New Blizz MMO Speculation and Info thread.

[thunder12]

Hey guys, just wanted to start a thread on the new Blizz MMO that they have now started. As new Info is recieved, it will be posted here. If you have any guesses or info on what you think it will be, post ahead!

I wanted to take a moment to let the community know that I’ve switched roles here at Blizzard to work on our upcoming, unannounced MMO. World of Warcraft has been such a central part of my life these past six and a half years, and it’s success would not have been possible without the tremendous community around it, so I wanted to say thank you to all our players who’ve shared this amazing experience with us so far. Also, while I have served as the spokesperson and Game Director for World of Warcraft on Wrath of the Lich King, by no means would WoW be where it is today without the dedicated team that we have in place. The WoW development team is comprised of some of the most talented and experienced game developers in the world, and it was an absolute honor to serve amongst them, and they will continue to make WoW better than ever. I still plan to be very involved with the future course of World of Warcraft, but will leave the day to day operations of World of Warcraft to my partners in crime, Tom Chilton and J. Allen Brack.

When all is said and done, WoW is still my favorite game. I play it every day. None of that passion is gone. If anything, it fuels the challenge of making our next MMO even better. We know we have some big shoes to fill. So thank you to everyone who has been so supportive over the years, and likewise, thanks to those who have given us pointed feedback on all areas of the game. Without all of the feedback and participation, WoW would not be the game that it has grown to be. Azeroth truly belongs to you and we’re lucky to have shared in your journey. And as always, I’ll still be lurking on the forums and in the game.
Mostly, I just wanted to say thanks. It has been an absolute honor.

Jeffrey Kaplan

Source : http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread....sid=1&pageNo=1

What we know so far:

• It will be a new IP set in a completely different Universe from Warcraft, Diablo or Starcraft.
• It will be "Next Gen".
• It is possible it may be compatible with consoles.
• Blizzard are currently recruiting a new team for this new MMO.
• Speculation leads us to believe it may be set in the future or future type universe.
• You will most probably have to have a high end system to play it.
• Possibly a marvel themed mmo? - Blizz have merged with activision and vivendi, meaning they have good relationships with marvel.

Personally i can't wait for a new title from Blizzard. A new IP is certainly overdue.

Thunder12

[kalniel]

Mario world.

or

World of Zelda.

[Ferral]

Thread tidied up, keep it on track here guys

[thunder12]

was not aware that reserving is not allowed. I appologise. And @ Kalniel please do not troll my thread.

Thunder

[MadduckUK]

maybe not starcraft then, but they must do was in space Shirly?

[thunder12]

lol at the comic strip. Na its definately not starcraft. They have both the medieval type era series of diablo and warcraft so i think they will go with the future type genre. Also the market is flooded with the previously mentioned genre so i think they will do something new(ish). It is suppost to be next gen whatever that means nowadays.

[kalniel]

was not aware that reserving is not allowed. I appologise. And @ Kalniel please do not troll my thread.

Thunder

? I'm not trolling your thread, and find that accusation quite offensive. They were sensible suggestions which I think have good market potential for someone like Blizzard.

[Jay]

I hear its called World of Arts and Craft or WoAaC

[Stoo]

I hear the name "Land of Leather" is available..

[thunder12]

hmm being an arty type i wouldnt mind world of arts and crafts and no, just no to the DFS comment haha

[iChimp]

Whatever is said about it apparently 'definitely' not being StarCraft i still bet it is!
Over the last however many years when has Blizzard done ANYTHING that isnt Warcraft, Diablo or Starcraft?

[subucni]

Some kind of official Marvel Universe MMO.

I doubt it actually will be but i'd like to see it.

There is some logic flimsy behind it possibly being it too, but it is very flimsy indeed.

Firstly Vivendi have merged Blizz and Activision now into Activision Blizzard. Activision have always had a good relationship with Marvel, with all the Spiderman, X-Men Legends and Marvel Ultimate alliance games.

Next we have the fact that Marvel have already been in the market for making Marvel Universe Online with Microsoft/Cryptic Studios, which ended up getting canned only a few months before the Acti-Blizz merger was finalised.

When you look at the quote from the Microsoft person in the link above "When we first entered into the development and agreement of the development of 'Marvel Universe Online,' we thought we would create another subscription-based MMO. And if you really look at the data there's basically one that's successful and everything else wouldn't meet our level or definition of commercial success." it sounds very much like they gave it up mainly on the grounds of not wanting to be yet another of the new MMOs that comes out, takes a chunk of WoW's customer base at launch, but ultimately doesn't make a huge impact and can't keep the customers who end up just going back to WoW. Funcom and Age of Conan being a perfect example of this. The simple fact of the matter is that as long as WoW is out there, it is the benchmark that everything will be judge on and it's foothold is that secure that nothing is likely to come close to it's success. Which in my opinion is basically what they are saying in the above quote.

So here we have Marvel wanting an MMO that can rival the success of WoW, and Blizz knowing that they need to begin looking into their next MMO to replace WoW as it's coming close to the end of it's natural life. Who better to make a successful Marvel MMO to take WoW's crown than Blizzard themselves? They already have the customer base, anyone who is playing WoW is likely to at least try out whatever Blizz's next MMO is going to be, even more so if the new MMO is a popular established Marvel brand. As long as the game's menu system stays familiar, and the game engine feels very much the same as WoW's does, then half the battle of keeping the people switching from WoW is won. I'm sure they wont have all the WoW subscribers transfering, but with WoW's customer base the ones that do willl no doubt make it an instant success. Making it and WoW the market leaders, and as Blizzard wind WoW down the Marvel project will be the biggest contender and natural choice for people to move onto.


With all the above in mind, Marvel must have put the idea to Activision-Blizzard or vice versa at some point.



But that's all a guess and i doubt i'm right, could well just be a completely home grown Blizzard idea, although blizz don't have a huge track record of coming up with new ideas. They do like to stick to their 3 main staple IP's in Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo.



One thing is for certain, the name of "Project Hydra" that it has been rumoured to be going by really isn't giving many clues.


Bres

[subucni]

I hear the name "Land of Leather" is available..

Genius btw, i can see that being a guild name somewhere, especially a Tauren only guild

[Stoo]

Genius btw, i can see that being a guild name somewhere, especially a Tauren only guild

[LoL] Bullwinkle is.. Farming Yeti hide...




I guess the Marvel one might be a contender, especially if it's to go up against DC Universe Online..

On the other hand, it might be something completely new..

[thunder12]

updated main page. Thanks for info subicni

[shaithis]

It's obviously World of World of Warcraft