Blizzard's Next Game Could Be More Successful Than WoW

Blizzard's team doesn't care for the term "killer app," used to describe a program or product — in this case, a certain MMO — that single-handedly shaped the market around its platform. In fact, when we asked about World of Warcraft's unshakable hold on the massively multiplayer biz, game director Jeffrey Kaplan was humble.

"I don't believe that WoW is untouchable," he said. "I completely believe that a game could come out and be more successful than WoW. I'm hoping that we're working on it right now."

Designing and developing any MMO, Kaplan said, simply distills down to a series of choices. "I think a lot of other companies have had great opportunities to do what WoW has done... usually for whatever reason, they miss the mark."

"I actually feel really bad, a lot of times, when new MMOs come out and don't do really well, because I'm not thinking of it from a business perspective. I know what it's like to be a developer on a team that you believe in on a game that you just love, and for some reason, you don't get enough time, or someone makes a bad decision... everybody's making a lot of small choices, and when those go wrong, your game ends up not successful."

Diablo III lead designer Jay Wilson believes that one can really focus on one MMO at a time, because of the time demand. He said he played Age of Conan for a couple of months, played Lord of the Rings Online a lot, and still goes back to City of Heroes every now and then. He thinks the key to MMO success is "not making choices based upon being different, but making choices based upon what's good for your game."

"If there was an MMO out there that had a tone different from WoW but was executed as well, I actually think there could be a huge audience for that. When I get disappointed, it's because I don't see that level of execution."

Another key factor for global success, said Blizzard's associate PR manager Bob Colayco, is that it takes a lot of time to develop the infrastructure to support a global audience. Players in any country around the world can receive service and support on WoW in their native language and the localizations are meticulous, he said, which contributes to the retention of a broad userbase.

But will Blizzard's next project be the game that finally tops WoW's global success?

"I believe it can be," Kaplan said. "The same challenge is on us. Are we going to make the right decisions? I don't believe that just because we made WoW, we're guaranteed on the next MMO that we make to have the same success." He also said that at launch, WoW was not what it is today — it's taken the game a five to six-year development cycle, plus two years on Burning Crusade and a year and a half on Lich King. Similarly, StarCraft 2 is renowned, he said, for its "perfect game balance" — but it didn't launch that way, the team recalled.

"I really believe you're only as good as your last game. I really think you gave to prove it every time," said Kaplan.

And is the bar especially high for Blizzard? "Yeah, for sure."

Said Wilson, "The only thing we get for free is faith that we'll follow up on any problems. Anything else, we have to earn."

DC, Capcom partner for Resident Evil, Devil May Cry comics

18 Comments by Jason Dobson Jul 30th 2008 2:00AM
Filed under: Culture, Business

Whether it's a fist in Batman's gullet or the opportunity for cosplayers to suit up without ever putting needle to thread, it's become increasingly clear that DC Comics has a thing for video games. The latest example of this comes from a deal between DC and Capcom, which will see a pair of new comic book series created based on Resident Evil and Devil May Cry.

The agreement is DC's second in as many weeks following last week's deal with EA for a six-part comic book series based on Mirror's Edge, and like that series, both Resident Evil and Devil May Cry adaptations will be released under DC's Wildstorm umbrella. However, with so little to go on, and a creative team and launch month left unspecified until a later date, we doubt we'll be adding either title to our monthly pull lists just yet.

GTA: Chinatown Wars site hints at Nintendo WFC features

21 Comments by Randy Nelson Jul 30th 2008 4:00AM
Filed under: Nintendo DS, Action

Rockstar has created a placeholder site for the semi-recently announced Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars which may be giving away a little more than it had planned. Along with the usual DS logo branding and ERSB "RP" badge is ... the official Nintendo W-Fii Connection emblem. It certainly looks like it's intended to be there, but we won't know for certain whether the first GTA on Ninty's dual-screen handheld will have proper online play until Rockstar says something – and that could be a while. In the meantime, we can only wait and dream of setting Liberty City ablaze with other DS users over the internet.

Nintendo Q109 results drown company in billions

159 Comments by Alexander Sliwinski Jul 30th 2008 11:45AM
Filed under: Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, Business

"It prints money" just isn't going to cut it anymore in conveying Nintendo's cash flow. The House of Mario announced today that in its first quarter the company brought in $993 million (+34%) in profit! Net sales were up 24% to $3.91 billion. The company sold 5.17 million Wii consoles globally (+50%) and 6.94 million DS units, which means the total lifetime sales of the units are 29.62 million and 77.54 million units for the Wii and DS, respectively.

In the software department, Mario Kart Wii drove away with 6.42 million units sold and Wii Fit continued its quest to save the Fat Princesses with 3.42 million units in people's homes -- more than likely collecting dust, along with the Bowflex and Thighmaster. Nintendo maintains its forecast of reaching a net profit of $3.04 billion and operating profit of $4.97 billion by the end of its fiscal year in March '09.

HAWX grounded until 2009

9 Comments by Randy Nelson Jul 30th 2008 4:15PM
Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Simulations

Ubisoft has shot down plans to release Tom Clancy's Ace Combat HAWX in September. The flight combat game will instead take to the skies in early 2009, according to a report by CVG, which also states that no reason for the delay was given. Online retailers have updated to reflect the change, with GameStop listing the new date as January 6. This news comes just one day after Ubisoft announced a delay for its WWII-era FPS, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway. That game, which had originally been slated for an August 29 on-sale date, will hit one month later on September 26.

Ubi to release Armored Core for Answer in September

5 Comments by Jason Dobson Jul 30th 2008 5:15PM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Simulations

Kotaku

Crysis: Warhead

EA Looking To Market Crysis Ready PCs

Now here's an interesting tidbit that came out of Comic-Con this past weekend. Electronic Arts is looking at marketing a line of desktop PC systems to coincide with the release of Crysis Warhead, branded with the Crysis name. The reasoning? More people who don't regularly use a PC to game will pick up a PC branded with a game name simply for the assurance that the system will run the title. They are looking at providing multiple systems at a price tag between $600-$800 to coincide with how well the gamer wants the game to run.

Legendary Pictures co-financing "Gears of War" movie

Stan Lee Says Sometimes Games Look Better Than Movies

Let's jump right in. Here's Spider-Man creator Stan Lee talking about video games at Comic Con:

When you talk about games evolving over the years and becoming more like movies, in many ways, they've gone beyond movies," he said. "To do a movie is difficult, but it's linear. There's a beginning, a middle and an end, and that's it — you write a story.

In a videogame, you're writing many stories within the story. It's a totally different structure and a totally different philosophy of writing and, I think, a much, much more difficult one. I get the feeling more work goes into these videogames than even goes into the movies.

I marvel at the fact the games look as good, and in some cases better, as the most expensive movies. [Those] guys are just geniuses. Now you watch one of these games and it's like watching the greatest superhero movie, except you're part of it. It's indescribable.

Yep, Stan Lee is awesome. But we knew that.

Peter Moore - Bring The Gamers Back To E3

Sega US boss Simon Jeffery wasn't the only big name in the industry who felt that this year's E3 Expo lacked a certain livelihood. Former Microsoft tattoo bearer and current EA Sports head man Peter Moore says that last week's event was "soulless and lacking an epicenter". All is not lost though. In a post on his official blog late last night, Moore assures us that the problems can be fixed, and that getting the fans involved is the key.

We’re confident that we can work with the ESA to make this right. There are important meetings ahead that we think will be substantive and be productive in finding the right path forward.

Let’s invite the community. With the right planning, involving our biggest fans in E3 would bring back some of the raw passion the event has lost.

A stance sure to be popular with fans, but how to make it work without hampering access to the publishers for members of the press? I suppose it could be solved by keeping the meeting rooms we had this year, and adding a centralized show floor where the publishers can set up their fancy kiosks. Gamers can access the show floor proper, press still has easy access to their private showings and meetings, and in case we need a little fan reaction to the new games we've got an absolute sea of people to pull aside and give the old man-on-the-street treatment.

It sounds like a winning combination to me, though frankly it sounds like several of the other game conventions that have sprouted up during the decline of E3 over the past few years. Bring the life back to the show without making it just another show - now that's the challenge.

Bungie: E3 announcement cut 'no laughing matter'

20 Comments by Randy Nelson Jul 24th 2008 10:00PM
Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

It's a case of "he said, he said" in the latest chapter of Bungiegate. This time around, the news centers on a comment made by Xbox senior VP Don Mattrick regarding Bungie president Harold Ryan's reaction to being told his company's new Halo game announcement was being struck from Microsoft's pre-E3 media briefing.

According to Eurogamer, the site was told by Mattrick during the show that Ryan had "just laughed" and said "We agree" upon receiving the news. Ryan recalls the conversation quite differently. ""Keeping things clean, I certainly didn't agree with the decision to delay our news until sometime after E3," he told Eurogamer today, adding, "Bungie is always concerned first and foremost with our fans. Whenever we are prevented from exceeding their positive expectations it is not a laughing matter." Oh snap. Begun, these Halo Wars have.

Gears Of War Novels Get New Author

How very odd. Back in January we reported that Steven L. Kent, author of the Clone series and The Ultimate History Of Video Games would be penning a series of novels based on Gears of War, but now Del Rey has announced an entirely different sort of clone author for the series. Karen Traviss, who wrote the excellent Star Wars: Republic Commando series of novels. No offense to Mr. Kent, but my excitement level just kicked up a notch.

“Playing Gears of War is a kick-ass experience,” said Del Rey editor Keith Clayton, “And the Gears of War books should remain true to the spirit of the game. I’m happy to announce that the marriage of Karen Traviss and chainsaw bayonets is a match made in heaven—or hell, if you happen to be a Locust drone.”