Blizzard: Diablo 3 Can ''Cannibalize'' WoW Players
Blizzard would rather that Diablo 3 steal players away from World of Warcraft than any other 3rd-party title.
Is Blizzard worried about competition pulling away paying customers from its monster revenue machine, World of Warcraft? Not in the slightest-- or at least, that’s what it seems for the moment. There's no question that Blizzard's fantasy-based MMORPG is a mountain that currently can't be conquered. With the third expansion Cataclysm under its belt, the virtual realm only seems to be gaining momentum rather than slowing with age.
But as Blizzard co-founder and EVP of product development Frank Pearce points out, someone will eventually cannibalize WoW players. A developer/publisher will come along and steal players away with something new and original. For now, however, all seems calm. If anything, the only real threat that poses to throw a wrench into the WoW subscription gears will be Blizzard's own long-awaited action-RPG game Diablo 3 when it finally hits retail shelves.
Of course, that doesn't mean Blizzard's upcoming Titan MMO won't hurt subscriptions either. But Pearce said that, in the short term, Diablo 3 poses as a bigger threat because it's similar to WoW in terms of the RPG feel even though both titles offer completely different experiences.
"For us, I think it's really important that we recognize that somewhere, sometime it's likely that someone is going to cannibalize World of Warcraft players," Pearce told Gamasutra. "So it's better we cannibalize them ourselves than let someone else do that, because if we cannibalize them ourselves, they're still a Blizzard customer."
In the long term, however, Titan could very well mark the end of WoW. Why? Because the veteran WoW developers have been moved over to the project not only due to their AAA experience, but to prevent career "burn out." According to Pearce, WoW itself has been in development since around 1999 or 2000. That's a long time to be married with any one project, and any fatigue brought on by a growing disinterest shows up in their work. Better to move them over to the new project and let the "fresher" developers take the reigns of WoW.
"If we can keep people on the team that are really enthusiastic about playing the game, that energizes the other people around them that maybe aren't necessarily playing the game," Pearce said, indicating a huge level of excitement for the new MMOG.
Little is known about Titan at this point save for the fact that it will "compliment" Blizzard's current MMORPG. As for Diablo 3, the upcoming action-RPG game may actually launch by the end of the year... if we're lucky.

A game doesn't rape every setup available with amazing graphics, and instead offers fun, refined, and addictive gameplay, and you have a problem with that?
It's not going to be. Blizzard has already stated that "Titan" will be a brand new IP. So any existing franchise is out of the question.
Unfortunately, I think there are more fantasy fans than SciFi fans, so, no, I do not think that WoStarCraft will kill WoW.
I think the best setting for the game to kill WoW is something in between. Like W40K, were you have Orks, Elves (sorry, Eldars)just modernized, and you still have spells... Starcraft even though has roots (he he) in W40K completely misses the fantasy part.
So, World of Warhammer 40K (WoW40K) is my prediction for the best WoW killer.
Whatever the new MMO is, please, please, please do not let the art director from WoW touch it. As stupid as it sounds I have a difficult time getting into WoW because I want the fierce cataclysmic mentality, but I'm stuck in a Walt Disney backdrop...it just doesn't work for me. What would be nice if they could actually make their cinematic art style follower closer to the in-game art style (WAR being a good example).
I don't play wow in the first place but I did for about 2 weeks, then stopped but I'll definitely be getting this game.
Off Topic:
Advert to the right of this comment says
"Cheap WOW Gold"
$1.8/1000G
I hate it when they don't look into what they advertise but I guess money is money right?
RS was hosting adverts that took over the users PC and installed software, everyone was in a panic lol.
Adblock Plus. Works wonders.
It looks like several different games will eat away at WoW. I have not played Rift, but I do like what I have seen so far. Even though Blizzard pushes back deadlines often, the resulting games look good and have a lot of re-playability.
Blizzard has "game player trailers" posted that show exactly what the graphics will look like... No reason to speculate....when you can see the graphics in trailers made from actual game play...
http://us.blizzard.com/diablo3/media/
Gamers probably make up something like 10-20% of WoW and the rest are non-gamers who got pulled in off the streets. Until a MMO comes along that can grab non-gamers and make them want to log in and group with others (make a gamer wanna-be out of them) then WoW is safe.
Guild Wars was excellent! Very tactical gameplay and so well balanced. Can't wait for GW2
uggg, just think, imagine if Blizzard plans to announce a new Warcraft RTS expansion or sequel, like Warcraft IV... Hey, it'll only be 15 years.
Tried Guild Wars and just couldn't get into it. Very VERY pretty, but didn't really like the gameplay and the grind.
But yes, you're biased.