Blizzard announces Open Developer 2016 initiative

[Klingers]

Came across some news on the Blizzard site this morning. Interesting new direction I think.

Today Blizzard Entertainment® would like to offer a very special thank you to all of our loyal players for the years of dedication to the World of Warcraft®. Today we're pleased to announce our new Open Developer 2016 initiative!

What is the Open Developer 2016 initiative? Well, following the release of World of Warcraft®: Legion™ in October 2016, Blizzard will be undertaking a new community engagement process to reconnect with our loyal fans. We will communicate our intentions for the game moving forward and engage in a healthy discussion with the community through a series of livestreams, interviews with popular fansites and regular discussion with popular Youtube® and Twitch® personalities connected to the world of Azeroth.

As part of this strategy moving forward we are undertaking a commitment to three-monthly content patches and regular updates including new dungeons, world content and PvP zones as well as regular raid releases. Additionally a dedicated "Bridging team" has been created from within the existing World of Warcraft team to ensure that when we eventually begin full-swing development of our next fantastic expansion, players won't go without for another 10-12 months. We recognize that this has been a failure on our part in the past and believe that this new strategy moving forward will result in a more fun and dynamically-engaging play experience during what some in the community have unfortunately dubbed "content droughts".

Additionally, while we continue to firmly believe that flight is a special reward suitable for later in the expansion cycle, we are committed to confirming a solid timeline for earning flight and clearly spelling out the timeline for its release into the game prior to Legion's launch date.

All the best moving forward, and we look forward to seeing you a lot more often in the World of Warcraft. Happy April 1st!

So, yeah... Some good news I guess. Personally I'm looking forward to seeing a change in the development culture.

[Pebrocks The Warlock]

Time to not believe anything for the next day.

[masterhorus8]

At first, I was like; "Oh, this sounds cool!"
Then, I was like; "Wait, that release date..."
And finished off with the date; "Oh yeah, April 1st is a thing."

[Smank]

Best april fools day joke

[styil]

Why would they even joke about Legion's release date like that? They should be ashamed of themselves for making us wait 12+ months as is. It is very poor taste.

[masterhorus8]

Why would they even joke about Legion's release date like that? They should be ashamed of themselves for making us wait 12+ months as is. It is very poor taste.

You're taking this too seriously. This isn't even from Blizzard.

[TheFirstOnes]

ehehehehehe...AHAHAHAHAHAHA!

To the people that took this too seriously- LOOK AT THE DATE! LOL!

[Zelk]

Guys I got a job at Blizzard!

[Aurabolt]

Time to not believe anything for the next day.

...This.

In short, don't believe anything that sounds too good to be true XD

[Smank]

Lol JK guys, get a life

[MyndZero]

That's savage for april 1st hahhaha

[Deleted]

that counts as a leak?

following the release of World of Warcraft®: Legion™ in October 2016,

[DarkTZeratul]

Wow. The fact that they're JOKING about 1+ year no content cycles is baffling to me. That's beyond sick.

They're not. Klingers made this up.

[masterhorus8]

TIL Klingers is a Blizzard employee and the stuff he posts is actually by Blizzard!

[Smank]

You guys are real smart, you know that?

[TheFirstOnes]

Wow. The fact that they're JOKING about 1+ year no content cycles is baffling to me. That's beyond sick.

They used to have funny April Fools shit like the Bard class playing Guitar Hero and the Two-Headed Ogre race. Now they just pull some bullshit like this. That's disgusting.

1. It's not obviously the fucking date kid, if anything...it's part of the april fools joke.

2. This could've been made from someone not by blizzard. Remember, anyone can edit a simple blue post. Like how Smank did.

[Polarthief]

1. It's not obviously the fucking date kid, if anything...it's part of the april fools joke.

2. This could've been made from someone not by blizzard. Remember, anyone can edit a simple blue post. Like how Smank did.

I realized what was going on afterwards and deleted it. Relax, I'm tired, go away.

[TheFirstOnes]

that counts as a leak?

No. It's possibly just an edit from a former blue post.

[Deleted]

Yeah, screw you.

[TheFirstOnes]

I realized what was going on afterwards and deleted it. Relax, I'm tired, go away.

K then....hmmmm

- - - Updated - - -

TIL Klingers is a Blizzard employee and the stuff he posts is actually by Blizzard!

You sir, are obviously a troll. The only one that can post news like this is chaud...If you're not chaud...you're just a random fourm poster that knows nothing like the rest of us.