General Discussion

A recent interview by Videogamer.com with Frank Pearce from Blizzard at the Games Convention:

VideoGamer.com: So this isn't the last we've seen from Starcraft?

FP: No, hopefully not! We're pretty passionate about the StarCraft universe, we're pretty emotionally invested in it, so we'll see. We leverage it for a licensed merchandise as well, like pocket novels and manga.

VideoGamer.com: With WoW doing so well, it proves that it's a great idea.

FP: It would be a lot of work! [laughs]. But the thing you have to remember about the MMO genre, especially now that the bar is set by games like World of Warcraft, WoW has been in development since, in some shape or form, 1999. There's people on the WoW team that have been on that team for nine years. So there's nine years of technology and story and content that are created, so the bar for entry into the MMO genre, whether it's Blizzard or someone else, is very high as a result. So you're dealing with a market where games have nine years invested in them. And so to look at StarCraft and say well we could make an MMO out of that. Well yeah, but how many years would we have to invest in it to create the quantity of content and the quality of experience that would be required to meet just the minimum standard that's set by the games that are out there right now?

VideoGamer.com You've made it difficult for yourself!

FP: Yeah, we've made it very difficult for ourselves and it's an overwhelming thought! I've been there at Blizzard since we started on WoW and it's been a very long and arduous journey. And to think about taking that journey again with the StarCraft franchise is a little scary! It makes an RTS like Starcraft 2 seem very achievable [laughs].

VideoGamer.com: Fans say a StarCraft MMO would be great, but they don't see your side of things do they?

FP: The World of Warcraft team is 135 people. The StarCraft 2 team is 40 people.

Source

I have to admit, I was hoping for something like this, although I can understand the complexity and the challenge to translate SC to an mmo.

Not sure I see alot of people playing a hydralisk :P

Hydralisk: Hydralisk level 60 looking for a tank!!!!

Mutalisk: I'll tank! I'm a full defence spec!!!!!!

Zergling: Can I join?

Hydralisk: No!!

I always hoped for a SC MMORPG..especially after seeing so much stuff in TBC that looked like it belonged in a SC MMORPG and not in WoW.

Originally posted by AlienShirt

I always hoped for a SC MMORPG..especially after seeing so much stuff in TBC that looked like it belonged in a SC MMORPG and not in WoW.

Pretty much why I quit really...

Giant robots and meteor showers all around! Yet you're standing outside Ye Olde Inne with that medieval music jingling away in the background whilst wearing a dress......

I'd be all for a 3rd person shooter, but a SC MMORPG wouldn't even have 33% the audience of WoW IMO.

Starcraft is not Warcraft in space... It's already been done! :)

Originally posted by Shijuki

A recent interview by Videogamer.com with Frank Pearce from Blizzard at the Games Convention:

 

VideoGamer.com: So this isn't the last we've seen from Starcraft?

 

FP: No, hopefully not! We're pretty passionate about the StarCraft universe, we're pretty emotionally invested in it, so we'll see. We leverage it for a licensed merchandise as well, like pocket novels and manga.

 

VideoGamer.com: With WoW doing so well, it proves that it's a great idea.

 

FP: It would be a lot of work! [laughs]. But the thing you have to remember about the MMO genre, especially now that the bar is set by games like World of Warcraft, WoW has been in development since, in some shape or form, 1999. There's people on the WoW team that have been on that team for nine years. So there's nine years of technology and story and content that are created, so the bar for entry into the MMO genre, whether it's Blizzard or someone else, is very high as a result. So you're dealing with a market where games have nine years invested in them. And so to look at StarCraft and say well we could make an MMO out of that. Well yeah, but how many years would we have to invest in it to create the quantity of content and the quality of experience that would be required to meet just the minimum standard that's set by the games that are out there right now?

 

VideoGamer.com You've made it difficult for yourself!

 

FP: Yeah, we've made it very difficult for ourselves and it's an overwhelming thought! I've been there at Blizzard since we started on WoW and it's been a very long and arduous journey. And to think about taking that journey again with the StarCraft franchise is a little scary! It makes an RTS like Starcraft 2 seem very achievable [laughs].

 

VideoGamer.com: Fans say a StarCraft MMO would be great, but they don't see your side of things do they?

 

FP: The World of Warcraft team is 135 people. The StarCraft 2 team is 40 people.

 

Source

 

I have to admit, I was hoping for something like this, although I can understand the complexity and the challenge to translate SC2 to an mmo. This confirms that their unannounced mmorpg project is not based on SC universe.

I don't see how that confirms that Blizz's next mmo won't be set in the SC universe.   Blizzard has already been secretive about their projects.   They are not going to annouce a project till they are ready and are very leak proof.

This might a little disinformation.   He never said Blizzard is not doing a SC MMO but that it would be very difficult.    Which it would.

Originally posted by Ponico

Not sure I see alot of people playing a hydralisk :P

 

Hydralisk: Hydralisk level 60 looking for a tank!!!!

Mutalisk: I'll tank! I'm a full defence spec!!!!!!

Zergling: Can I join?

Hydralisk: No!!

Add "are you swe?"

I would like to see a new IP from them and I think that's what they will be doing when they say it'll be totally different from every mmo out there then I reckon the only way to go is a new IP.

Originally posted by Shijuki

FP: No, hopefully not! We're pretty passionate about the StarCraft universe, we're pretty emotionally invested in it, so we'll see. We leverage it for a licensed merchandise as well, like pocket novels and manga.

Why bussines guys use words like "passionate" "emotionally invested" "leverage" "licensed" "merchandise" "novels"...  ??

:-D