Blizzard announcing a new game soon?
 

It's looking like there's a countdown on the Blizzard webpage. It's been a while since they've released a new game. This could possibly be exciting depending on the game (please God, not World of Starcraft). What do you guys think?

Personally, I'd be happy with just a Starcraft 2 or a Diablo 3.

If it's not Starcraft 2 or Diablo 3 (with a fully orchestrated soundtrack), Blizzard has lost me. WoW was almost as boring as DAOC, SC: Ghost has taken like 35 years and is still in development, and one of the greatest games of all time, Starcraft, wasn't given the same treatment as Warcraft in the form of sequels. God knows we have enough novels about the Xel'naga to throw together a decent storyline, and we know they can make an engaging strategy game.

Starcraft 2. It'll be like printing money.

Well to be fair, Starcraft came out after WC2, and for a little while there, there seemed to be an order in which the games were coming out (WC2, SC, D2, WC3). I guess WoW is a sequel, but I don't think SC in it's current form would lend itself to being an MMO. Warcraft had 2 clear cut factions with several different races in each. Starcraft had 3 factions, but there weren't really races in each. Also, each faction had it's own good and evil side within. To be honest, I wouldn't know how to make that into an MMO.

Back to the original point, the most likely game would be SC2 which is really what I'm hoping for.

I think a Starcraft MMO would only cannibalize WoW at this point. People only have one life to give and I doubt there's a big untapped market of potential MMO players who are just waiting for one based on Starcraft. Then again, the profit margins of popular MMOs may be large enough to justify running two even if there's some overlap of playerbase. We have a good idea of the income from MMOs, but I'm very curious how much it actually costs to develop and operate one.

Also I don't think we'll see a Diablo 3 for a while because of the demise of Blizzard North. With Starcraft just sitting there begging for a sequel and the Ghost project failing it seems like the obvious move.

SC would lend itself to a VERY DIFFERENT MMO than WoW. Think blizzard does SW: Galaxies instead of blizzard does EQ. However, there's not a snowball's chance in hell blizzard is releasing another MMO until WoW starts to really go downhill. With just one xpac and several million subscribers who disagree with will's assessment of the game, I see no reason nor chance blizzard will try to compete with itself for the MMO market.

SC: Ghost is DOA. As far as I know, it's been axed for good. Blizzard outsourced and was displeased with what they served up so they simply took the hit and laid it to rest (if only 3drealms would be so kind as to do the same with Duke 4).

D3 and SC2 are the very obvious choices, but blizzard could be cooking up something delicious and new. I'm very very interested to see what they'll be offering up for my future consumption. For my money, I'm guessing RTS, since while Diablo certainly isn't WoW, it's pretty dang close and we've been without a new RTS from them for some few years. I'll go with SC2 or a new RTS in a new universe. We'll just have to see.

Quoted for sad truth


I'm hoping for a revitalization of the RTS genre, currently while RTS games are getting prettier, nearly all the developments in the genre are an increase in complexity while attempting to balance micromanagement. Or at least that's the way it's seemed to me. Case in point supreme commander... while complexity is not necessarily a bad thing, the level of management required to successfully compete online almost changes it from being a game to a job. As an addition to that, i haven't noticed a balanced strategy game where the different races/armies/etc played completely different yet were balanced like starcraft was

it's SC2.

couple of online sources.

Shauk, I think that may be more wishful thinking on the part of those hosts. i see a Diablo coming before a SC. For those die-hard SC fans, it's the be-all, end-all of gaming. However, WC and Diablo have MUCH larger fan bases and sold far more copies than SC. *shrug*

Personally, I can't stand SC. Playing it is akin to watching ice freeze... around my body. However, Blizzard very rarely displeases me. Even an SC2 might be worthwhile... we shall see.

Oh, I wasn't speaking to the timeline, simply that WC got sequels and SC didn't. WC came out in like 94, which was 4 years before Starcraft. My thought was always that SC was the son of and should have been the successor of WC, as it was the superior strategy game. As such, after SC should have been SC2, then SC:Ghost, then, from those moneys, they folow up Diablo and WC in one swoop. By the time WoW would have come out, Blizzard would almost have a monopoly.

But I digress....here's to hoping for SC2, or at least another Diablo.

if they make sc2 the same as wc3, i don't want it.

WC3 is already outdated. If they're smart they'll head in the direction of Command and Conquer, but include a wider array of gameplay.

Hey now... don't forget about The Lost Vikings. Blizzard has not given them any love in a long time.

Oh and I forgot about this article on IGN. Looks like an MMO for sure

They love spreading hiring rumors. Blizzard has been doing that for years. I remember when words like "high interest sequel" and "space cinimatics" were common, suggesting a SC sequel, but it was just their marketing department jerking us around.

Regardless, they are set to make the announcement in Korea this Friday. Guess we will see then.

I hope it is a Lost Vikings MMO. So much fun to be had in that world.

It would make sense. They jumped on Warcraft after the Lord of the Rings, so it makes sense that Pirates of the Crappean would inspire interest in swashbuckling in much the same way.

A few points of interest:

There are job listings on their website for a next-gen MMO in development. This could easily be World of Warcraft on XBox 360 because a lot of people consider the 360 a next-gen console still. It could also be World of Starcraft, but that's extremely unlikely even if I want it to happen.

Starcraft Ghost is a likely product, but it was totally canned due to them not being pleased with it, so I doubt it will make a comeback (even though one of the big reasons it was canned was because they weren't happy with current-gen hardware, which would be fixed by now).

If the product was a next-gen MMO (let's say it's World of Starcraft) it would NOT be a direct competitor to WoW as most people are saying. Blizzard takes 5 fucking years to make their games so any game that they're announcing soon won't come out until at least 2009, and in all probability 2010. An MMORPG game coming out in 2010 isn't a WoW competitor, it's a WoW sequel.

Let us all hold hands and rejoice at the incredible amount of entertainment we get from wondering what the next Blizzard game will be.

Here's hoping for Diablo 3! I'm putting my betting money on SC2, however.

I'd love to see a new Lost Vikings game. I've been playing the first one virtually nonstop for the past few weeks.

Shock Horror; Could always be a new franchise ;)

While I could see Blizzard announcing a game that's three years out I don't think it's likely. Friday's event is going to be about a game that's already in works and is hush hush.

Like most of other people, I'm betting it's not a PC MMO and it's in the Warcraft family of games. Diablo III doesn't hold any interest for me, so here's to hoping for another solid entry in the Starcraft Universe. RTS or otherwise I don't really care.

Just look to WoW for an example; it was announced in September 2001 and made public Novemeber 2004. A Starcraft MMO successor is entirely feasible and timely; Next-Gen now is past-gen in three years :)

*blink*

First of all, why in the world would Blizz make a C&C-type game? That market is so overfilled (with both awesome and crappy games) that it makes no sense. I'd expect SC: Ghost before a C&C-type RTS. My ranking guesses are:

SC2 - unfortunately, the masses demand it!

WoW360 - It wouldn't suprise me that much. Console MMOs are horrible IMHO, but it seems likely, especially with Microsoft's "Games for Windows" initiative and Live! crossover gameplay. I guess I might need the 120GB drive after all.

Diablo MMO - If they are indeed making a new MMO (which, like will said, is a Blizz marketing ploy as far as job positions are concerned), I'd suspect Diablo over SC. Despite my disike for SC, I really cannot see an SC MMO. If they made an SC action game first, perhaps, but the storyine isn't nearly as well developed as Diablo or Warcraft. A Diablo MMO might eat into WoW profits, but... Fantasy MMOs are always more popular than others (case in point, SWG, CoH, etc.)

WoW II - Though nobody knew why Sony did it with EQ, with the announcement that Guild Wars is scrapping in-line updates for a full sequel, this seems to be a new trend. There have been a LOT of advances lately, and I can see a graphics engine rewrite here. Still similar "unlifelike" graphics, but even richer environments.

Diablo III - If they are NOT going with an MMO, this seems like a tasty choice. The Diablo games have been a staple for Blizz for a good long while (trumped only by Warcraft) and D2 is OOOOOLLLLDDD. A Diablo 3 based on the Half Life 2 engine, Unreal engine, or an in-house equivalent would be something entirely wonderful.


I mean, obviously I don't have any better knowledge than anyone else, but it's what I see.

Keep in mind this major announcing is going to happen in Korea. What do Koreans like? Starcraft. That's my major thinking behind the universe setting of the new game. Of course Koreans like their MMOs, their PC market is flooded with them. So from that alone Starcraft > Diablo, Warcraft or a new IP.

About MMOs, I guess I'm just I'm tired of them. Even WoW bored the mess out of me. Granted I only played the free trial, but if they couldn't hook me by then what's the point in giving it another 30 days and money out of my pocket. Meh, I just miss Blizzard's old battle.net days when it wasn't Pay-To-Play.

My guess is Starcraft 2.

www.blizzard.com
www.starcraft2.com

Yeah.

starcraft2.com just brought me to blizzard. All that means is that they dont want some jerk off taking that name and building some ass site with it.

Although here is something pretty funny.

"World of Warcraft Rewards Visa
The card that pays you to play.

Blizzard Entertainment has teamed up with First National Bank of Omaha to bring you a Visa card that rewards you with World of Warcraft game time! You can check out the press release to learn more. Sign up today, and once your application is approved, you will be eligible for special card rewards and benefits. APPLY NOW!"

I don't know, they didn't get warcraft4 or diablo3. I'd be willing to bet it's starcraft2, I agree they don't want to dilute their WoW base with another MMORPG right now.

Maybe because Starcraft isn't one of the greatest games of all time and Warcraft is better?

Um, not really. Here's how they were actually released: WC, WC2, Diablo, SC, D2, WC3, WoW.

No, that can't be it. I suspect it has more to do with WC being released first. A lot of people don't know this, but Starcraft is the second best selling console game of all time, falling short only of The Sims. Starcraft has sold 9.5 million copies. Warcraft 3: Reight of Chaos has sold 3m and Frozen Throne has sold 1m. Even letting alone reviews, which clearly prefer Starcraft over Warcraft, sales figures don't lie. Starcraft made battlenet. Starcraft has been on IGN's Top Games of All Time not once but twice (2003 and 2005), and the articules included language like, "best real time strategy game ever made."

http://top100.ign.com/2005/001-010.html

Actually, Diablo made Battle.net what it is today... more than a year before SCs release, bnet was already the best and most used matching service at the time.

Also, I don't see sources listed, but look here: http://forum.pcvsconsole.com/viewthread.php?tid=8655

...best selling CONSOLE game of all time, xepherys. The 9 million copies shipped number is everywhere online, but I read it in an article a few years back. To me it's like saying that the sky is blue, you don't really need a source.

Define console, for starters. IIRC Starcraft was only released on the N64 :)

When considering all the games that have been available to play on Windows or Mac operating systems in history, Starcraft ranks second over all in number sold.

I misspoke (or miswrote) before. I intended to write "PC or computer console". My mistake.

On a total threadjack, what the hell does PC or computer console mean? Is that some mac-speak trying to further distinguish the dreaded linux/windows PC distinction and the pristinely and totally different "Mac computer console?"

You people REALLY need to get over yourselves.

Console=Nintendo, PS, xbox
PC=personal computer
computer console=silly made up category because god forbid a Mac ever fall into the same category as a computer running Microsoft operating system

I clearly said Windows or Mac, meaning both, together. Again I misspoke, and then I corrected it. I'll say this one more time, as simply as I can: Starcraft is the second most sold computer game of all time. Is that clear enough for you?
It's hardly my fault that Macs are cool and PCs are for squares.
/sarcasm

Video game console is the name you seem to be referring to, and the name I was trying to avoid. That's how one differentiates between something like a Play Station or Nintendo 64 and other types of game playing electronics. I mistyped (I made a mistake and tried to correct it, something admirable, yes?) and now you're pretending like that has anything to do with the difference between Macs and PCs. As for the 'You people' statement, I don't appreciate being spoken to that way. I happen to enjoy using Macs, but discussions surrounding that belong in a completely different thread.
Semantics lesson, eh?

PC = personal computer that runs Windows, but no Mac operating system
Mac = a computer produced by Apple Inc. that runs an operating system from the same company

..but of course you're the only person in this thread that suddenly jumped on this as if it were a Mac vs. PC fight. You do know that Bootcamp will be included in Leopard this year, right? So I'll be running Windows (probably Vista) on my Mac. I'm glad, because there are some applications only exist for Windows. Probably not something a the Mac zealot you portray me as would say.....

...but this is a massive threadjack so we're getting back on subject.



I know we all love the Blizzard games be they Warcraft, Starctaft, Diablo, WoW, or otherwise. They are a mighty company. I am left wondering if this might be something original. Maybe they want to make a new type of game. Maybe they're going to work on something original. I dunno.

I'll leave my snarky comments at the door. Sorry about that, will. I read too much into what you wrote, since I guess I was looking for it whether or not you meant it.

Either way, I can most definitely agree with what I've quoted above. I'd really rather see something new and different from blizzard, since I know they're capable of it. Guess we have about an hour and a half to go before we know for sure...

so far.... nuthin.

Starcraft II it is.
 

Edit: CG Footage of the Blizzard release
Gameplay Images

From IGN.

Are you smoking crack? A Mac is not a personal computer? Is it not personal, or is it not a computer?

Anyhow, yeah, it's SC2. Pretty obvious when they decided to announce a new game at a professional Starcraft tournament.

Some screens from gamespy

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/6...iiscreeff7.jpg
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/7...iiscreezn5.jpg
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/1...iiscreeqv6.jpg
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/4...iiscreemr8.jpg
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/9...iiscreein8.jpg
http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/262...iiscreelu3.jpg
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/2...iiscreeis6.jpg
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/7...iiscreedz3.jpg
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/7...iiscreeoj5.jpg
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/7...iiscreemp9.jpg
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/9...iiscreenn1.jpg
http://pcmedia.gamespy.com/pc/image/...9001359928.jpg
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/1...iiscreegz7.jpg
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/1...iiscreesd5.jpg
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/9...iiscreebt8.jpg
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/6...iiscreeqt2.jpg

phew took longer to mirror than i thought it would

Let there be pics.... http://media.pc.ign.com/media/850/850126/imgs_1.html


This looks and sounds like one hell of a game.

Can't...
fucking...
wait...

!!!!!!!!!!

Very impressive Screenshots. They kept the look of the original game but made it a whole lot better. I can't wait.

Like I said.

I'm not a huge RTS fan.. first there was crappy AI that caused the computer opponent to get hopelessly tangled with itself. Then there was the 7-Grunt rush. Then there was the insane jump in difficulty between "Easy" and "Normal." Then the AI refused to build sea units. Then there were nukes. Then there was 3D, making it so even the most impressive computers would chug with the sheer amount of polygons on the screen.

I'd rather just instagib you.

"Hello, I'm a Mac." "...and I'm a PC."

Mac decided in the mid to late 90s that the "PC" label wasn't it's cup of tea so they started referring to themselves simply as computers or Macs, no longer PCs. Since then, the difference in terminology has stuck, and generally PC now refers to computers that run only Windows, and Mac of course refers to computers produced by Apple Inc.

As to the crack, I've been clean since April of 2000.
I'll be in that.

skier, those screenshots are incredible! Thank you!

check youtube. hteres 2 gameplay videos with the protoss and you see the new terran units and zergs units. it's insane!! i'll reedit if i can find th elinks

I would have killed to do the music for this. The only problem I had with the original Starcraft was the music.

will: the 1st starcraft's music was fucking awesome! well the Terran's music atleast. I have it on my mp3 player.

edit:


edit2:

Well not only is the music subjective, but I feel like it's a tertiary concern that should take a back seat to playability. If SC2 has half the enjoyable play of the original, we'll be looking at a massive hit and something that will take me away from my family the same way the original almost made me break my 4.0 in high school. I look forward to this with fierce anticipation.

Do we have a release date yet? Maybe a Beta?

From the gameplay videos and the screenshots, I'd say this game looks damn good. And, Hal, just because you couldn't handle the RTS genre, it doesn't mean you can bash the 7-grunt rush.

No release date or beta date has been announced.

Hell, it's about time.

I'm just looking forward to getting my hands on a good RTS. It's been a number of years since I've really enjoyed a game in that genre, and I just know SC2 won't disappoint.

So I was totally underwhelmed by those shots. It looks like a graphic upgrade of the first game and that's all.

You mean exactly like the sequel that gamers have been crying for, for nearly a decade now?

Yeah, same here.

Here's to hoping it's more than that though.

Watch the official Blizzard gameplay trailer on their website if you aren't impressed yet. By the end of that you'll be wanting to play it right now. It looks amazing, visually and gameplay-wise. Keep in mind that the camera is fully 3D. Hell, the entire game is 3D even though it doesn't look like it in the screenshots. The terrain improvements are so awesome.

Wow, 3D, a feature I have never seen before!

I watched the videos, and they just look like SC1 with new clothes on.

I'm getting the gameplay videos right now. if it's the same i saw on youtube, then good. but I hope it's new vids!

I just stargasmed.

that's pretty much what i thought. damn that gameplay video rocked! if anyone liked the 1st and doesn't think the 2nd will be good after this vid, then bleh. you suck.

So I watched the video. It's more impressive than the screenshots, I'll grant, but I'm still not wowed. I wonder if they finally introduced waypoints. Lasereth, I don't understand what you are seeing about terrain improvements. It looks like they just introduced some units that ignore the fake height differential that indicates an impassable wall on the map.

I think what Blizzard was really aiming to keep the gameplay as close to the original game as possible. The original Starcraft had a massive fanbase and the goal is to keep them by not adding too many new things like the lame concept of "hero" classes. The reason a person would get this game is not because it's new and inventive, but because it carries lots of the same elements as the original.