Poll: What's Blizzard's big WWI announcement?
by Ross Miller 
{ Jun 25th 2008 at 8:55PM }
The top two rumors seem to be Diablo 3 and a Wrath of the Lich King release date, but we think anything's possible -- if you recall, last year's big announcement was Starcraft II. (Our money is on a Wii-exclusive Blackthorne FPS.) Tell us, what do you think is Blizzard's ice-shattering announcement?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
wickedneoq @ Jun 25th 2008 9:00PM
RNRR2 would be awesome sauce.
Bocephus 90 @ Jun 25th 2008 9:48PM
You're all wrong. They will announce Diablo IV.
Dortamur @ Jun 25th 2008 9:03PM
I'm hoping for Starcraft: Ghost: Xtreme Volleyball!! ;)
finnith @ Jun 25th 2008 9:38PM
I always wanted to see Zerg-Kerrigan in a bikini.
:(
007craft @ Jun 26th 2008 1:16AM
seriously tho, how did "starcraft 2 beta" details not make it onto that list? thats probably the most likely thing aside from diablo 3.
Titanium_Orchid @ Jun 25th 2008 9:03PM
News of Starcraft ghost would blow my mind.
I voted for Diablo 3 though.
A Pissed-off English Gamer @ Jun 25th 2008 10:31PM
Of course; it's too much of a Blizzard fanboy's wet dream. It's exactly why i voted for it.
Rosssas @ Jun 26th 2008 5:46AM
From the title i thought they were gona make a world war 1 game !
rayek @ Jun 25th 2008 10:19PM
I'm sure I don't really care...
Viet @ Jun 25th 2008 9:08PM
WoW will be free!!!
wickedneoq @ Jun 25th 2008 9:11PM
If so, my personal life is over.
You know what also would be cool? WoW on the consoles (360 and PS3). That would be a cool, not-gonna-happen announcement.
A Pissed-off English Gamer @ Jun 25th 2008 10:34PM
Talk about a nightmare to control. Why would you want that?
offday @ Jun 25th 2008 11:00PM
Yeah. That would be the worst best news ever. If that makes any sense. Goodbye social life.
Donald @ Jun 25th 2008 9:16PM
Soon to be coming to this thread: Very disappointed Diablo fans.
And even though nobody will believe me because I forgot to get a screenshot, I was the first person to select Rock 'n Roll Racing 2. And at that point, every option had 1 vote. *le sigh*
Microswirl (MKWii:1676- 4270-3674) @ Jun 25th 2008 9:16PM
World of Warcraft II, a PS3 exclusive!
KeenCommander @ Jun 25th 2008 9:20PM
Well, that would be one way to kill the franchise.
el serpiente @ Jun 25th 2008 10:02PM
ME NO LIKEY PS3
HURRRRRRR!
Microswirl (MKWii:1676- 4270-3674) @ Jun 26th 2008 1:29AM
Wow, I get ranked down for the mere mention of the PS3. Yes, let's all forget the fact the PS3 is the only console with keyboard and mouse support and that Blu-ray could potentially present the player with a 50GB version of Azeroth. You people are pathetic.
limestallc @ Jun 26th 2008 4:02AM
Do you have ANY idea how long it takes to install WoW, now imagine having to do that 10 times.
"Want to come to BT"
"oh sure but im on my PS3 and i dont have that segment of the world installed right now so ill be there in an hour"
not to mention its almost imposable to play in the endgame without mods like omen and recount.
Microswirl (MKWii:1676- 4270-3674) @ Jun 26th 2008 5:02AM
limestallc, how in the HELL is what you just said relevant?
If the ENTIRE game is on ONE Blu-ray disc (50GB), you wouldn't have to install anything (aside from some cached data) because it could be streamed off the disc.
It's funny how stupid people make stupid comments that make no sense because they're stuck in this mindset of "okay, here's how things worked on the PC, so of course that's how a sequel must work even it's on a different platform"... and then more stupid people agree with them. Buncha sheep.
Rosssas @ Jun 26th 2008 5:59AM
Wait thats bullpoo 360 had keyboard support from boot, then later they even made a keyboard that slots onto you 360 controller
Tiago @ Jun 26th 2008 6:13AM
No dude, that was a reference to how you have to keep "reinstalling" MGS4 each time you switch act.
And on subject, Blizzard has said they don't think the game works on a console.
The UI has a lot of information which is fine if your face is one foot away from the screen but now as good if you're sitting ou the couch trying to balance your keyboard on your lap.
Some games work better on consoles, some games work better on PCs.
For Warcraft to work on a console they would have to do far more than just stuff it on a blueray and call it a day, they would have to pretty much remake the game.
limestallc @ Jun 26th 2008 6:59AM
yeah tiago got where i was coming from with the install thing, also i have a computer hooked up to my tv and if my GF is over i usually end up playing on the tv while she is on my compy so I know from experience that WoW is not an easy game to play from a couch. In response to experiencing a "50GB version of Azeroth" its not size that constrains blizzard on visuals its performance with older computers that keeps the visuals the way they are. Oh and lets not forget how well blizzards last console game Starcraft Ghost worked out.
GenBanks @ Jun 26th 2008 7:39AM
I don't think they could put it on one bluray disc and be done with it. They release regular huge patches that you wouldn't be able to incorporate unless they start making 50gb BD-RW discs for games (ie never). Anyway, just think of the amount of thrashing around the disc would have to do to keep up with the big seamless world.
Microswirl (MKWii:1676- 4270-3674) @ Jun 26th 2008 1:03PM
Fine, you're all right: It wouldn't work. It would be impossible bla bla bla. It's not like a developer could... oh I dunno... DESIGN a game properly for a console. Increasing the font size on the menus so that you could read them on your giant HDTV from the couch... gee whiz that must be impossible. I mean, everyone in this forum works at Blizzard right? And of course you CAN'T make a game without coming out with a 2GB patch every week, I mean damn to do something like that you'd actually have to PLAN your game ahead of time, and that's just too much to ask.
GenBanks @ Jun 26th 2008 1:53PM
There isn't a single example of an MMO coming out without requiring lots of updates. You need new content to maintain interest in the endgame, you need to add graphical updates when your engine starts showing its age down the line, you need to add new quests etc etc etc... It's not as simple as "just finishing the game and planning ahead". You can't plan for the unpredictable.
Just look at LotRO, AoC, WoW, Tabula Rasa, Eve Online, Everquest, Everquest II... I personally have no interest in an MMO on consoles but I'm not trying to make you think it shouldn't happen.
Microswirl (MKWii:1676- 4270-3674) @ Jun 26th 2008 3:46PM
A few points.
"you need to add graphical updates"
Not if you make the game look good in the first place.
When the time comes for a big visual overhaul, that's what sequels are for.
"you need to add new quests"
Just put all the quests on the disc and then unlock them as time goes on, make tournaments avaiable during certain times of the year (like Mario Kart Wii is doing). Design randomly generated quests for infinite replayability (i.e. bring "X" number of "Y" item to "Z" person)
Also, Microsoft patches 360 games all the time and those patches are like 50KB to just change a few lines of code, so you wouldn't have to install huge chunks of data.
Sony will be releasing The Agency for PS3 (hopefully this year) which is an MMORPG and a proof-of-concept demonstrating this type of game is not only possible on a console but also successful.
I'm just asking people to have an open mind, not get bogged down in what they THINK are the technical limitations, saying things like "no that wouldn't work" or "nobody wants that". Being a naysayer is easy, but gets you nowhere. Having a vision and trying to come up with solutions is much more worthwhile.
mj @ Jun 25th 2008 9:19PM
I thought this was about a World War One game. I'm so disappointed. When will my hankering for trench warfare be fulfilled by a AAA developer?
jamesFF @ Jun 26th 2008 2:37AM
I thought yhe same thing. ☺
Andrew p @ Jun 25th 2008 9:19PM
Its blizzard rick rolling everyone.
snarfoogle @ Jun 25th 2008 9:19PM
It's something related to WoW and if you think otherwise you are an optimistically deluded fool.
KeenCommander @ Jun 25th 2008 9:20PM
Lost Vikings MMO? I LOL'd. At least someone else still remembers those games, though.
Dyabolik @ Jun 25th 2008 9:22PM
With all the news lately on Diablo, I'd have to go with D3, just please let it not be a mmo.
Ghen @ Jun 25th 2008 9:53PM
Or anything close to an MMO. 16 people MAX per game for 8x8 fights.
But you know and I know that we lost that privilege when murlocs started shitting gold bricks.
Kyle @ Jun 25th 2008 9:25PM
I would perfer Warcraft IV over all of them (and in light of the amount of "4th" games coming out this year), but chances are its Diablo 3. Blizz wouldn't give a release date for WotLK until well into public Beta. All of the other options are so unlikely, and hell, how did you even think of Rock and Roll Racing or Ghost as being on the list?
I'm putting in Warcraft IV so my dreams can live on.
A Pissed-off English Gamer @ Jun 25th 2008 10:37PM
Warcraft 4 would be awesome, but it's also very unlikely.
Zertoss @ Jun 25th 2008 9:26PM
I want to choose multiple options, because I think we'll be hearing about Starcraft 2, Wrath of the Lich King and Diablo 3. All signs point to all three (so far, there could be more).
Of course, such a gigantic giggleton announcement would destroy the internet, but I think it would be worth it.
therpham @ Jun 25th 2008 9:49PM
Lost Stars of World of DiabloCraft.
michas_pi @ Jun 25th 2008 9:31PM
Even thought it will never come true, I voted for Starcraft: Ghost.
Stevo @ Jun 25th 2008 9:37PM
Check out the Page source for the splash page. Some interesting stuff:
- If you follow the link from the splash page source to the Master CSS File, there are a couple of things of note
* Image links within the CSS File, which have been added every day for the last couple of days since the splash page appeared
* The images are named as numbers (EG: 04.jpg). It may not mean anything, but if you match those numbers to letters, you have W, O and D.
* The images themselves are part of a larger image, So far the three stated in the CSS file make up the top left, top right and bottom right of the picture. Take a look for yourself.
Stevo @ Jun 25th 2008 9:46PM
Just adding to my previous comment, here's the three images together:
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/6233/threeimagestr6.jpg
finnith @ Jun 25th 2008 10:02PM
It's a purple...thing
Ghen @ Jun 25th 2008 10:07PM
Its an evil mudkip!
kagai @ Jun 26th 2008 1:10AM
It's a purple herring.
deaftly @ Jun 26th 2008 11:55AM
Holy shit its Grimace!
Rollins @ Jun 25th 2008 9:39PM
Take a look at WoW Insider's post regarding the Battle.net forums.
Or if you're too lazy, just click this http://www.battle.net/forums/board.aspx?ForumName=d3-general
You get a message saying the forums are down, where filing in anything other than d3-general (like http://www.battle.net/forums/board.aspx?ForumName=HIMOM ) re-directs you back to the Battle.net home page.
Go D3!
Lightguy @ Jun 25th 2008 9:45PM
Blizzard are going to enter their own team for the 2010 winter olympics.
NukeAssault @ Jun 25th 2008 9:50PM
STARCRAFT GHOST!
Ghen @ Jun 25th 2008 9:55PM
5% of voters (at the time of this writing) say 'nothing'
Jaded much?
Neebs @ Jun 25th 2008 10:03PM
The next invitational for D2, SC, and Warcraft.