WoW Lead Designer Moves to Blizz's "Other" MMO

[John Funk]

WoW Lead Designer Moves to Blizz's "Other" MMO

In a post on the official World of Warcraft forums [http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=14990474128&sid=1&pageNo=1], Jeffery "Tigole" Kaplan, the game's Lead Designer, announced that he would be stepping down from the position - and moving to work full-time on Blizzard's as-of-yet-unannounced "next-gen" MMO.

It's been no secret that Kaplan - who found himself at the helm of the world's most successful MMORPG because he played EverQuest too damn much (no, seriously) - has been involved in the mysterious new project [http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/10/13/world-of-warcraft-game-director-on-new-mmo-and-console-games/] that the Irvine, CA-based developer is keeping firmly under wraps. However, during that time, he'd also still been primarily working on WoW, making sure that Wrath of the Lich King was in proper shape.

Kaplan assured fans of the game that he'd still be involved in the evolution of Warcraft going forward, though he'd be leaving the day-to-day business in the capable hands of Tom "Kalgan" Chilton and J. Allen "J. Allen Brack" Brack. Nor did it mean he was any less enthusiastic about the world of Warcraft:

[blockquote]When all is said and done, WoW is still my favorite game. I play it every day. None of that passion is gone. If anything, it fuels the challenge of making our next MMO even better. We know we have some big shoes to fill.[/blockquote]

This is the first concrete information - of any sort - that we've received about the top-secret MMO project in quite some time, and it's enough to make one think. You don't take the head honcho off your most successful (and profitable) title [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/89040] unless there's a very good reason for it. One can speculate, then, that this means that Blizzard is ramping up development on the unannounced title ... perhaps for an unveiling in 2009 a la StarCraft II at the Seoul Worldwide Invitational 2007 and Diablo III at the Paris Worldwide Invitational 2008?

So, what do we think. Is it going to be Universe of StarCraft or what?

(Via MTV Multiplayer [http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/02/12/world-of-warcraft-lead-designer-moving-on-to-blizzards-new-mmo/])



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[Lvl 64 Klutz]

Whatever this new project is, I have a feeling that when it's finally revealed, my reaction will be a disappointed, "...oh."

 

[GothmogII]

Whatever this new project is, I have a feeling that when it's finally revealed, my reaction will be a disappointed, "...oh."

Whys that?

 

[Lvl 64 Klutz]

Whatever this new project is, I have a feeling that when it's finally revealed, my reaction will be a disappointed, "...oh."

Whys that?

I'm hoping Blizzard has some crazy new formula in mind, but the rational side of me thinks it'll be more of the same MMORPG grind-fest.

 

[Dechef]

I hope it's not Starcraft related, I never cared much for that game (not only because I was already playing Warcraft RTSes before I even knew of it's existence.)
However, what else could it be? Diablo MMO (oh god yes please)?
WoW 2?
And that's about all of the options...

 

[TsunamiWombat]

I'm going to throw my hat into the Nostradamus ring and call it for Diablo Online.

 

[Cowabungaa]

It will probably be a new franchise if you ask me, and definatly not a WoW 2. Why? WoW 1 has millions of subscribers, they're not going to shoot themselfs in the foot by competing with themselfs, the most succesfull MMO on the planet. No if you ask me it will be a PvP-mmo, hopefully a new franchise, and maybe even something like UO or Darkfall: an MMO style with is the radical opposite of WoW.

 

[SonofSeth]

We can only hope hope it's not WoW with different skill. Now don't get me wrong, I love WoW to death, but the last thing I want the new Blizard MMO to be is more of the same.

 

[SomeBritishDude]

I hope it's not Starcraft related, I never cared much for that game (not only because I was already playing Warcraft RTSes before I even knew of it's existence.)
However, what else could it be? Diablo MMO (oh god yes please)?
WoW 2?
And that's about all of the options...

A new IP?

What with Blizzard all ready working on games for their two other IPs, and as World of Warcraft isn't going under for a long time yet (about the time Duke Nukem is released) I think it's lightly. They don't need to sell the new IP, all it has to say is "from the creators of WoW"

I hope it's something a little different

 

[Headwuend]

I'm only certain that there will be a "sweet deal" for running both a WoW and a Multiverse of Starwarblocraft account. Can you say KA-CHING?

 

[Graustein]

I can see it now.
"This is not World of Warcraft in space! It's much more... sophisticated."

 

[Muon]

Tigole earned quite a bit of hate from the WoW community for designing the game the way he did.

 

[Art Axiv]

I'd give much to be a janitor at blizzard... no wait, but an actual job - yeah. Whatever this guy reputation between the WoW players is - I bet he feels like a God.

 

[Hippobatman]

I want to know because I'm curious. Nothing more.

Maybe I'll get excited, or maybe not. Time will tell.

 

[oliveira8]

Tigole earned quite a bit of hate from the WoW community for designing the game the way he did.

What would be fun is that WoW would get runed to the ground cause he left...And everyone asking for him to come back.

 

[Blind0bserver]

So, what do we think. Is it going to be Universe of StarCraft or what?

Good god no, it's finally happening. Ever since Penny Arcade made a joke in one of their strips about "World of Starcraft" I knew Blizzard would eventually create an MMO based off of their other flagship RTS franchise. This company will have more money than God if this ever happens.

... one has to wonder, though, if a Starcraft MMO could finally be the game that puts a dent into World of Warcraft.

Spoiler: EDIT: The above-mentioned comic

 

[TheWickerPopstar]

I feel like it has to be a new IP. Diablo already functions as an online RPG, even if it isn't the same format as a more typical MMORPG. Plus, why release Diablo III, which will most likely have the same ~10 year lifespan that Diablo II has, just to replace it with a not-too-different game?

Maybe it'll be a rehashed MMORPG of Rock N'Roll Racing [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_and_Roll_Racing]

Oh, yeah--that was Blizzard.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

Well, taking a serious look at it, given that they already have one super successeful traditional MMO, it wouldn't make sense for them to shoot themselves in the foot by splitting their user base. I think they're going to aim for a different audience- MMOFPS or MMORTS. Wait does that even exist?