Blizzard: More "Broad Appeal" In Next MMOG
Blizzard's CEO said its mystery MMOG will have more broad appeal.
Blizzard fans know that the company loves a good mystery, especially when its fans are on the receiving end. That became crystal clear when Blizzard teased gamers before last year's BlizzCon, throwing up various images while embedding secret codes (apparently) influenced by ABC's Lost. Ever since Blizzard revealed that a new MMOG was in the works, the company has remained just as secretive, if not for the benefit of torturing fans and cranking up the hype machine tenfold.
GameSpot managed to squeeze a few more drops of gaming juice from Blizzard's well-kept secret project, although the result is more or less nothing more than hints of what could be rather than something juicy. "What we've announced at Blizzard is that we have Starcraft [II] coming, Diablo has been in production...and a new, unannounced MMOG that has a little more broad appeal," Activision Blizzard's CEO Bobby Kotick told GameSpot today at the Deutsche Bank Securities Technology Conference in San Francisco.
Blizzard already admitted that the new MMOG would not be a World of Warcraft clone, but will be a brand-new IP. Jeff Kaplan, who originally worked on World of Warcraft as the MMORPG's game director, began to work full-time on the mystery project back in February. If the game will have a broader appeal to gamers, is the company looking to expand into the casual market, or perhaps offer a free-to-play model like turbine's Dungeons and Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited?
Kotick also dropped hints of what Battle.net may eventually offer, and could also provide a glimpse into what the MMOG will eventually offer gamers in the process. "As we start to add cash play and prize play and better rewards and recognition systems that come through the Internet, you will start to see audiences expand even further," he said.
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When they talk about "broad appeal" are we sure they don't mean making it more appealing to women?
Zing!
When they talk about "broad appeal" are we sure they don't mean making it more appealing to women?
Zing!
Eh sorry about the double post. It really will be interesting to see where they go with this new game.
Blizzard sucks at MMO's imo. They make them so basic and low-end so that they appeal to large groups of people (Anyone with a crappy PC and almost no PC gaming experience can jump right into WoW... which is good and bad) Good because it gets lots of subscribers, and lots of families - husband, wife, small children, teens, the whole family can jump right in and go questing together. Bad for PC gaming enthusiasts who want cutting edge games that require a top of the line PC and are hard to master. I guess weither or not blizzard MMOG's are for you depend on what side of the fence you sit on. Personally, I didn't spend 2000 bucks on an i7, SLI rig, 1920x1080 monitor rig with G19 keyboard so I can play low-end games like WoW and diablo.
Broader than the 10 million people playing WoW? They must like owning server farms.
Minigames? I don't think I'd mind a poker-rip off style card game
Blizzard sucks at MMO's imo. They make them so basic and low-end so that they appeal to large groups of people (Anyone with a crappy PC and almost no PC gaming experience can jump right into WoW... which is good and bad) Good because it gets lots of subscribers, and lots of families - husband, wife, small children, teens, the whole family can jump right in and go questing together. Bad for PC gaming enthusiasts who want cutting edge games that require a top of the line PC and are hard to master. I guess weither or not blizzard MMOG's are for you depend on what side of the fence you sit on. Personally, I didn't spend 2000 bucks on an i7, SLI rig, 1920x1080 monitor rig with G19 keyboard so I can play low-end games like WoW and diablo.
Have you played WotLK? Yeah, it does not require the top most machines available today, but just "any machine" will not properly run the newest expansion. Blizzard made WoW to run as it does so that they are able to get as many customers as possible; this is only smart business, which I doubt you would know anything about.
As far as game difficultly, you are also showing your lack of knowledge. Yes, anyone can come in and play the game. This is exactly what most games should be. A game should be fun, not some ridiculous piece of shit that some MMOs have become. Even though World of Warcraft is easy to start, it is not the easiest to master. There are people, like myself, that have played since the game was in its initial beta, but we do not understand every aspect of the game.
Quit acting like some elitist, thinking you are the cream of the crop. If you tried to play with experienced WoW players, you would get your ass handed to you.
I do not understand the hate that is targeted at Blizzard. It seems that a lot of people around here hate successful companies. I guess some of you are big Nader fans.
They must be adding the fetus-4 year old,and 75-100 age brackets to the target audiences for the next one?
Personally, I didn't spend 2000 bucks on an i7, SLI rig, 1920x1080 monitor rig with G19 keyboard so I can play low-end games like WoW and diablo.
Considering most people don't own an SLI/Crossfire rig, or even a DX10 or higher graphics card, it's safe to say Blizzard was taking the safe route by making their game low spec. Blizzard also recently introduced a High spec graphics setting into the game for people who have fast rigs.
While some people argue a brain-dead monkey pounding on the keyboard could run the endgame content or pvp in WoW (me included sometimes), there is some difficulty in it. Or rather, it's as difficult as you want to make it. Yes, I'm also aware of the mindless grinding.
Like Starcraft II, this MMOG well take the next decade to come out, so dont get your hopes up.
Great, an even more casual game.
I am curious about the writers opinion that it may be a free MMORPG. Especially if they top WoW in player participation. I must agree with some posters here though that WoW lost it's luster due to watering down the content. Sunwell was the best content in the game because of it's difficulty.
Great, an even more casual game.
How about waiting until the information on the game is released before you bitch about it.
How about waiting until the information on the game is released before you bitch about it.
It's a simple conclusion to draw from that comment. How about no.
Quit acting like some elitist, thinking you are the cream of the crop. If you tried to play with experienced WoW players, you would get your ass handed to you.
Werd
You know honestly if blizzard sold a chicken farming MMORPG I think they would get 10 million subscribers.
It seems that a lot of people around here hate successful companies. I guess some of you are big Nader fans.
Everyone hates the "popular" choice. It makes them feel rebellious or elists. Mac bases their whole advertising scheme on this (Disclaimer: I am not trying to start a MAC vs. PC flame war, but Mac wants you to feel "cool" because you have a Mac). It's the American way...
probably facebook game version ^_^
The next Blizzrd MMO is..... Evony II!
Or it probably will be just like it, with them ramping up the hype machine. Every googlead will pimp it...
I just hope Blizzard doesn't go the way of Nintendo and it's Wii...
Sounds good to me. WoW may have been extremely successful but it certainly divides those that play, and those that don't.
Have you played WotLK? Yeah, it does not require the top most machines available today, but just "any machine" will not properly run the newest expansion. Blizzard made WoW to run as it does so that they are able to get as many customers as possible; this is only smart business, which I doubt you would know anything about.As far as game difficultly, you are also showing your lack of knowledge. Yes, anyone can come in and play the game. This is exactly what most games should be. A game should be fun, not some ridiculous piece of shit that some MMOs have become. Even though World of Warcraft is easy to start, it is not the easiest to master. There are people, like myself, that have played since the game was in its initial beta, but we do not understand every aspect of the game.Quit acting like some elitist, thinking you are the cream of the crop. If you tried to play with experienced WoW players, you would get your ass handed to you.I do not understand the hate that is targeted at Blizzard. It seems that a lot of people around here hate successful companies. I guess some of you are big Nader fans.
whats worse than a WoW basher? WoW fanboy
hello pot, this is kettle I believe you 2 should talk, you have much in common.
there is no argument...wow IS the "fisher prices my First MMO".
Ive been around a while, played WAR, LOTRO, EVE, GW, CoV
TR, VG, FFXI, UO, EQ, EQ2, AC, AC2, L2, AO
WoW, HG, DDO, AoC, NC, SWG, MxO, TcoS
and wow DOES have the depth of a paper plate.
and the argument "There are people, like myself, that have played since the game was in its initial beta, but we do not understand every aspect of the game." in no way indicated a indepth game.
thats like saying playing fetch with your dog in an indepth game because you don't understand ever aspect of how the velocity, gravity, and bounce speed effects the balls travel path. Anyone with any MMO experience can pick up 95% of wows mechanics in a month tops. the other 5% is the "gear tweaking" for PvP or raiding.....very deep indeed.
Have you played WotLK? Yeah, it does not require the top most machines available today, but just "any machine" will not properly run the newest expansion. Blizzard made WoW to run as it does so that they are able to get as many customers as possible; this is only smart business, which I doubt you would know anything about.As far as game difficultly, you are also showing your lack of knowledge. Yes, anyone can come in and play the game. This is exactly what most games should be. A game should be fun, not some ridiculous piece of shit that some MMOs have become. Even though World of Warcraft is easy to start, it is not the easiest to master. There are people, like myself, that have played since the game was in its initial beta, but we do not understand every aspect of the game.Quit acting like some elitist, thinking you are the cream of the crop. If you tried to play with experienced WoW players, you would get your ass handed to you.I do not understand the hate that is targeted at Blizzard. It seems that a lot of people around here hate successful companies. I guess some of you are big Nader fans.
Wow players.....*chuckle* You must play EVE and think its great too.....
Blizzard sucks at MMO's imo.
So - a game is bad because it's playable on something less than a crysis geared mashine? And it runs on just any? Hmm. I did try running it on a friends 'gaming laptop', but I dare say it didn't run very fluidly. Sure I could at least do auction house stuff, but it didn't run very well. And on my old centrino notebook it runs even less good. Or did you mean to say, that the game is bad because anyone can learn to play it? That's like saying monopoly is bad because it's simple, or that soccer is a bad sport because it doesn't require rocket science to understand? You're wierd. End of story.
More broad appeal? Could you be any less broad? I want something aimed at my needs not everyone else's.
bleh thas just wat we need, another mmo to hit an even lower common denominator
bleh thas just wat we need, another mmo for an even lower common denominator
they should just pool those resources n release d3 sooner
How about a StarCraft Ghost MMOFPS or MMOTPS.That would appeal to StarCraft fans and shooter fans.
I still won't be playing it. I have things to study while others waste their life and money away playing online.
One could argue that studying for the same of studying is a waste of life and goverment money as well. Your point being?
Surely there's a reason WoW stil lhas over 11 million players while many other MMOs have been in steady decline?
I've played WAR, LotRO and AoC myself and while these games all have their strengths (well, maybe not WAR - aside from the IP) I keep going back to WoW in frustration.
Of course it could just be me, though the statistics don't really support that.
In conclusion, many MMO-player who doesn't play WoW loves to bash WoW. This is fine, just don't suffer from the illusion that you make up a majority of the gaming public.