Overheard: New Blizzard project codenamed Hydra

55 Comments by Justin McElroy Sep 11th 2007 1:00PM
Filed under: PC, RPGs, Business

While strolling through the halls of Austin's GDC, a staffer for The Inquirer says they overheard the following conversation, reprinted here in its entirety.

Blizzard Employee 1: What are you working on?
Blizzard Employee 2: Starcraft II, and you?
Blizzard Employee 1: I am working on Hydra.
Blizzard Employee 2: [stunned silence]

OK, so we added that last part. But the conversation ended sort of abruptly, and we thought that would have been a bit more dramatic. So, we've got some pretty obvious questions raised by this. 1. What is Hydra? 2. Is it Diablo III? 3. Why is it called Hydra? 4. What does Employee 1 have against contractions?

Hey, we hear there's some rampant speculation a few inches below, why not scroll down and join the party?

[Via WoW Insider]

Tags: blizzard, diabloiii, hydra

Source

(Page 1) Reader Comments

jorojoserojas: Sep 11th 2007; 1:05PM

I was promised rampant speculation.

hvnlysoldr (NDF - Wind Ring): Sep 11th 2007; 2:40PM

I speculate that I'm not rampant.

Crono (NDF - Fire Ring): Sep 11th 2007; 1:07PM

Its Starcraft Ghost. Only from the perspective of a Hydralisc.

Thats all I've got, for now.

AlanRickman: Sep 11th 2007; 1:21PM

NDF? So wheres the SDF and XDF?

Crono (NDF - Fire Ring): Sep 11th 2007; 1:23PM

Talk to Shagi about forming the SDF. He's the one that forms the head.

hvnlysoldr (NDF - Wind Ring): Sep 11th 2007; 2:36PM

Ahh there you are. AlanRickman aka hvnlyspamr as my self imposed counterpart you can have the smog ring to form Captain Pollution. Oh wait that's a bad connotation. You can take Yellow lion since Shaggy forms the head.

Almack64: Sep 11th 2007; 2:57PM

Ummm actually Voltron could kick Captain Planet's butt so I'm Highjacking their Zord's in the Name of N.

Black Lion!!!

Crono (NDF - Fire Ring): Sep 11th 2007; 2:59PM

But Capt Planet is far more rediculous.

"PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, OR I'LL F*ING KILL YOU! CAPTAIN PLAAANEEETTTT!!!"

Almack64 (NDF - Black Lion): Sep 11th 2007; 3:03PM

True True but what if Captain Planet controlled Voltron...hmmm...

NEW and EXCITING?

flyy: Sep 11th 2007; 4:23PM

Damn. I want to join NDF
I should so have been wind

bob: Sep 11th 2007; 1:08PM

Old news heard about this months ago

2kings: Sep 11th 2007; 1:16PM

then you should make your own video game new related site

AlanRickman: Sep 11th 2007; 1:16PM

BAN'D!

Neon Jebus: Sep 11th 2007; 1:27PM

Well bob, are you talking about the fact that Blizzard has been working on a new project? If so than yes that is old news. The project being called Hydra was new to me this morning. Looks like it was new to a few gaming sites this morning.

If it was old news, perhaps you should have sent a tip into Joystiq. They have a lil' button to do that.

If you are going to call out that the news is old perhaps you should offer up a link to a site posting the scoop. Cite where you first read this 'old news'.

Almack64 (NDF - Black Lion): Sep 11th 2007; 3:01PM

See Bob it's not that we're lazy, we just don't care.

Blazur: Sep 11th 2007; 3:18PM

First I hear about Hyrdra, and I'm usually ahead of the crowds on Blizz info. Here's to hoping for another Diablo game.

Although the staff has been eluding towards a new IP altogether. The clues have been trickling in briefly over the past few months, so Blizz may be intentionally letting the hype percolate in preparation for a huge game announcement.

Can't wait to hear what it is, but hope it doesn't pull development away from SC2 =]

Neon Jebus: Sep 11th 2007; 1:11PM

I see the dialog but where's the stage direction cues? Worst script ever!

Crono (NDF - Fire Ring): Sep 11th 2007; 1:13PM

Wrong Thread?

Neon Jebus: Sep 11th 2007; 1:16PM

I see your point, but no I think my joke fails in both threads...

Shagittarius: Sep 11th 2007; 1:15PM

Hydra is actually blizzards new water purifier. Fearing a games crash like in the 80s blizzard is branching out into water purification.

I heard this from a very reliable source.

JRB: Sep 11th 2007; 1:17PM

My only speculation would be a codename for something in a Maelstrom expansion for WoW. Naga and sea creatures and all that shit. Long shot maybe.

T3H WICKERMAN: Sep 11th 2007; 1:17PM

HAIL IMMORTAL HYDRA!!!! When one head dies 2 take its place!!!

Vegnagun: Sep 11th 2007; 2:05PM

What's wrong with nagas?

Foxwind: Sep 11th 2007; 2:22PM

HAIL HYDRA!

Novus: Sep 11th 2007; 1:18PM

These comments are neither speculative or rampant. My guess is that it's a new IP that involves greek mythology; science fiction elements and horse training, also maybe a cooking mini game or two.

phoenix: Sep 11th 2007; 1:18PM

Are you sure it's not H.Y.D.R.A.?

T3H WICKERMAN: Sep 11th 2007; 1:20PM

Hail H.Y.D.R.A! von strucker is roxxorz daredevil and elektra skrull haxx0rz!

Benergy: Sep 11th 2007; 1:21PM

If you look on the blizzard site, they are hiring people for a "next gen mmo"

World of starcraft? eh eh eh?!

JimmyTheMonkey: Sep 11th 2007; 1:22PM

God of War Boss?

NATO_Duke: Sep 11th 2007; 1:26PM

I rampantly speculate that its their new MMO in which dragons, cyclops, giant chickens, and other creatures get to walk around earth killing humans all day while farming for gold and then following it up with drowning their sorrows in mt dew.

Ska Oreo: Sep 11th 2007; 1:30PM

HAIL HYDRA!!!

AlanRickman: Sep 11th 2007; 1:36PM

If Shagittarius will be the leader of the SDF, you must be the leader of the XDF, eh, eh?

T3H WICKERMAN: Sep 11th 2007; 2:44PM

HAIL H.Y.D.R.A !!!!!!!!!!!

Draco: Sep 11th 2007; 1:30PM

Diablo III headed war.

Captain Obvious: Sep 11th 2007; 5:28PM

I like this one a lot...makes some good sense.

Marty: Sep 11th 2007; 1:36PM

Classic bit, with the Blizzard employees' conversation. :D

WiNG: Sep 11th 2007; 1:47PM

If you're wondering what HYDRA means,

Here's
Your
Diablo
Related
Acronym

Here's how it actually went

P1: I'm working on Starcraft 2, what about you?
P2: I'm working on HYDRA
P1: *Silence*
P2: ???????? What?
P1: You idiot, HYDRA *is* Starcraft2.
P2: Oh, right.
P1: Now get back to modeling Kerrigan's textures.
P2: With pleasure!

chaz: Sep 11th 2007; 1:48PM

I, for one, welcome our new aquatic overlord.

emmzee: Sep 11th 2007; 1:50PM

Here's hoping Hydra = World of Diablo or Diablo III.

It won't be, but you can always hope ...

Dale: Sep 11th 2007; 1:51PM

I only hope this game, with its aquatic-sounding codename, features giant enemy crabs.

WiNG: Sep 11th 2007; 2:01PM

I think people are reading it as Hydro, not Hydra.

Vegnagun: Sep 11th 2007; 2:03PM

Whatever it is you can bet that when it hits the stores your going to lose your job, your wife is going to leave you, and your legs will stop working from lack of use.

Blizzard you goddamn wizards.

Blazur: Sep 11th 2007; 4:31PM

I've relinquished my soul over to them back when WC2 was released. Plan on renewing its contract when SC2 hits shelves...and consequently waving goodbye to my social life.

StrangeBum: Sep 11th 2007; 2:12PM

Of course this means Diablo III.

H four letters down is D
Y sixteen letters down is I
D three letters down......I'm done.

Whatever this may be it sounds pretty damn interesting.

Nordmann: Sep 11th 2007; 2:18PM

That sounds great I've been looking way to quit my job and leave my wife at the same time. My legs have never done me any good so they won't be missed. As long as I have my Hydra all will be good.

WebPimp: Sep 11th 2007; 3:33PM

Maybe it's an updated version of this?

http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/science/9617/

Kevin: Sep 11th 2007; 4:01PM

probly the Starcraft 2 expansion. this way, we're guaranteed to have it by at least 2015.

BiteyMcBitey: Sep 11th 2007; 4:18PM

A hydra has many heads, just like a squad of toons.

I'm reaching, but... I've always thought that when Blizzard does their next generation MMO, it will need to be different than Wow, not just a wow ripoff like wow in space.

My favorite hope for a new game has been for Blizzard to replace a single avatar with 20 spells/abilities with a squad of avatars each having 3-5 abilities. Maybe start off with a single toon, but include adding new sqaud mates to a players progression.

Imagine a raid of 25 players each with a 5 person squad.