The blizzard four: News post - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Reese · 07-01-2003, 06:45 PM

http://money.cnn.com/2003/07/01/comm...ming/index.htm

Quote:

The co-founders of Blizzard Entertainment's Blizzard North unit - as well as a prominent vice president who served as the public voice of the company - shocked Vivendi and the gaming world by resigning from the gaming powerhouse they helped build. The Blizzard North unit was responsible for creating the 'Diablo' franchise, one of the most successful games in the industry's history.

Blizzard is the crown jewel in Viviendi's gaming empire. But analysts say it may not be worth as much today as it was last week.

"Losing those guys certainly diminished the appeal to any prospective buyer, such as Microsoft (MSFT: Research, Estimates) or Electronic Arts (ERTS: Research, Estimates)," said P.J. McNealy, an analyst with American Technology Research. "You lose them, you lose 'Diablo', which is one of the cornerstones of the business."

Blizzard North co-founders Erich Schaefer, Max Schaefer and David Brevik, along with vice president Bill Roper resigned abruptly on Monday.

Vivendi Universal Games, which also includes Sierra Entertainment, is the world's second largest maker of games for the personal computer and operates the Internet's largest free online gaming site. It has annual revenues of $600 million.

Despite that, the division has not attracted the buyer interest Vivendi was hoping for. The company initially valued the gaming unit at $1.95 billion. Within the last two weeks, though, it had lowered its expectation on bids to $800 million. Unable to find a buyer willing to pay that price, it quietly put the sale of the unit on hold and focused instead on the sale of Vivendi Universal Entertainment, according to Reuters.

The pending sale of the gaming division was a major factor in the decision to leave Blizzard and Vivendi, Roper told me Tuesday morning. The quartet was seeking a higher level of involvement with Vivendi, but grew frustrated with the lack of response.

Bill Roper
"If we know that something's going to be happening, we want to have a direct pipeline to talk to someone who's above Blizzard," said Roper. "We wanted to be able to have that level of participation and communication with Vivendi (V: Research, Estimates) and to be able to offer some insight and some knowledge in what they're thinking about in terms of a sale, particularly with Blizzard. And for the four of us, that opportunity wasn't going to be made available."

Almost immediately after word of the resignations got out yesterday, the rumor mill began spitting out wild conspiracy theories. One of the most popular was the Blizzard North co-founders and Roper had learned of the gaming unit's likely buyer and quit, feeling their creativity might be harnessed. Not true, said Roper.

"I wish we had gotten wind of anything," he chuckled. "No idea. No clues. No inklings. To be honest, that's part of the problem. What we know about the sale is what we read off the Internet and in the magazines and newspapers."

A Vivendi Universal spokesperson said the company does not comment on terms of the sale of the gaming unit.

Later Tuesday, the now former-Blizzard employees will sit down for the first time to discuss – and name – their new game development company. None of the four were under contract nor were they bound by non-compete agreements. And all, he said, are eager to start working on a new product.

While it's too early to even speculate what that product might be, Roper said the one of the company's chief focuses right now is to maintain good ties with Blizzard. The departures, he said, were very amicable and it's certainly possible the two parties could work together again in some form or fashion.

"To be quite honest, if we're out looking for a partner or a publisher or distributor, there's really no better name you can have on the box than Blizzard," he said. "I wouldn't have any problem going and talking too those guys about that sort of arrangement."

Roper was humble when I asked him about analyst speculation that Monday's departures will result in a lower sale price for Vivendi Universal Games, saying that wasn't the intent of the Monday's action. Still, he said, if that does prove true, he hopes it will underline the importance of the development community.

"Hopefully, what that will point out to the industry is the fact that the success of games isn't just the name on the box, the franchise or that sort of thing - it's the people who make the games," he said. "Just like you want Arnold Schwarzenegger to do your film, just like you want Steven King or J.K. Rowling to be writing your book, you want the best possible people making a game for you. ... People are important."

Personally, I think this is a good thing. Now that these guys are on their own they dont have to keep pumping out the same old stuff. Hopefully they will have an online area that rivals battle.net.

Uuudar · 07-01-2003, 09:42 PM

This better not interfer with WoW!

juanvaldes · 07-01-2003, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Uuudar
This better not interfer with WoW!

no. this is Blizzard NORTH. They have ONLY made Diablo, Diablo 2 and LOD.

This will have ZERO impact on Blizzard south games and will likely make no dent in North games (two both unnamed).

I suspect that they didn't want to make the same game over yet again (diablo 3) and or they just decided to go off and do the upstart thing again and do it better.

Dreamer · 07-02-2003, 11:59 AM

That's sad, I loved spending hours doing the same thing over and over with Diablo

. If they do form a new company and come up with something new (Something just for me to replace one of the games that I used to like), then we will be cool again.

mrquackers · 07-02-2003, 04:15 PM

Shouldn't interfere with WoW or Ghost. This was a different team. I'm real curious, though, how many Blizzard employees will jump ship and join them once they get their company running. There are no such things as non-competes in Calif.

diergray · 07-03-2003, 03:27 PM

This sucks, the Diablo series is one of my all time favorites.

Frowning Budah · 07-06-2003, 07:28 PM

Lets hope it turns out to be something good. Lots of times the in house fighting keeps anything good from happening.

Kyp · 07-06-2003, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by juanvaldes
I suspect that they didn't want to make the same game over yet again (diablo 3) and or they just decided to go off and do the upstart thing again and do it better.

From what I understand it has nothing to do with this. They left because their say in the future of their company was very little anymore, when they were the creators. It was a very sudden thing, not anything planned. If it had been because they wanted to leave or because they were being forced to create Diablo 3 they probably would have planned it out. Bill Roper said himself he didn't want to leave, and implied he really wasn't left with much choice if he wanted to have any say in what goes on.

It will have no effect on any games currently in creation by Blizzard that we know of, and they said it shouldn't have any effect on the games being created by Blizzard North.

Many of the other original Blizzard guys have also left and greated www.arena.net It seems like most of the original Blizzard team is gone.

Gortexfogg · 07-07-2003, 12:27 AM

I think this is probably a good thing. For the last few years, Blizzard has been pretty predictable... starcraft.... expansion.... sequal... expansion.... sequel.... expansion.... I hope the former North team comes up with some totally new (with the same Blizzard quality). I know I'd rather have something new than Diablo 3...

fugue_life · 07-16-2003, 06:56 PM

WTH?? Theres no sequel to Starcraft, an expansion yes but no sequel. I read a qoute from one of the original developers saying that there is no way they could beat what they came up with in Starcraft. So there not even gonna try. But everything is about money so imagine that if they don't do the sequel, someone in there company will. And it will probably let us all down like Warcraft 3 and FT have.

1337h4X0Rkhxnub · 07-16-2003, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fugue_life
WTH?? Theres no sequel to Starcraft, an expansion yes but no sequel. I read a qoute from one of the original developers saying that there is no way they could beat what they came up with in Starcraft. So there not even gonna try. But everything is about money so imagine that if they don't do the sequel, someone in there company will. And it will probably let us all down like Warcraft 3 and FT have.

let us down like wc3 and ft? have you even played the games, you idiot? THE best 3D RTS games ever
not only that, but if you were to actually have BEEN on the bnet forums you would know that all you said has no credibity
step back, fool

YaWhateva · 07-17-2003, 11:04 AM

Ya wc3 and ft rule. What you been smokin? And i still hold hope for starcraft 2, i mean they left it to where there could be a sequel.

I would also love to see diablo 3 and something completely new from Blizzard North though.

What can i say i am a Blizzard fanboy.

fugue_life · 07-17-2003, 04:32 PM

Well if we are gonna resort to name calling... Hey when I said that WC3 sucked along with its counterpart FT I was stating my opinion, its not my fault that everyone else who doesn't still live in there parents basement tends to agree with me. I agree that Blizzard is the BEST game software designer out there, only an idiot would argue that but WC was a total let down to a lot of people, and it is a "good" game. Infact if someone else had designed it, it would be an amazing game, but I hold Bliizzard to a better standard then that and so I was disappointed in it.

Now go tell your mom that some mean guy on the internet said some mean things to you and she will make you feel all better im sure... in fact she might not even charge you rent this month

mustang91 · 07-17-2003, 05:14 PM

I think Starcraft is a better game, balance wise and play wise, than WC3.

Does that mean WC3 isn't an amazing game? No. I mean saying "the lesser of two Blizzard games" is hardly an insult. WC3 and TFT have a good story line, albeit TFT started to draw things out. The races have some good imagination, the heros are a great idea (to be copied by everyone else in the biz *cough*Lords of Everquest*cough*) and the graphics are great for a RTS.

Lesser bickering over the best Blizzard game and more laughing at other games that aren't Blizzard

YaWhateva · 07-17-2003, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fugue_life
its not my fault that everyone else who doesn't still live in there parents basement tends to agree with me.

Sorry but that was totally lame.

Fallon · 07-18-2003, 06:15 AM

Ya, we're all grown-ups, at least to be on this forum, we're supposed to be. Now, let's all grow up and act like nice people and not resort to attacks on where people live.

clavus · 07-18-2003, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 1337h4X0Rkhxnub
let us down like wc3 and ft? have you even played the games, you idiot? THE best 3D RTS games ever
not only that, but if you were to actually have BEEN on the bnet forums you would know that all you said has no credibity
step back, fool

Clearly SOMEONE has spent some time on the bnet forums.

I, for one, find the unprovoked name-calling and immature diatribes on those forums to be tiresome at best. It’s a shame to see the discourse on TFP brought down to that level.

BTW, I think SC is better than WC. Do you think I’m an idiot or a fool?

YaWhateva · 07-18-2003, 01:32 PM

I hope they make a starcraft 2 cuz starcraft is still my favorite RTS ever, but wc3 and FT are still great.

07-02-2003, 04:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
mrquackers Exhausted Location: Northeastern US - please send help!	Shouldn't interfere with WoW or Ghost. This was a different team. I'm real curious, though, how many Blizzard employees will jump ship and join them once they get their company running. There are no such things as non-competes in Calif. __________________ "If you're walking on thin ice, you may as well go ahead and dance."

07-03-2003, 03:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
diergray Psycho	This sucks, the Diablo series is one of my all time favorites. __________________ "Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.” ~ James Bryant Conant

07-16-2003, 06:56 PM	#10 (permalink)
fugue_life Insane Location: under the stairs	WTH?? Theres no sequel to Starcraft, an expansion yes but no sequel. I read a qoute from one of the original developers saying that there is no way they could beat what they came up with in Starcraft. So there not even gonna try. But everything is about money so imagine that if they don't do the sequel, someone in there company will. And it will probably let us all down like Warcraft 3 and FT have. __________________ ba-weep=gra=na-weep-nini-bon?

07-17-2003, 11:04 AM	#12 (permalink)
YaWhateva Friend Location: New Mexico	Ya wc3 and ft rule. What you been smokin? And i still hold hope for starcraft 2, i mean they left it to where there could be a sequel. I would also love to see diablo 3 and something completely new from Blizzard North though. What can i say i am a Blizzard fanboy. __________________ “If the Americans go in and overthrow Saddam Hussein and it's clean, he has nothing, I will apologize to the nation, and I will not trust the Bush administration again.” - Bill O'Reilly "This is my United States of Whateva!"

07-17-2003, 04:32 PM	#13 (permalink)
fugue_life Insane Location: under the stairs	Well if we are gonna resort to name calling... Hey when I said that WC3 sucked along with its counterpart FT I was stating my opinion, its not my fault that everyone else who doesn't still live in there parents basement tends to agree with me. I agree that Blizzard is the BEST game software designer out there, only an idiot would argue that but WC was a total let down to a lot of people, and it is a "good" game. Infact if someone else had designed it, it would be an amazing game, but I hold Bliizzard to a better standard then that and so I was disappointed in it. Now go tell your mom that some mean guy on the internet said some mean things to you and she will make you feel all better im sure... in fact she might not even charge you rent this month __________________ ba-weep=gra=na-weep-nini-bon?

07-01-2003, 09:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
Uuudar Insane	This better not interfer with WoW!

07-02-2003, 11:59 AM	#4 (permalink)
Dreamer Upright	That's sad, I loved spending hours doing the same thing over and over with Diablo . If they do form a new company and come up with something new (Something just for me to replace one of the games that I used to like), then we will be cool again.

07-06-2003, 07:28 PM	#7 (permalink)
Frowning Budah Slave of Fear	Lets hope it turns out to be something good. Lots of times the in house fighting keeps anything good from happening.

07-07-2003, 12:27 AM	#9 (permalink)
Gortexfogg I and I Location: Stillwater, OK	I think this is probably a good thing. For the last few years, Blizzard has been pretty predictable... starcraft.... expansion.... sequal... expansion.... sequel.... expansion.... I hope the former North team comes up with some totally new (with the same Blizzard quality). I know I'd rather have something new than Diablo 3...

07-17-2003, 05:14 PM	#14 (permalink)
mustang91 Upright Location: Cleveland, OH/Athens, OH	I think Starcraft is a better game, balance wise and play wise, than WC3. Does that mean WC3 isn't an amazing game? No. I mean saying "the lesser of two Blizzard games" is hardly an insult. WC3 and TFT have a good story line, albeit TFT started to draw things out. The races have some good imagination, the heros are a great idea (to be copied by everyone else in the biz coughLords of Everquestcough) and the graphics are great for a RTS. Lesser bickering over the best Blizzard game and more laughing at other games that aren't Blizzard __________________ "I'm desperately not trying to feel the early, preconceived notion of love that only exists in top 40's pop songs." "He who wants money, means and content are without three good friends." - Shakespeare "...like Vietnam, or those bands that never got over the fact they opened for Nirvana, I never got over her." -Nick Hornsby

07-18-2003, 06:15 AM	#16 (permalink)
Fallon Junkie Location: RI	Ya, we're all grown-ups, at least to be on this forum, we're supposed to be. Now, let's all grow up and act like nice people and not resort to attacks on where people live.

07-18-2003, 01:32 PM	#18 (permalink)
YaWhateva Friend Location: New Mexico	I hope they make a starcraft 2 cuz starcraft is still my favorite RTS ever, but wc3 and FT are still great. __________________ “If the Americans go in and overthrow Saddam Hussein and it's clean, he has nothing, I will apologize to the nation, and I will not trust the Bush administration again.” - Bill O'Reilly "This is my United States of Whateva!"