Blizzard Not Worried About StarCraft 2 Piracy
Battle.net and a loyal community seem to be keeping piracy at bay.
Michael Ryder, vice president and executive managing director for Blizzard’s international operations, seems to indicate that Blizzard isn't too worried about piracy. In fact, the company believes there's enough incentives in the just-released StarCraft II for would-be thieves to actually shell out cash for the new PC game.
But Ryder also gives credit to the Blizzard community, saying that the loyal fans have helped "starve off" the threat of piracy. Thanks to localized versions of Battle.net, the company has reached out to fourteen different territories, building a massive, world-wide community that actually wants to purchase their products.
Of course, Blizzard's new version of Battle.net helps fend of piracy too.
"The Battle.net solution provides several things," he said in an interview. "It provides better continuity for the players and it gives them a stronger way to participate in an overall Blizzard community. But what also goes hand-in-hand with the Battle.net solution is that we work really hard to offer a tailored, regional business model, so it reduces the incentives to go to a pirated solution."
Another security blanket for Blizzard could be World of Warcraft--currently the MMORPG has enslaved 11.5 million subscribers worldwide. Blizzard also generated $1.2 billion in revenue in 2009 alone--a large chunk apparently stemming from WoW--without releasing a new game or expansion pack.
"For World of Warcraft we have been able to work well around the piracy issue and we think we’ll be able to do the same with StarCraft II," he said.
Outside the piracy issue, Ryder discusses Blizzard's relationship with Activision, the company's (obvious) support for retail sales, and possibly resuming development for consoles. To read the full interview, head here.
- Toshiba Reveals Self-Wipe HDDs, Hide Your Vids!
- Apple to Use AMD Fusion CPUs for New Apple TV?
- Microsoft Publishes Comparison Web Page on Why Windows 7 is Better Than Mac OS X
- Woman in HP Sexual Harrassment Case Speaks
- Deals for August 9: 60'' Mitsubishi 3D HDTV $799
- Rumor: RIM's BlackPad Will Have... Android?
- Quake Live Open Beta Ends, Three Plans Emerge
- AMD Gives Early Hint at Bulldozer Performance
- WD's Elements Play: Storage, Media Player in One
- Dell Streak 5'' Phone Officially Priced at $299/549
- Caption Contest: The DSi XL + Zoo Animals
- Windows 7 Slate Faces Off Against the Apple iPad
- These Are the Civilization V System Requirements
- AMD Makes Fun of Nvidia Fermi's Hotness
- Dell Uses 'Apples to Apples' Comparison to Show How Its PCs are Better Than Macs
- Registry Tweak Enables Updates for XP SP2
- Valve Software Trademarks "DOTA"
- The Winners of a Free Copy of Just Cause 2
"World of Warcraft--currently the MMORPG has enslaved 11.5 million subscribers worldwide"
An interesting phrase...but very true.
I would say the lack of LAN play probably helps too...at least until someone comes out with something similar to what AlterIW is in regards to MW2, and then, it will probably go through the roof...
11.5 million at its peak, that number is no longer that high.
StarCraft 2 without battle.net is like a shooter game without guns or weapons. I know lots of folks played LAN games using orignal Starcraft, (me included) hundreds times with their friends, but I've always loved battle.net (and this is since original Diablo).
I simply can't envision Starcraft without battle.net, it's hard to explain, its something like Valve without Steam, incomplete and non functional.
Now if they can just keep the hackers away...
LAN isn't that important anymore. It used to be when internet connections were either hard to come by, or just slow. Now it's just as good to connect to the world servers and play games from them.
A few friends of mine tried to pirate SC2 just to see what the community had done in 48 hours after the release and the most they could get was the campaign mode and a LAN system for multiplayer that didn't work at all. We all ended up buying the game and play it for hours at our LAN parties. We haven't paid for a game we play at LAN's for years until now because it's such a solid game and online system. SC2 for us, is worth every cent.
There's nothing like the rush of a good SC2 game and it only gets better with friends playing alongside you.
LAN isn't that important anymore. It used to be when internet connections were either hard to come by, or just slow. Now it's just as good to connect to the world servers and play games from them.
Tell that to everyone that likes to play in tournaments and LAN parties...Im sure they will beg to differ...its one thing to coordinate and communicate over teamspeak or ventrilo, but to me, nothing beats having all your buddies in the same house for some good old fashioned local multiplayer!
Blizzard: "LOL Seriously? We've sold so many copies already, even if it does get pirated, we've already made a fortune!"
Merge. The. servers. NOW.
I'm sick of being confined in the South East Asian territory. We have friends in NA and EU ffs! And don't give us that separate download crap to connect to the US/EU servers too.
There is LAN versions available, you just have to be a progamer.
So they make money without doing anything!!!
and there is 11 millions person paying for this. Really cool, I'll create my own company based on this model
I'm going to invent the dumbest most addicting game ever.
World of Farmville
lol @ people still complaining about so-called "LAN" play. Guys, you can still play with your friends at a LAN party. You just connect through battle.net first for authentication. Starcraft does not run on game servers like counter strike or team fortress does. It runs in P2P mode with all players chained together forming a pseudo server for that game instance. Once you auth via battle.net, all in game routing between players is exchanged locally through your LAN.
I have a feeling the only way computer newbs are going to accept this is after they try reluctantly playing on "LAN" assuming it will be laggy, then are pleasantly surprised and word spreads that the game runs just fine via "battle.net".
Those into the game would probably be so into it that pirating wouldn't cross their mind.
"solid ... online system"
So my friend with a robust Swiss connection who said he got dropped multiple times a _day_ from online matches was lying?
One thing is for sure, they lose a lot of sales by not being on Steam.
should be worried about LAG at Latin America Servers :@
I'm going to invent the dumbest most addicting game ever.World of Farmville
With 3D models of people working on the farm. I bet people would play it.
Tell that to everyone that likes to play in tournaments and LAN parties...Im sure they will beg to differ...its one thing to coordinate and communicate over teamspek or ventrilo, but to me, nothing beats having all your buddies in the same house for some good old fashioned local multiplayer!
Couldn't of said it better. Wish there was a +100 button for comments like this.
Huh. Thats funny. I was once one of those loyal Blizzard games fans. Unfortunately with Starcraft II I lost all interest in buying the game.
12 years dangit. I waited 12 years. Had my money ready, the game played just how I wanted it to and what do they pull! No LAN play, limits on map making, region locked, no opengl mode, online activation, real id, thats what!
Blizzard dashed my confidence in them and I wont buy their games anymore because of this crap.
When the pirates finish releasing a working version of your game (which you seem to be unable to do) I might grab that. Unlike most piracy this WAS a lost sale!
It'll be a "Worldwide community" as soon as I can play with my friend in Argentina.
remove the region lock and i might be interested.... until then, stick it!
So they make money without doing anything!!!and there is 11 millions person paying for this. Really cool, I'll create my own company based on this model
You do realize how many technical staff and amount of server maintenance this requires right? All this doesn't run on pixie dust.
//rant
Some games don't have much appeal until a good mod is made, similar to CS or TF for Half-Life (HL got boring REAL fast, CS on the other hand is STILL fun). I'm waiting for my LAN mod to come out... even if it's not officially from Blizzard. Sorry Blizzard, I HATE BNet with a passion, not because of LAG (which used to be a problem), but because the people who play on BNet PISS ME OFF... "Hey lets build cannons in your base!" or "Zergling rush #1,001 coming up" or "you like tanks dropped on your workers?".
The other point is this, people PLAN for a LAN party. No one I know are interested in BNet because, life gets in the way. Once you mention LAN party, it seems like everyone comes out of the woodwork and MAKES time to play. It's like the whole, "I live in the state, so why should find time to see the sights... I'll do it another day" and yet, when you leave town you suddenly MAKE the time to see the landmarks at your destination.
Blizzard- this is bigger than BNet, this is bigger than SC-II even... no this is about socializing the old fashion way - IN PERSON. Bring back the LAN party. For god sakes, your turning everyone into casual console gamers by doing this!
\\rant
hmm i just noticed now the cigarette or cigar in that persons mouth. ahahah what a fkn joke. i wear helmet and i know how fkn hard it is to smoke through one. haha and they make it looks so damn easy. fkn pussies :S
@fenixkane
I don't think there is any LAN parties today that doesn't have an internet connection and i don't think opengl mode should affect you, if you're on windows you have better performance using direct3d and if you're on mac it will use the opengl engine. Online activation is the norm today and unlike other games that stops your games if you lose connection that doesn't happen in sc2. RealID is optional, you don't have to give out your email to other players if you don't want to.
Huh. Thats funny. I was once one of those loyal Blizzard games fans. Unfortunately with Starcraft II I lost all interest in buying the game.12 years dangit. I waited 12 years. Had my money ready, the game played just how I wanted it to and what do they pull! No LAN play, limits on map making, region locked, no opengl mode, online activation, real id, thats what!Blizzard dashed my confidence in them and I wont buy their games anymore because of this crap.When the pirates finish releasing a working version of your game (which you seem to be unable to do) I might grab that. Unlike most piracy this WAS a lost sale!
umadbro?
+1
\\rant
People who marked you down probably have never been to a real lan. Not some crap like quakecon which has gone from being a lan to a stop in a pro game circuit. Its easy, buy a switch, have 10 to 15 friends come over. And don't use the internet at all. Keep everything local. Then tell me that isn't awesome.
I can't believe some people support Blizzards Battle.NET decision just because they happen to have a working internet connection. There could be many reasons you can't get to battle.net:
-maybe you have no available internet connection (and thus, computer games are your only life)
-maybe you choose not to pay Big Cable $50+ a month for shitty service, and do without internet at home
-maybe you have internet, but your sys admin has blocked access to Battle.NET (think college campuses/dorms)
If Blizzard let you play Single Player without having to access Battle.NET, I might be fine with that, but requiring ALL play modes to authenticate with Battle.NET first is ridiculous. It's not just multiplayer, its the entire game that requires Battle.NET access, regardless of how short that access need be.
Oh, and related to the article:
Are they talking about private WoW servers? Cause I'm pretty sure those exist in droves. Give it a little while, and private SCII auth servers will exist as well. I think every online game has been broken and private servers created at some point.
Two things you can be assured of in this life:
Haters gonna hate
and
Thieves gonna steal
@Ezence
LAN is great when you are traveling with some friends and only have some laptops and no internet.
Opengl mode matters to me because I've been playing Blizzards games through Wine on Linux (D3D performance is crap), not going to pay for Windows.
Activation should NOT be the norm. Especially when you have to activate more than once (I'm not always where an internet connection is).
I was under the impression that realid was required for Battlenet and optional in the forums. If it's completely optional I stand corrected. But the fact they decided at one point to make it required at all just shows how far out of touch they are.
I would say the lack of LAN play probably helps too...at least until someone comes out with something similar to what AlterIW is in regards to MW2, and then, it will probably go through the roof...
No LAN = No buy from me. I play to game with my wife and friends. Not with a bunch of random people I care less about.