Perhaps there is life after
World of Warcraft after all, and it is likely just as addicting.
Various job listings for Blizzard list a "Next-Gen MMO" as the project for which they are hiring. Though many forum posters guessed this was just a way for the company to be coy about needing extra manpower for the upcoming
Wrath of the Lich King expansion, company man "Drysc" (
38th post) confirmed that it is not for the
Lich King but, as it says in the job listing, "
it is an unannounced Next-Gen MMO ... And that doesn't mean an expansion for World of Warcraft either."Is anyone really surprised that Blizzard would be staying in the MMO market, given their first entry into the genre makes more money than self-replicating Nintendo DS systems? Of course, given their lengthy development cycles (that have been promised to
remain intact following its
merger with Activision), it may be years, if not a decade, before we see anything from it.
[Via
GamePro]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Allen @ Dec 12th 2007 9:53PM
World of GuitarCraft!
Flyy (NDF) @ Dec 12th 2007 10:30PM
Lost Vikings MMO CONFIRMED!
Equynnox @ Dec 12th 2007 11:02PM
My viking is 41/20/0 Swift/Fierce specced!
Lone Starr @ Dec 13th 2007 12:44AM
Moar liek MMO Rock 'N Roll Racer confirmed
Amirite?
ukickmydog @ Dec 12th 2007 9:54PM
Diablo 3 Confirmed!
Kn1ves @ Dec 12th 2007 10:01PM
HOORAY!
gonk @ Dec 12th 2007 11:08PM
wow already is basically diablo 3
Geist @ Dec 12th 2007 11:32PM
Diablo 2 is basically Diablo 3.
Tom @ Dec 12th 2007 9:57PM
World of Warcraft for Xbox360 CONFIRMED!
StrangeBum @ Dec 12th 2007 10:17PM
I seriously doubt that, I'm sure you know how badly Square bombed things with the whole FFXI deal on the 360. I'm guessing it's just not easy enough to utilize both the Live servers or bypass through them and use their servers.
I wouldn't mind it myself, might give me reason to jump back in for awhile. But again, don't count on it.
ThornedVenom @ Dec 13th 2007 12:05AM
"Live servers"
What? I thought that Xbox Live was all about paying for the ability to play online multiplayer games hosted on other people's Xboxes.
Jonah Falcon @ Dec 13th 2007 1:39AM
Um, PSU has done well on the 360.
Beatz @ Dec 12th 2007 9:59PM
When they say next-gen, do they mean now-gen, or like the PS4? Either way, expect heavy delays. They're still Blizzard, merger be damned!
Kamokazi @ Dec 14th 2007 9:01AM
Next-Gen in MMOs generally referrs to a new level of interactivity or complexity, not the graphics. My guess the graphical quality will be slightly less or on par with most MMOs out now...so in 3+ years when we actually see it launch, the graphics will be quite behind the curve, just like they are with WoW (for the purpose of it running well on old PCs). But due to their artistic styling, they remain appealing to anyone who's actually given the game a chance (TF2 will be like this too...games that don't try to look realistic can look good for a long time).
So, assuming they even make console versions (I would highly doubt it, but there is a lot of potential money there), it would come out close to the 'Next-Gen' consoles (assuming 5yr lifespan), but I doubt it would require them to run...it would work with both.
gonk @ Dec 12th 2007 10:00PM
galaxy of starcraft
StrangeBum @ Dec 12th 2007 10:10PM
How about, just to stay in theme with the whole 'World of Warcraft' they call it 'Stories of Starcraft', the whole alliteration deal you know?
I'm hoping that it is either a)Diablo III MMO or b) a new IP. I loved Starcraft and will most likely love it's upcoming sequel, but I would love even more to see something original.
Josh Warner @ Dec 12th 2007 10:34PM
@ StrangeBum - yes that alliterates, but then the acronym is SoS. Rather than the awe "WoW" inspires, that game represents a sinking ship with people jumping off rather than on.
Stories of Starcraft would be a marketing disaster, but then again, Nintendo got away with Wii so who knows what could happen? It IS Blizzard... or whatever they're calling themselves these days.
Seriously though, I would think that the largest problem they should be worried about is cannibalizing their own market. People probably do not want to spend $30 / month on more than one game, and divide their MMO time between two games. I would think that upon the introduction of their next MMO, WoW would see an immediate decline in popularity as people migrate away from the (far and above) market leader.
Unless they give a discount to people subscribed to more than one of their MMOs... wow, that was so diabolical, I just got chills. Something like $15 / month separately, but $22 / month when dual-subscribed. You heard it here first, folks.
Nessuno @ Dec 12th 2007 10:01PM
This ends the speculation as to which MMO will be the WoW-killer.
Blizzard is making the WoW-killer themselves.
seanc @ Dec 12th 2007 10:03PM
If you think about it, can it be for anything other then World of Starcraft?
A diablo mmo wouldn't make sense since they've merged most of the diablo class structure in to WoW. And I doubt it would be WoW2 since blizzard likes to jump around their franchises to keep things fresh for customers.
Van Faulk @ Dec 12th 2007 10:05PM
And with that, Blizzard loses my business forever. i'm fucking sick of companies making these stupid MMO games, instead of creating games for those of us NOT stupid enough to pay 15 bucks a month in order to grind levels mindlessly.
I understand the appeal. You sell a game for 50 bucks and on top of that you get more and more money every month. I just assumed Blizzard got it out of their system with WOW. And having seen the utter abortion that Warcraft canon has become in order to accomodate the MMO, I don't want to even contemplate what will happen to diablo and starcraft once blizzard decide to gut them for the money train.
StrangeBum @ Dec 12th 2007 10:14PM
Harsh words!
You realize they also have Starcraft II coming out, right? And that they also know that even though there are gamers out there that don't dig the whole MMO deal, ala you; they know what sold best, what captured millions and why shouldn't they continue that success.
With the success that WoW has given them, they can much more easily appease gamers such as yourself utilizing the extra money they make to create other games.
You must just be pissed that they haven't released Lost Vikings III yet though right?
ThornedVenom @ Dec 13th 2007 12:08AM
What if Blizzard took a hint from Arenanet and made a beautiful game without monthly payments and not focused on level grinding, you know, a la Guildwars?
Not all MMOs have to be the same. ;)
Van Faulk @ Dec 12th 2007 10:05PM
And with that, Blizzard loses my business forever. i'm fucking sick of companies making these stupid MMO games, instead of creating games for those of us NOT stupid enough to pay 15 bucks a month in order to grind levels mindlessly.
I understand the appeal. You sell a game for 50 bucks and on top of that you get more and more money every month. I just assumed Blizzard got it out of their system with WOW. And having seen the utter abortion that Warcraft canon has become in order to accomodate the MMO, I don't want to even contemplate what will happen to diablo and starcraft once blizzard decide to gut them for the money train.
finnith @ Dec 12th 2007 10:10PM
They don't want your business anyway.
I do agree with you about the canon though, although you've got to understand how difficult it is to maintain canon when your customers just want more important and powerful stuff to kill.
tlj101010 @ Dec 12th 2007 10:21PM
A new Blizzard MMO? I'm willing to follow this game just so I can be an early adopter before the farmers and auction slaves run me into the ground.
Will @ Dec 12th 2007 10:42PM
Maybe they're bringing something to the console front? I realize Blizzard usually stays away from consoles. The only console venture I can think of besides Diablo 1 on PSX would be Starcraft: Ghost, but that got canned.
MMO for 360/PS3 in the works?
Will @ Dec 12th 2007 10:43PM
Oops. Hadn't read Tom's comment when I posted that.
bluesky_v2.01 @ Dec 12th 2007 11:08PM
I don't understand whats with all the trolling, I'm pretty excited.
I love blizzard.
I love MMO's
I love the idea of World of Warcraft.
I'm excited!
Match @ Dec 12th 2007 11:09PM
Maybe they are going way back and creating a universe around Blackthorne. Now THAT would be sweet.
Geist @ Dec 12th 2007 11:38PM
That would be completely out of left field, but interesting.
Jeremy White @ Dec 13th 2007 12:02AM
I think it would just be crazy if they release some new MMO and then they're all like, "In other news, we're shutting down WoW, bye!"
Oh my god, suicide rates would blow out of the roof. Do they realize what would happen if they ever decided to end WoW?
ThornedVenom @ Dec 13th 2007 12:15AM
It'd be hilarious if Blizzard completely dumbstruck audiences by creating the inconceivable: a Wii MMO.
Without friend codes.
gonk @ Dec 13th 2007 12:40AM
a pokemon mmo would be more popular than wow
ThornedVenom @ Dec 13th 2007 12:47AM
FUCK YEAH QFT.
Jeff @ Dec 13th 2007 9:18AM
A Pokemon MMO would be amazing beyond words. I've been demanding one for years.
mr nimblewick (SegaDF - Jogurt Ring) @ Dec 13th 2007 1:14AM
Ugh, I don't have time for an MMO. Make something I can play, Blizzard, of this'll be the first game of yours I don't buy since Warcraft 1.
Jonah Falcon @ Dec 13th 2007 1:41AM
Will you be able to kill Lord British?
Jeff @ Dec 13th 2007 9:19AM
Tabula Rasa FTW! I liked the beta q
Dio @ Dec 13th 2007 4:36AM
I think I'll shout this one out:
OMGSTARCRAFTGHOST
Jeff @ Dec 13th 2007 9:20AM
Tabula Rasa FTW! I liked the beta a lot, but it released around an unfortunate time: so many other good games to play, that I'd barely have time to kill with an MMO-- I'd be burning money with the monthly fee. MMOs should release during summer when other games are less and time is more.
Gangsta Smurf @ Dec 13th 2007 10:14AM
World of Starcraft would be interesting.
PiratePete @ Dec 13th 2007 4:16PM
I second that!
Crawford Mckinley @ Dec 22nd 2007 4:32AM
Team 3, a seperate workforce from the current influx of new MMO staff, have yet to finalise production issues on the single player (third person action) world of warcraft to be released in a couple of years - only then can they turn to starcraft world after release of starcraft2.
offlinePK @ Jan 4th 2008 2:33PM
It's good to hear another MMO is coming from blizzard since they are the only ones to truly remember those of us mac gamers.
I feel it will most likely be World of Starcraft, though then it will be pretty much the same game as WoW and the only real difference will be personal preference, just like it was between Warcraft and Starcraft.
JarakDrakar @ Jan 22nd 2008 5:23PM
Blizzard has already stated that Starcraft will not be an MMO
JarakDrakar @ Jan 22nd 2008 5:21PM
I really laugh at this. People just take the time to do the math. Activision = Transformers. Transformers very successful last year and this year. Sequal coming for movie.
New MMO from Blizzard and Activision is TRANSFORMERS ONINE.
Michael Bay slipped in Nov on his blog and stated that Blizzard has asked him and some of his staff to be consultants on a new MMO. ????? the post was removed 2 days later. ?????
It doesnt take much to research it.