Blizzard: We're a Games Developer, Not PC Developer

While Blizzard doesn't have any immediate plans to become a full-blown console developer (outside Diablo 3), the company doesn't consider itself a studio fully dedicated to the PC platform either. Instead, it's just a game developer that focuses on the best platform for the needs of its AAA products.

Blizzard's Jay Wilson, game director of Diablo 3, made this revelation to PC Gamer weeks ago during Gamescom. He indicated that despite the financial success and overall focused support for the console sector, the install base of PCs and Macs outnumber all the consoles combined "hands down." In fact, this massive base of revenue-generating consumers loves games too.

"It’s unfortunate that the illusion that the PC is dying has been propagating for so long and that people have bought into it," he said. "On the other hand, I’d say Blizzard has done quite well off of that – the fact that people have the illusion that PC is not a place where you can make money. It’s made it even easier for us to do really well."

Blizzard should actually be awarded for sticking with the PC platform and not following other developers over to the console (dark) side. Many of Blizzard's peers have sited piracy as one of the factors behind their platform jump; others have complained about the growing fragmentation and the overall cost of developing for such a seemingly infinite number of configurations. For a long time, the console sector was -- and still is -- the main source of revenue for many publishers and developers, but that is slowly changing thanks to tablets, the evolution of the smartphone and cloud computing.

All of a sudden, the PC has become a favorite platform once again.

Still, for Blizzard, the PC has always been a "favorite" given the company's game lineup and its specific style of gameplay. "We don’t see ourselves as a PC developer – we see ourselves as a game developer," he said. "It’s just that the games that we wanted to make suit the PC platform. And one of the things that we’re not willing to ever do is go to a platform just to cash in on it. We don’t believe you can make a Starcraft style RTS and make it great – Blizzard great – on console."

He pointed out that anyone doubting that the PC platform can bring in significant revenue needs to take a closer look at Blizzard's previous and current success.

"If people think that you can’t make money from the PC they should really look at us as a symbol and they should really be asking why we’re so successful," he said. "It’s primarily because of the quality of the games, but when you have a high quality product, very little competition and a high install base..."

  • whysobluepandabear
    Whatever. I'm done with this company. Their devs are idiots, and they sold themselves to the Devil (Activision). They can, and by large part, piss off.
    Reply
  • mjello
    Or maybe the PC is becoming a popular platform for developers again. Thanks to succesfull antipiracy measures for the first time ever.

    No crack was ever made for HAWX 2. And there is more than the one noncracked title out there. I just can't recall the names.

    And multiplayer seems to be effectively cut down to paying customers as well :).
    Reply
  • Rizlla
    Don't start developing for the console. I don't want their shoddy hand me down graphics.
    Reply
  • thomaseron
    More games for LAN-play!
    Reply
  • Piracy is an issue, but I don't think it is the major one, it is still about the quality of the game. All those best selling games are cracked, and I don't think HAWX 2 is that successful.
    Reply
  • dthx
    The current high-end consoles (XBOX360 / PS3) have been on the market for too long. Although their price has been amended several time, their "performances vs money" ratio is no longer interesting compared to what reasonably priced PC's can now achieve. Once a totally new console design comes out, it will take lots of PC gamers away from their computer for some time, until they get bored and find out that recent PC hardware can again do much better. It's cyclic...
    Reply
  • Rizlla since when has Blizzard been at the cutting edge of graphics? Their focus is usually game play which is for me what makes them a special company.
    Reply
  • tomate2
    DARK SIDE lol....
    Reply
  • anony2004
    But I do like the fact that their games are actually built for the mighty PC too, infact most of their games have been for PC only.
    Reply
  • rantoc
    "It’s unfortunate that the illusion that the PC is dying has been propagating for so long and that people have bought into it,"
    Much thanks to persons like Toms Hardware's Wolfgang for instance, claiming that PC is crashing while its infact growing in sales as late of yesterday. Amazing what a few journalists can do. Maby its time that Tom's Hardware sack's that kind of so called "journalism" and focus on quality not speculations made without proper information much like "fanbois" do.. that don't belong in a professional site.
    Reply