Blizzard: "How would we bring WoW to the console?"
by Matthew Rossi 
Mar 10th 2010 at 4:00PM
What I really found interesting was that this is supposedly something they think about a lot. "In the case of WoW, we talk about it all the time." I'm the curious sort, so I find myself wondering why, given all the reasons Brack himself lists. Personally, I'd love to see a single player Warcraft property of some sort for consoles, perhaps a God of War style action game or even a Dragon Age/Mass Effect hybrid RPG. And who knows, perhaps Blizzard will come up with a way to do it despite their laundry list of reasons why they won't, they've surprised me before.
Filed under: Blizzard, News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Immortality Mar 10th 2010 4:04PM
"...consoles like an XBox 360 have at most 20gb worth of hard drive space without buying any additions."
Now then, I know this is only going to spark a console war off, but Rossi, I feel I should point out that PS3 Slims go up to 250gb Hard Drive.
(cutaia) Mar 10th 2010 4:08PM
Oh good. Care to weigh in on politics and religion, too?
Drakkenfyre Mar 10th 2010 4:28PM
Going to have to comment here and say he's right.
I don't like either system, but they do come with larger hard drives as standard now. I think the XBox360 has a 40GB version (standard), and the PS3 goes up to 60GB.
Alanid Mar 10th 2010 4:36PM
Yes, but it is still comparatively small and would most likely be a restraint on the developers.
PeeWee Mar 10th 2010 4:38PM
Doesn't really matter. As soon as a new content patch hits, you're ending up having to download Gigs worth of patches.
Not to mention the much longer development times we'd see. The way people are QQ:ing already about the speed of new content and updates, imagine the outcry if we'd had to wait two-three times longer for a content patch to hit.
Tamednan Mar 10th 2010 4:41PM
You also don't typically "install" video games on your console. That's mostly used for downloaded content and saved games. Some games do put a small installer or software updates on the hard drive, but the majority of the data is stored directly on the disc. While the Xbox 360 is limited to the size of a DVD 4-8GB, the PS3 can hold upwards of 100GB on a Blu ray.
But at it's current size, Warcraft is way to large to be put on a console, but a console ready version would have to limit the amount of spells you'd be able to use anyway. I'd hate to think of the random button combination necessary to cast something like sentry totem if they didn't. o.O
Quinn Mar 10th 2010 4:44PM
I can only forsee one question: why? What is the need to bring wow to a console?
Bigger screen - most tvs today have a input cable the same as computers. There are two way cables that allow you to hook up a tv and computer. Use a wireless keyboard and mouse and you'll be set.
That's the only logical resoning I see.
fatboy_aidan Mar 10th 2010 10:19PM
But ... PS3 HAS NO GAMES
ChasW Mar 10th 2010 4:58PM
My 360 has 120 GB
Erzfiend Mar 10th 2010 4:54PM
@fatboy
Go away.
Drakkenfyre Mar 10th 2010 4:55PM
Tame, actually, no. Most PS3 games require an install onto the hard drive. A full install. And some PS3 owners are pissed because the install does nothing for the game. It's supposed to speed up loading, but some games aren't getting benefit.
MightyBurebista Mar 10th 2010 4:59PM
"@fatboy
Go away."
For what? Stating the sad, sad truth?
Karuna Mar 10th 2010 5:05PM
Haha, gotta love the computers are better than consoleites. How longs that argument been going on for now?
As far as space, now the price has come down a lot they could for console harddrives, they could always have a 20gig dedicated wow harddrive with the game. It'd be handy and that kind of thing is always it's own best publicity, people go out of their way to buy gimmicks like that ( it's sad but i know i do).
I don't think there's much stopping them really. All the problems can be worked around and you know it'd be massive. I'm not sure why they don't do it, it's definitely blizzards loss.
Skittles Mar 10th 2010 5:13PM
Why not just make a Keyboard and Mouse that syncs wirelessly to the Xbox360 like the controllers do? it would solve all your problems of not having enough buttons.
Valt Mar 10th 2010 5:32PM
@MightyBurebista
Valt Mar 10th 2010 5:39PM
Good thing I can use proper marks on comments.
@MightyBurebista
2005 is that way -- >
Please come back when you have updated your ""How to be blind fanboy and troll" for dummies" book for 2010 and try again.
NecDW4 Mar 10th 2010 5:52PM
They managed 2 MMOs on the frickin PS2. EQOAF and FFXI. Both worked wonderfully, especially FFXI with the ability to just utilize those nifty little USB hubs on the front, that EVERY console has, to plug in a keyboard and mouse.
EQOAF managed to be a damn nice game even without Mouse support (though you could use a KB for typing) OR a HD.
Control options and HD sizes are NOT whats keeping this from happening, it's just a matter of having to crunch the code, and having more than 1 thing to update every patch.
MightyBurebista Mar 10th 2010 6:09PM
@Valt
PS3 was released in 2006, Stephen Hawking.
And I've learned most of my fanboy trolling by studying under the Sony fanboys back when PS2 ruled the land. A shame the successor to its throne wasn't quite fit to rule, shall we say.
Raze Mar 10th 2010 6:28PM
@NecDW4
FFXI's interface is so simple that all you need to actually play the game is a PS2 controller. Abilities are used from a drop-down list like in most FF games, or chosen from a macro'd list you pull up using the shoulder buttons.
I guess it wouldn't be impossible to play WoW with a console controller, but a console version would require a completely different interface altogether.
Not to mention the game gets patched every three seconds, so unless you've got one of the more expensive PS3 or Xbox 360's to dedicate lots of hard drive space to, the game is going to consume your console.
Bovinebill Mar 10th 2010 7:38PM
@ Quinn, re: "I can only forsee one question: why? What is the need to bring wow to a console? "
The best answer to that question is the one gamers least like to hear, which is that Blizzard is a business and is always looking to expand it's market. Last I saw, Microsoft has already sold somewhere in the neighborhood of 36 million 360s. PS3 is catching up to that figure. The better question is why Blizzard WOULDN'T want to tap in to those markets? Thankfully they're not rushing in and putting out a crappy product.
I'm a proud console owner and sometimes I secretly wish i could play WoW on my plasma tv, but I know it just wouldn't be the same.