Blizzard and dealing with the expanded WoW universe
by Mike Schramm 
Mar 17th 2008 at 5:00PM
Zv of Destromath has an interesting argument on the forums -- he says that Blizzard has overextended themselves, and that by producing everything from trading cards to credit cards to WoW minis, the board game, and the upcoming movie (and he even forgot the FigurePrints and Dell deals), they've lost sight of what they should be working on: the game itself. While Zv does admit on the second page what Bornakk points out on the first (that it's not the same people or even the same company working on all of this stuff, and that the devs are still working on designing the game, not writing a script for the movie), there is still the same old argument here when anything goes mainstream and starts selling a brand: has the original material been neglected?It's up to you, of course, whether you think that's the case or not, but there's no question at all that Blizzard is a completely different company because of World of Warcraft. Before this game, they were a popular-but-still-boutique games studio famous for just a few quality titles in even fewer franchises. But now, they're part of not one but two multinational corporations (one of which shares their name), and they oversee a global empire not just of rights and license releases, but of millions of players and financial interests all over the place. As Zv says, why are they making more deals for expensive swords when they still claim they don't have the manpower to let us use flying mounts in Azeroth?
The problem here is that you can't really second guess Blizzard -- despite the fact that you may agree or disagree with the decisions they've made, there's no question that they've got a successful game on their hands and that they've done nothing but make money with it. But though the Warcraft licensing universe seems to be growing at an exponential rate, we hope (and we'll find out, we guess, with the release of patch 2.4 and the expansion), that the core game is still as strong as ever.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Economy, WoW TCG
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Alch Mar 17th 2008 5:05PM
In some ways it is good. It keeps all the suits busy and lets the game makers deal with the game.
Necroz Mar 17th 2008 5:08PM
Most of the items being sent out by Blizzard are Partnership Agreements.
Blizzard Developers don't craft swords, draw pictures, or cut cards for blister packs so the argument he is making is actually pretty stupid. Oversight watches what is done by each Partner and they seem to be making solid choices in who they allow to do this.
Please go check for fires elsewhere.
Matdredalia Mar 18th 2008 2:14AM
Exactly. I completely agree with you.
Marketing Executives =/= Programmers.
The suits upstairs are nothing in comparison with the code monkeys and server maintenance crews that are pounding away at WoW and actually, ya' know, doing their jobs.
I'm sorry, they're not working on the game? WTF Is Patch 2.4? A cookie?
>.< Compare WoW to other MMO's and where they stood at 3.5 years into the game. The diversity of game play and the massive amount of customization when it comes to your play style in this game surpasses them all, let alone the massive story line and content.
You can't fly in Azeroth? *gasp* How EVER did we survive for the first two years we played? -_-
Seriously, people on the forums will find anything to bitch, whine, and moan about.
Personally, I love that Blizzard has expanded the series so far. It makes for more ways to get into my favorite franchise and be a fangirl. I'm not about to complain.
rick gregory Mar 17th 2008 5:18PM
"As Zv says, why are they making more deals for expensive swords when they still claim they don't have the manpower to let us use flying mounts in Azeroth?"
Thanks, now I don't need to read the post. That's a stupid argument since the developers who would do that latter have NOTHING to do with the former.
Ancalimon Mar 17th 2008 9:23PM
and to the using flying mounts in azeroth, can you imagine trying to lvl up your character with tons of bored lvl 70's divebombing you every minute, and lvl 80's when wrath comes out. Blizzard has already stated that they dont plan on making flying mounts available for azeroth, besides northrend, so how is that a viable argument?? and like it has been stated, these other projects (movies, creditcard etc.) have totally seperate teams with their OWN totally seperate budgets and income, so there isn't anything stopping Blizz from expanding their dev base, besides the fact that they have enough of them. more devs = more money put into the development of the game. sure it will come out faster and probably with a bit more content (if any more), but that will come at a price, the game will cost MORE money to play. I say leave well enough alone.
tchernobyl Mar 17th 2008 5:24PM
As everyone is saying, anyone who thinks the developpers are doing any of these things outside of developping the game should be shot. They aren't! They're /developpers/, the marketing, promotion, etc are all done by others.
For that matter.. even without WOW, blizzard would be known as one of the best developpers period. All their games have been hits (warcraft 1 less so due to gaming not being as popular back then, but.. warcraft 2, warcraft 3, diablo 1, diablo 2, starcraft, all the expansions)... This knowledge might be restricted to the gaming industry/gamers themselves, WOW has simply put that on a global scale.
crowsfeet Mar 17th 2008 5:34PM
I agree.
However, how awesome would it be to have flying mounts in Azeroth? Let's take some of that money from all the people buying Frostmorne replica's and hire some more programmers to make that happen.
darian Mar 17th 2008 6:12PM
You can't just hire programmers and solve problems, that's how companies tank.
Think of it like recruiting for a guild. You want someone who will fit in, adapt, and enjoy themselves. Finding someone like that takes more than a "WTB 375 Engineer".
Tridus Mar 17th 2008 5:35PM
Have you noticed how the game has no focus lately (excluding arenas, I guess), how content is horribly slow, and how in general Blizzard talks a good game but hasn't really delivered anything in ages?
Thats the sign of a company whose management is too busy doing other things (like signing deals to sell swords) to pay attention to what the developers are doing.
Sure, management doesn't develop content. But they tell the developers WHAT to develop, and they keep things moving. They're distracted, and things in game are moving at a snails pace compared to other games.
Aaron Mar 17th 2008 5:48PM
Come on, be real... Blizzard does a decent job of adding content and updating their game. Remember that there is always a timeline, and that patches and content are released on a schedule. You may feel that it's at a snails pace for You, but the devs won't release something until the 'average' player base has progressed enought through current content to warrant new content. If you want a mule to follow, you don't give it a bucket of carrots, you give him one at a time. Thus we still pay our monthly fee, and are hooked for years lol.
theRaptor Mar 17th 2008 7:31PM
Oh you mean the 2.3-2.4 content patches that have delivered more new content then most pre-BC patches combined? Or you mean WotLK which is in final development as we speak?
The devs always get quiet before a major expansion, because they are working on it.
Tridus Mar 18th 2008 6:39AM
@theRaptor
Well, 2.1 came out in June. Since then we've gotten 2.2, which had no new content at all. 2.3, which had a pretty mediocre raid (ZA), and a levelling revamp (which isn't new content). 2.4 is the first patch to have actual content.
Now, lets compare that to Turbine and LotRO. In the same timeframe, they've added hair changing (something Blizzard promised for WotLK), a wardrobe system so you don't have to look ass-ugly in mismatched gear until max level (like you do in WoW), player housing (something Blizzard refuses to do at all), and four (soon to be five) content releases.
Other then arena gear inflation, what has Blizzard given us that compares with that?
Dotixi Mar 17th 2008 5:44PM
This is lame. Why is anyone giving this guy extra attention?
foxkreig Mar 17th 2008 5:47PM
agreed. but i'd be happy if my mount would work in azeroth, even if i could only run around on it .. it'd clear up a bagspace.
oo better yet .. if you jump off a clif it'll glide down (slowfall ftw)
Dan Mar 17th 2008 5:50PM
You know your in trouble when programmers are forced to work a smithy to make swords...
Why would making swords, or a card game, or any other franchise shoot off cause any delays? Or put in another way, would you really want a blacksmith or graphical artist to decide how many hitpoints and what abilities Kil'jaeden should have?
I would also like to refer to Brook's Law: Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later.
Or in other words: The bearing of a child takes nine months, no matter how many women are assigned.
jrodman Mar 17th 2008 6:00PM
I'm not really sure brook's law really applies. The content packs in WoW are largely independent. You could create an entirely additional content team to craft a set of instances in blades's edge or skettis or something while the current team continues on their merry way polishing up the sunwell stuff.
Sure there's some universal issues like drag as new employees learn the tools, but the communication complexity of a traditional monolithic software development effort don't really apply to adding content without changing the rules.
In short, more manpower could easily produce more content in less time, even if it wouldn't speed it up in the first month or so.
infection Mar 17th 2008 6:24PM
"Or in other words: The bearing of a child takes nine months, no matter how many women are assigned."
That might have been the worst analogy ever created compared to the situation.
Jrod is correct, more people could only help in creating more dungeons, graphics for armor (god knows we are getting tired of the same suits, especially with sunwell previews of class's having same suits, different color like old school battleground 60's), content (quest).
Eternalpayn Mar 17th 2008 6:47PM
It's like this: There are always other fish in the sea, but that doesn't mean that with other people you can catch them all.
That is officially the worst analogy of this topic.
cluffer Mar 17th 2008 5:54PM
Zv is on point here.
Blizzard is making a sh@# load of cash and if you check the F/S, they are pulling a lot of it out.
They have the opportunity to use this cash to create more content than any rival could ever make. But they are not setting the world on fire.
2.4 will mark the first new 5 man dungeon since TBC launch? Come on, 5 man content is what everyone does.
They have money to do swords and figures and they still got a lot more left to create more content. Don't drop the ball Blizz, it's the only way you get trumped.
CunningB Mar 17th 2008 6:41PM
Once again id like to point out blizzard themselves arnt actually shelling out anything to make swords, card games and any other WoW related items, all the do is give permission to another company to produce said items and charge them for the use of the blizzard company name.
As for the "blizzard are making lots of money so they should be able to make WoW more than just better" yes they will continue to develope WoW but as a company the also want money in the kitty to cover any hard times and new products they are producing, after all WoW does have a finite shelf life and Blizzard as a company will be developing much more in the future.
I for one support Blizzard in this and the more money they make hopefully the more quality games they can produce.