.guitarhero.com/ghaerosmith/] guitar, right?"
Permalink
