05-15-2007, 09:28 PM
Quote:So, why not an announcement about an MMO in development now? I mean just because they are announcing something now, does not mean that it is something that is close to release. I mean D2 was announced to be in development like 3 years before it actually came out. I just do not see Blizzard spending any more money on a pure non-subscription game anymore. Maybe as the one who does not cut his nails suggests above, it could be a sort of a hybrid, but it's got to be at least a game of that type.I thought Diablo 2 was announced at most a year before the intended release, but it kept getting postponed over and over again, so in the end it was 2-3 years to the actual release. Wow was released fairly quickly after it's initial announcement, as was Warcraft 3.
I mean I definately see them riding the MMO horse again, but with at least 2 more expansions for WoW (we have Northrend, Emerald Dream, Goblin/Priate southern islands, Maelstrom, Kirin Tor, Guilneas left), it will be at least 4 years (1 year to finish off current expansion and 1.5 years for each of the upcoming expansions) before WoW will start running out of content.
I can see however some sort of hybrid viable though as you mentioned, but not purely an MMO, as it really wouldn't draw many new subscribers, since most likely it would draw players from WoW. Perhaps a Starcraft RTS with an extensive online pay-to-play model and direct ties to TV and other medium. Meaning, Blizzard goal is making the next Starcraft a true e-sport with all the benefits that come with it. Can you imagine if Baseball, America's national past time, was owned by one company, and everything ever related to it would bring profit to that one company? It may sound farfetched in most places, but in Korea, Starcraft just may become one of the national past times, and that may be what Blizzard is aiming for.