Key developers resign from Blizzard

[confoundicator]

Check out the story on <A HREF="http://money.cnn.com/2003/07/01/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/index.htm" target="_new">CNNmoney</A>. It seems that four key game developers (the team responsible for Diablo II and more I'm sure) have resigned from Blizzard. Evidently the parent company, Vivendi, is looking for a buyer and the developers were not given a say in the matter even though they had done a large part of the work contributing to the value of the company. So they walked. I prolly would have done the same thing. Interesting story.

<A HREF="http://money.cnn.com/2003/07/01/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/index.htm" target="_new">http://money.cnn.com/2003/07/01/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/index.htm</A>

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by confoundicator on 07/04/03 05:58 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[sirak]

I prefer Blizzard's older stuff anyway (WC, WC2, Diablo). Their new stuff (ie WC3) is incredibly lame. Watch the game's opening cutscene and you will see what I mean.

 

[confoundicator]

Yeah I've played through it. I was one of the people disappointed with WCIII. I like their old stuff too, but I was also looking forward to SC: Ghost and WoW. The rumors are flying around the forums that these games might get nixed.

 

[kinetic_tw]

The folks that left were primarily responsible for the development of the Diablo series. I know in reference to World of Warcraft, Blizzard has stated specifically that development has not been affected at all. The rumors are merely paranoia.

 

[sirak]

I wouldn't worry about WoW. With a project like that, it has the potential to earn too much money for them to screw it up badly. I'm looking forward to it. I've never played a MMORPG, but I might give this one a try.

In terms of people who left, Bill Roper is the big one. He was seriously involved in most of their titles (he even did some of those cheesy voices for WC and SC).

 

[Gastrian]

Warhammer online looks a lot better though. But it's gonna force me to upgrade my graphics card though.

 

[sirak]

Could be, I don't know too much about it (seen some screenshots). Neither will be out until 2004, so time will tell.

 

[confoundicator]

It's all about gameplay and the fun-factor. Even a stupid story/premise can be overcome by a good game engine and a logical interface (which, IMHO Blizzard's strength is their well done interfaces and attention to making the game fun). Speaking of fun I've been playing Postal 2 and it is a sick, twisted game. I should feel horrible for the things I have done in this game. But it's just so much fun I can't stop. Strangely cathartic, it satisfies the urge to shoot the guy who cut you off on the freeway during rush hour. But I digress...

Somewhere in <A HREF="http://www.sclegacy.com/" target="_new">StarCraft Legacy</A> I read that SC: Ghost will definately ship, but without multiplayer support. :tongue: Oh well.