Holy hell! 2 Blizzard MMOs?!

[Enos Shenk]

Ill have to chime in on this. Ive been playing WoW on and off since the original beta, and I consider myself a casual player. Never bothered much with hardcore raids, or hardcore PvP, just played with friends when I had time and had fun.

Let me tell you why WoW got so succesful. I played Meridian 59, UO, dabbled with Everquest, and I hated every one of them. Because back in the old MMOs, there werent really quests. Its hard to believe nowdays since WoW has made quests almost a requirement, but the older games you just went out and killed whatever you saw for EXP. Rarely would anyone really tell you to go do something, and it was never "in your face" like 5 people in a town having an exclamation mark.

Blizzard brought the idea of questing into the MMO, and it served to breaking the monotony to some degree. Im sure people will argue that point, but really, a quest to go kill 10 spiders isnt that grindy. They peppered the game world with big memorable locations, drew you in, and made you feel a part of something big.

Unfortunately, thats where blizzard lost it. They turned PvP into a grind-fest as opposed to a semi-friendly contest. They started flooding the game with raid content, pissing all over the casual gamers who played it solely because WoW broke the paradigm. Burning Crusade was the peak of this, there were no real epic moments in Burning Crusade after the first moment you popped out of the dark portal to see a huge NPC battle going on. You never really cared about any of the prime villains, and even if you did, youd never get to fight them unless you were in a top-of-the-server raid guild.

I really think Blizzard listened to some of the complaints with Lich King, and brought the old fun back. Quests that are huge and interesting, characters that show up again and again, and new tech that changes the game world after huge world events. The Death Knight quest finale, and the Wrathgate event finales are HUGE and really draw you in. Fighting alongside two of the biggest characters in the game, slaughtering huge elite monsters that you could never touch outside of the event? Hell of a lot of fun.

 

[Twilight_guy]

I bet my left kidney that it's World of Starcraft. WoW made an ungodly stack of money for them and now they can have a sci-fi version. Making one of their prize games into an mmo worked, why not do it again?

 

[Jodah]

I thought they would make World of Starcraft at first, but when you think about it, what can you really do there? Only 3 races, what "classes" would you have? Terran could pretty much have a marine and a medic... couldn't have firebats really as it's basically the same as marine but with different equipment. And you can see how it wouldn't work with the other races aswell.

Diablo 3 is already planned from what I'm hearing so I don't see it being a Diablo MMO.

So... is this going to be WoW2??

They could do a lot with Starcraft. Firebats could be a tankesque class. Thats assuming they do an MMORPG. If they do a MMOFPS or something its even more open. Maybe even combining the two areas. Can upgrade your gear for different things (damage absorbing, damage dealing, etc) but you control where you hit like a FPS.

 

[Valiance]

I don't know. It might be a new franchise. I rule out anything besides Starcraft.

Warcraft - WoW is already an online MMO making plenty of money
Diablo - See D3. It's an online RPG for another userbase other than WoW
Rock 'N Roll Racing - Doubtful, but possible. If done right, it could be what death rally should have been.
Lost Vikings - I don't think it'd work as an MMO.
Blackthorne - Again, I don't think it'd work as an MMO.

Starcraft - I think this is a possibility because it would draw in their "sci-fi" loving fans, their Starcraft fans who want to give a shot to anything in the series, and perhaps people who wanted to see Starcraft: Ghost go live (like me).

Also, my theory is that they are aiming to satisfy their more "hardcore" (quote, unquote) players with an MMO game that will be difficult, pvp based, "skill"-based, and less grind-based.

I think that'd work fine for the Starcraft Universe. At least for the Terrans, anyway. If they make it like no other MMO out there, which I can only hope they do, it would be good.

But again, it seems sort of unlikely.

I really want it to be an original title.

 

[theCMNDER]

They could do a lot with Starcraft. Firebats could be a tankesque class. Thats assuming they do an MMORPG. If they do a MMOFPS or something its even more open. Maybe even combining the two areas. Can upgrade your gear for different things (damage absorbing, damage dealing, etc) but you control where you hit like a FPS.

I don't know, unless they have some vehicles as classes, there won't be many classes, not to mention that it's limited by having only 3 races already. And the lack of equipment would be dull and painful. It's not that they couldn't come up with lots of guns, it's just that Futuristic Assault Rifle No.XXXXIII of +10Stamina would be incredibly dull.

But as an MMOFPS, yea I can see how that would be more feasible. I would see it being more heavy on FPS than upgrading gear etc. and that would just be an extra as it were.

 

[Credge]

You could also count Diablo 3 as an MMO too. So they could in fact have three mmos out. Which means I probably won't see the sun for a bit.

No you can't. 4-8 players in a server is not massive. If so, then CS, L4D, or any other FPS are MMO's.

 

[Evilbunny]

Aw crap. if World of Starcraft comes out it'll probably be the last any of you see of me.

 

[51gunner]

I don't know what IP they'd take on next. WoW2 seems... odd: two concurrent MMO's set in the same universe? Or even odder, taking down the servers for WoW and making everyone start over to play largely the same story in the same universe? There's only so much canon there to work with: I can't see that going so well. (Yes, I know WoW is so torn apart for lore, but still.)

Starcraft? I don't see how you could get equipment upgrades or anything in this setting. Yay... my improved standard issue armor? I have taken up the tradeskill of bullet manufacturer? My skill with Battlecruisers has gone up by 1?

I don't have any idea what they're doing. Diablo seems like the best untapped ground... maybe D3 will be the MMO? God knows.

 

[todd10k]

MMOFPS Would be awesome. Im DIEING to play a good MMOFPS. I loved planetside. The concept and gameplay was brillant. Shame about the artistry and programming though, it's what made the game unplayable past a point. However it did have some of the most epic combat ive ever been a part of. I was a vanu, the few and the proud, holding off a terran army across one of auraxis's many river bridges. 20 vanu vs 60+ terrans and 2 bfr's. It was like 300.

Such an awesome game, cant wait for the next good mmofps. comon blizzard.

 

[lacktheknack]

Its meant to be a Futuristic MMO I think...

Starcraft. I would definitely join that.

 

[matrix3509]

Past Blackwing lair it started going down the crapper. I played BC till 70, raided just a bit till TK, then just dumped that crap. It was getting redundant and frustrating and useless.

Anyway, if they make another MMO, it's either going after the people who are tired of WoW or everyone who don't/stopped playing WoW.

Blizzard is going to get a punch in the face after D3 and SC2 weather they realize it or not. They're going to have to be really careful. Also if they think the WoW formula is the way to go, think again.

I am predicting that Blizzard will most likely redefine the MMO genre "yet again." They are one of the few developers that almost never outstay their welcome. By that, I mean they aren't the type of people who will put out "Gun Battle Slap Fight XVII", just to make some money. They have always seemed committed to not repeating themselves on the scale that EA or the bigger companies do, and to put out quality products. That, and they produced my favorite game of all time, Starcraft, so I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

On the issue of the MMO, they should know by now that the only MMO to use the World of Warcraft formula successfully was World of Warcraft itself, and any other MMOs that try to copy it will fail miserably, as evidenced by every other MMO in existence.

I expect something completely new from Blizzard.

Well considering the fact Blizzard has been recycling the same things for 10 years now, I wouldn't expect something revolutionary. Especially if it has nothing to do with past blizzard franchises... that would make some fans that aren't used to anything that isn't D/S/W confused.

Well I'll give you that. But the fact still stands that every MMO that has tried to copy the WOW formula (i.e. all of them) have pretty much failed to differing degrees (from EPIC fail to a more lingering, torturous fail). I think they know that if they try to make the lightning strick twice they will fail. The reason why Blizzard gets away with just 3 franchises is two-fold:

1. They have recycled their franchises less than everyone else (however, if they decide to make another Warcraft, their free pass will expire I think).

2. The games they put out are so polished, its like a breath of freash air. Like a said before, they might not have original ideas, but you can't really accuse them of making a second rate game, as so many other developers are inclined to do these days.

Well we've seen alot of MMOs fail because of their "formula copying", but to be fair that formula was taken from Everquest anyway, so WoW was probably the last one to pull it off, as it was already getting really, really old. Others have missed the mark comepletely like AoC or Tabula Rasa, and some got financially fucked from the beginning like Hellgate: London.

On a brighter note, some like Warhammer Online have flourished and just keep on giving (although it's the only one I can think of).

As for recycling, I'll give you that, it's not one of those 17 sequels+ Japanese games, but once you get to 3, it gets old unless you reboot the series (like Prince of Persia, or what they originally wanted to do with Thief 3 before Looking Glass popped).

Finally, the level of polish in Blizzard games is, of course, always appreciated, but with the money pressure put on by Vivendi and the way the economy is forcing almost every developer to ship as soon as possible (sometimes without completing the game, see Left 4 Dead) makes me want to predict either a) Overall decrease in polish in Blizzard games or b) Same level of polish but less game content, and for the same price (like their plan for SC2 so far).

The economy these days is like... the mongoose to my snake. Or the snake to my mongoose. Either way it's bad. And I for one wouldn't be sad if Blizzard failed this time around. Would be nice for them to make the point, to give their lives back to those they took it from, that served them so well over the years (the Shaefers, Roper, etc.)

Wait so you want Blizzard to fail? That makes me a sad panda. I understand wishing for the demise of leeches on the video game industry (i.e. EA) but still. Ever since Blizzard started out, they have stuck to their guns in terms of release dates. But unlike Valve and 3D Realms, there is actually evidence that they are working. To me, its a breath of fresh air that they really seem to care about the quality of their games. Its this kind of professionalism that really draws gamers. But meh, now I'm coming across as fanboyish.

 

[Eipok Kruden]

A Starcraft MMO would be great! You could get ships instead of mounts, fights would be even larger.

You, sir, are thinking of EVE Online because I doubt Blizzard will make a sci-fi mmorpg like EVE. It would probably be more like WoW in a sci-fi setting.

 

[DigitalSushi]

It was foretold long time ago they're making another MMO.


No surprise there.

And that ladies and gentlemen is why i fail at the internet.

Sigh i need a drink.

"Jazz and liquor, you're my only friends."

indeed, they dont judge me!, and I can stop anytime I want
*sobs*

 

[matrix3509]

I have to say, I was an absolute fanboy of Blizzard's before, but when I learned the origin of their games and their questionable business practices, I felt totally cheated. Basically, I started to hate them for lying to me, and found my haven in Warhammer.

Indeed I don't really know anything about all that. Granted I stopped paying attention to them after I tore my life away from the grasp of Starcraft. Now that I have been able to go a few years without playing it, they announce Starcraft 2 and now are trying to pull me back in. Clever bastards if nothing else.

 

[GothmogII]

I have to say, I was an absolute fanboy of Blizzard's before, but when I learned the origin of their games and their questionable business practices, I felt totally cheated. Basically, I started to hate them for lying to me, and found my haven in Warhammer.

Indeed I don't really know anything about all that. Granted I stopped paying attention to them after I tore my life away from the grasp of Starcraft. Now that I have been able to go a few years without playing it, they announce Starcraft 2 and now are trying to pull me back in. Clever bastards if nothing else.

Not much to know, Blizzard expanded on an initially unrealised RTS based on Games Workshop's Warhammer universe. Fell through in the end and GW didn't want to make the game so Blizzard went ahead and made it themselves with changes of course so as not to get in trouble with copyrights and such. Anyway, there's a small amount on ill favour between fandoms, with some of the Warhammer crowd considering the Warcraft series a rip-off of the Warhammer setting, despite the fact that both are widely different while having similarities, i.e both are fantasy themed games with big muscled green men.

As for Blizzard's 'questionable' business practices...I honestly don't know what that's about, possibly something to do with Warden, which is their cheat prevention software, been accused of snooping through their clients computers etc.

 

[matrix3509]

I have to say, I was an absolute fanboy of Blizzard's before, but when I learned the origin of their games and their questionable business practices, I felt totally cheated. Basically, I started to hate them for lying to me, and found my haven in Warhammer.

Indeed I don't really know anything about all that. Granted I stopped paying attention to them after I tore my life away from the grasp of Starcraft. Now that I have been able to go a few years without playing it, they announce Starcraft 2 and now are trying to pull me back in. Clever bastards if nothing else.

Not much to know, Blizzard expanded on an initially unrealised RTS based on Games Workshop's Warhammer universe. Fell through in the end and GW didn't want to make the game so Blizzard went ahead and made it themselves with changes of course so as not to get in trouble with copyrights and such. Anyway, there's a small amount on ill favour between fandoms, with some of the Warhammer crowd considering the Warcraft series a rip-off of the Warhammer setting, despite the fact that both are widely different while having similarities, i.e both are fantasy themed games with big muscled green men.

As for Blizzard's 'questionable' business practices...I honestly don't know what that's about, possibly something to do with Warden, which is their cheat prevention software, been accused of snooping through their clients computers etc.

I don't really know much about the Warcraft and Warhammer thing, as I've only played Warcraft and Warcraft 2 (just played them, I don't own them). As far as I can see, Warhammer had tons of potential back in the day, but they pissed it all away.

I only have good things to say for Blizzard's customer service though, as every time I have been in contact with them (a whopping total of two times) they treated me as an actual human and were extremely helpful. Don't know how widespread that is for other users, but it really left an impression on me.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

I have to say, I was an absolute fanboy of Blizzard's before, but when I learned the origin of their games and their questionable business practices, I felt totally cheated. Basically, I started to hate them for lying to me, and found my haven in Warhammer.

Indeed I don't really know anything about all that. Granted I stopped paying attention to them after I tore my life away from the grasp of Starcraft. Now that I have been able to go a few years without playing it, they announce Starcraft 2 and now are trying to pull me back in. Clever bastards if nothing else.

Not much to know, Blizzard expanded on an initially unrealised RTS based on Games Workshop's Warhammer universe. Fell through in the end and GW didn't want to make the game so Blizzard went ahead and made it themselves with changes of course so as not to get in trouble with copyrights and such. Anyway, there's a small amount on ill favour between fandoms, with some of the Warhammer crowd considering the Warcraft series a rip-off of the Warhammer setting, despite the fact that both are widely different while having similarities, i.e both are fantasy themed games with big muscled green men.

As for Blizzard's 'questionable' business practices...I honestly don't know what that's about, possibly something to do with Warden, which is their cheat prevention software, been accused of snooping through their clients computers etc.

Which is silly because Blizzard ADMITS it and them and GW are on good terms.

 

[matrix3509]

While we are playing a guessing game here, I thought I would throw in my guess for kicks and giggles:

Okay, get this. An MMO based in the Godzilla franchise. I have no idea how that could possibly work, but if it could, it would be AWESOME!

 

[Simriel]

I sense a disturbance in the force.

 

[coffin]

Well, seems like wow's day are counted.

thats what they said when conan was on its way out lol but i don't know this is another blizzard game so you could be right.