Blizzard starting work on 'Next-Gen MMO'?

[Trippy]

Dude is that thing real? I see the JPG is hosted at Xbox, but I can't find any link for the device. Someone having fun with CADD, or is it really an Xbox Blackberry?

You mean like this:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/09/xbox-360s-qwerty-thumb-keyboard-is-official/
http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/09/xbox-360s-qwerty-thumboard-in-the-wild/

or this?

http://gamerscoreblog.com/team/archive/2007/04/09/543811.aspx

[Signe]

As long as it's removable, I would definitely have one of these.  If, in fact, I had bothered to ever buy a 360.  Which I didn't.  Yet.

[NiX]

As long as it's removable

It's an attachment to the bottom of the controller. It'd just be weird if they sold a controller with that built on cause if you weren't on MSN it'd just become a pain in your ass. I almost want one.

[sinij]

Other than vendor lock-in I don't understand why they bother with consoles. For typical uses PC gaming rig and Console gaming rig have exact same functionality.

[schild]

I most definately want one. I love that keyboard thing.

[Venkman]

So, err, it's real then?  :-D

It's definitely cool, but I'd just rather go with a full-size wireless keyboard. I suppose it's perfect for console gamers who want to expand their horizons.

[schild]

Eh? It's perfect for gamers who want to type "lol" instead of picking it from a menu of commonly used colloquialisms. Also, it's great for MSN on the 360.

[Venkman]

Unless you just buy a separate keyboard. The reason I said what I did though is that afaik, by and large most console gamers don't have keyboards for their consoles. So them getting anything like this "expands horizons" as it were. But just going by the size the thing is likely to be, any serious typing need is going to drive someone towards buying a full keyboard anyway.

[squirrel]

Other than vendor lock-in I don't understand why they bother with consoles. For typical uses PC gaming rig and Console gaming rig have exact same functionality.

Do a search on how many units a top-selling pc game sells. Then do a search on how many units a top-selling console game sells. Through this google-fu shall you gain understanding.

(or more simply $500<$1500=++market share)

[Furiously]

Blizzard homepage has been updated. They are enjoying playing with people to keep them guessing...

http://www.blizzard.com/

[Jayce]

Blizzard homepage has been updated. They are enjoying playing with people to keep them guessing...

http://www.blizzard.com/

Can those of us behind censorware get a copy/paste, or the gist?

[Miasma]

They are using each day to the May 19th announcement to show the timeline of their games.



Tomorrow will be showing starcraft one and so on until we get to the question mark and find out what it is.

[Wolf]

I've always thought that blizzard's when it's done mentality allowed for big holes in their release schedule. Looking at that picture, though, it's easy to see that they released a game every year up to WoW. 94 - Warcraft, 95 - Warcraft 2, 96 - Diablo, 97 - Diablo Expansion (I'm not sure they developed that), 98 - Starcraft, 99 - Starcraft Expansion, 2000 - Diablo II, 2001 - Diablo II Expansion, 2002 - Warcraft 3, 2003 - Warcraft 3 Expansion, 2004 - WoW.

My point? Just thought it's interesting.

[Ironwood]

You're right.  It is.

[Trippy]

I've always thought that blizzard's when it's done mentality allowed for big holes in their release schedule. Looking at that picture, though, it's easy to see that they released a game every year up to WoW. 94 - Warcraft, 95 - Warcraft 2, 96 - Diablo, 97 - Diablo Expansion (I'm not sure they developed that), 98 - Starcraft, 99 - Starcraft Expansion, 2000 - Diablo II, 2001 - Diablo II Expansion, 2002 - Warcraft 3, 2003 - Warcraft 3 Expansion, 2004 - WoW.

My point? Just thought it's interesting.

You have to take into account Blizzard vs Blizzard North and the separate team that was started at Blizzard to do WoW.

[Venkman]

And the difference between public-image "when it's done" and actual when it's done.

[ajax34i]

So, it's not profitable for them to do MMO's then, considering that they'd otherwise be releasing a game yearly, and thus selling millions of boxes each year?

[Murgos]

So, it's not profitable for them to do MMO's then, considering that they'd otherwise be releasing a game yearly, and thus selling millions of boxes each year?

I don't think anyone is saying that.  They will make somewhere around 1,000,000,000 (that's one Billion) on WoW alone this year.  Recurring billing is the holy grail, just ask well, anyone.

[Miasma]

Expansions sell too.

[Slayerik]

So, it's not profitable for them to do MMO's then, considering that they'd otherwise be releasing a game yearly, and thus selling millions of boxes each year?

I don't think anyone is saying that.  They will make somewhere around 1,000,000,000 (that's one Billion) on WoW alone this year.  Recurring billing is the holy grail, just ask well, anyone.

I still think their paid transfer system was/is the ultimate money making scam.... "Stuck on a shitty server? Pay us 40 bucks to move your two characters." I wonder how much money they piled in charging 20 bucks a pop for a most simple database manipulation.

[LK]

I still think their paid transfer system was/is the ultimate money making scam.... "Stuck on a shitty server? Pay us 40 bucks to move your two characters." I wonder how much money they piled in charging 20 bucks a pop for a most simple database manipulation.

It also has the added benefit of making someone who wants to transfer consider their decision carefully and not abuse the system by wrecking havoc on one server and transferring to another without penalty.  But I suppose you could view it as a scam.

[Slayerik]

I still think their paid transfer system was/is the ultimate money making scam.... "Stuck on a shitty server? Pay us 40 bucks to move your two characters." I wonder how much money they piled in charging 20 bucks a pop for a most simple database manipulation.

It also has the added benefit of making someone who wants to transfer consider their decision carefully and not abuse the system by wrecking havoc on one server and transferring to another without penalty.  But I suppose you could view it as a scam.

Scam and sound business decision can be synonymous in my book.

[Jayce]

It also has the added benefit of making someone who wants to transfer consider their decision carefully and not abuse the system by wrecking havoc on one server and transferring to another without penalty.  But I suppose you could view it as a scam.

Scam and sound business decision can be synonymous in my book.

They are certainly not mutually exclusive.   

[Trouble]

Blizzard can certainly be credited with knowing how to build anticipation for their games.

[Azazel]

I still think their paid transfer system was/is the ultimate money making scam.... "Stuck on a shitty server? Pay us 40 bucks to move your two characters." I wonder how much money they piled in charging 20 bucks a pop for a most simple database manipulation.

It also has the added benefit of making someone who wants to transfer consider their decision carefully and not abuse the system by wrecking havoc on one server and transferring to another without penalty.  But I suppose you could view it as a scam.

Well, there's precedent from SoE and EQ1, where they charge you $50 for one character (did they increase that later?). Easy enough to improve on that, and once EQ had shown it to be a worthwhile money-spinner....

[Slayerik]

I still think their paid transfer system was/is the ultimate money making scam.... "Stuck on a shitty server? Pay us 40 bucks to move your two characters." I wonder how much money they piled in charging 20 bucks a pop for a most simple database manipulation.

It also has the added benefit of making someone who wants to transfer consider their decision carefully and not abuse the system by wrecking havoc on one server and transferring to another without penalty.  But I suppose you could view it as a scam.

Well, there's precedent from SoE and EQ1, where they charge you $50 for one character (did they increase that later?). Easy enough to improve on that, and once EQ had shown it to be a worthwhile money-spinner....

In true Blizzard fashion :)

[LK]

It also has the added benefit of making someone who wants to transfer consider their decision carefully and not abuse the system by wrecking havoc on one server and transferring to another without penalty.  But I suppose you could view it as a scam.

Scam and sound business decision can be synonymous in my book.

They are certainly not mutually exclusive.   

I dare say that perspective is the determinant in what term you'd use!

[Simond]

My point? Just thought it's interesting.

Have we done the 'internet detective/whois on www.starcraft2.com' thing in this thread yet?

[Furiously]

Well - Diablo3 isn't owned by them right?

[Yegolev]

typical SIMs player is super-casual computer user that wants nothing to do with mmorpgs or monthly payments.

Negative.  Fact is, SOL had players doing things that were what you would do in another MOG, only not in a Tolkieny world.  It also presumably lacked the customization found in the single-player game, but I'm a bit fuzzy on that part.  The serious Sims players are neither casual nor averse to monthly payments.

[Nonentity]

I don't know if this has been mentioned at all, but there's also a job posting or two for Mobile related things.

Example - this one is the link for the 'Lead Mobile UI designer'.

http://www.blizzard.com/jobopp/lead-mobile-ui-designer.shtml

Cell phone game? Or PSP/DS portable game?

Either way, how cool would it be if it linked up with this next-gen MMO project of theirs?

To be honest, I think that would be too complicated, and it's gonna be some sort of standalone game.

[Yegolev]

I agree unless there is some offline component as with EVE and maybe SWG, such that you can use a small client to change factory production or something.  Doesn't sound very StarCrafty, though.  Probably a Rebelstar Tactical Command with Games Workshop sprites.

[Simond]

Cell phone game? Or PSP/DS portable game?

Diablo for the DS.

It might happen!

[Trippy]

I don't know if this has been mentioned at all, but there's also a job posting or two for Mobile related things.

Example - this one is the link for the 'Lead Mobile UI designer'.

http://www.blizzard.com/jobopp/lead-mobile-ui-designer.shtml

Cell phone game? Or PSP/DS portable game?

Either way, how cool would it be if it linked up with this next-gen MMO project of theirs?

To be honest, I think that would be too complicated, and it's gonna be some sort of standalone game.

More likely it's just some sort of tie-in to WoW, like something you can use to manage the Auction House with or communicate with Guild members and stuff.

[Venkman]

It would be about freakin' time somebody did that. It's unfortunate that the only way a big provider would carry this sort of functionality on their deck is if it had Big Huge Brand Recognition.

Could also be Diablo for PSP though, which has gotta be better than Untold Legends by default.