Legion Audio Drama Part Four, Q2 2016 Earnings Call

[Aerisot]

Blizzard originally only expected WoW to survive for maybe 2 years when they first created it, i think WoW:Vanilla had maybe 2 million player base and then by the time that BL came out it was like 6 million, and then doubled for Wrath, and then started declining during Cataclysm, but what people do not understand is that the subscription numbers now a days, even if you do not include china, is still higher than Vanilla was, Although I agree and think WoW is not what it use to be, it had to evolve and adapt to the growing number or players, now that the subscription numbers are about equal to what BL was when it was out, you will notice the game started reverting back to how it was, but with that said, WoW will probably never get back to it's prime number of 13mil, but that doesn't mean the content will be any less, if anything now they do not have to take the time to please 13mil people they can create content that is a little more difficult for the players that stayed, I'm personally happy for this...but I do want something else...like a Diablo or SC mmo -_-

[Gadzooks]

Numbers are great, everything selling well, they're retaining players, they're good to go for 2017.

There's only one piece of the puzzle for 2017 that's missing - what big releases are slated? Legion launches 2016. Overwatch probably won't get DLC like updates, for money anyway. Hearthstone sells new cards and "adventures", Starcraft is dead in the water, and we know something new in the Diablo world is coming...

So what box will be for sale next year? Very interesting to contemplate...maybe they have something up their sleeves for Blizzcon...

[Misuteri]

Blizzard originally only expected WoW to survive for maybe 2 years when they first created it, i think WoW:Vanilla had maybe 2 million player base and then by the time that BL came out it was like 6 million, and then doubled for Wrath, and then started declining during Cataclysm, but what people do not understand is that the subscription numbers now a days, even if you do not include china, is still higher than Vanilla was, Although I agree and think WoW is not what it use to be, it had to evolve and adapt to the growing number or players, now that the subscription numbers are about equal to what BL was when it was out, you will notice the game started reverting back to how it was, but with that said, WoW will probably never get back to it's prime number of 13mil, but that doesn't mean the content will be any less, if anything now they do not have to take the time to please 13mil people they can create content that is a little more difficult for the players that stayed, I'm personally happy for this...but I do want something else...like a Diablo or SC mmo -_-

Starcraft and Diablo would be absolute garbage as MMO's.

The gaming segment, first point, is stable to dying. MMO's aren't as prevalent a gaming destination as when they were fresh and new. People don't spend the majority of their time PC gaming and if you can't tell established raid times/days have been dying on WoW for years now. There was one guild left on my server doing traditional raid times/days two expansions running.

You aren't going to pull people off phones, tablets, consoles and DVR's to create a viable MMO from even a hot IP. The way people keep themselves entertained now are on technologies and devices that didn't even exist 11 years ago when WoW launched. Oh and the most profitable gaming business model for sure didn't exist when WoW launched.

Diablo and SC don't have deep enough lore to create worlds around. Both are pick up and play 15 minute at a time games. One match, one rift/greater rift, one bounty run. Diablo is nothing more than a glorified version of Gauntlet. You completely destroy SC, IMHO, if gear becomes an issue.

[Zetsumai258i]

Numbers are great, everything selling well, they're retaining players, they're good to go for 2017.

There's only one piece of the puzzle for 2017 that's missing - what big releases are slated? Legion launches 2016. Overwatch probably won't get DLC like updates, for money anyway. Hearthstone sells new cards and "adventures", Starcraft is dead in the water, and we know something new in the Diablo world is coming...

So what box will be for sale next year? Very interesting to contemplate...maybe they have something up their sleeves for Blizzcon...

Diablo 4. Calling it.

[Logwyn]

@Mace

dude, stop even considering WoW on consoles. it's never going to happen.

Why do you think they pruned abilities? Could it be they are going to port to console next? Its what happened to the Morrowind series? Skrym dumbed it down so you could play on console.

[Kathranis]

Why do you think they pruned abilities?

To make the game easier to pick up for returning players and players who are using level 100 boosts. It really is that simple.

There are a lot of minor new features that were ultimately designed to help out returning / boosting players. There's now a tutorial sequence that teaches you your rotation when you boost, for example. The bag sorting and transmogrification changes allow you to clean up your inventory easily. The Adventure Guide tells you what content you should be focusing on as soon as you login.

[Dopplegager]

They forgot the part where the servers are emptier than ever and players could give a shit how the game is previewed when there hasn't been content in over a year.

[Puddlejumper]

I really enjoyed the story. The villain winning the day through personal character growth is not a very common trope and I was pretty satisfied how it happened. Kinda sad that the lesson the Legion tried to teach Gul'dan is exactly the lesson they'll never learn and will be exactly why they fall to pieces so easily in the actual game. We will never see the day where a mob, named or not, goes looking for help when aggroed instead of standing and fighting.

I know it would be a very different kind of game, and I'm not saying it would be more fun on a person to person basis, but just speculate with me: what would it be like if the Legion took the Broken Isles and proceeded to fortify them completely, and forced the collective players of each server to figure out a way to breach, against intelligent defense? It would certainly be much more memorable than this launch is slated to be, considering I fully expect for the game to release and for me to be afking safely in the middle of the Legion's holdings within the hour. Kinda breaks my fantasy.

[bdk4599]

I really enjoyed the story. The villain winning the day through personal character growth is not a very common trope and I was pretty satisfied how it happened. Kinda sad that the lesson the Legion tried to teach Gul'dan is exactly the lesson they'll never learn and will be exactly why they fall to pieces so easily in the actual game. We will never see the day where a mob, named or not, goes looking for help when aggroed instead of standing and fighting.

I know it would be a very different kind of game, and I'm not saying it would be more fun on a person to person basis, but just speculate with me: what would it be like if the Legion took the Broken Isles and proceeded to fortify them completely, and forced the collective players of each server to figure out a way to breach, against intelligent defense? It would certainly be much more memorable than this launch is slated to be, considering I fully expect for the game to release and for me to be afking safely in the middle of the Legion's holdings within the hour. Kinda breaks my fantasy.

Honestly I like this idea

[Teaon]

literally me after listening to the last audio book

hype level over 90000000000

[Deleted]

I love knowing Heroes of the Shitstorm has been omitted out of the reports because the game bombed so hard not even fanboys and Felicia Day could save that sleazy, incomplete piece of broken-imbalanced shit game.

Keep living in denial that HoTS is good like a fanboy like WoW fanboys are in denial knowing Legion is a piece of sjw-corrupted shit that will probably kill WoW.

Fitting avatar. Seriously though... fuck are you on about?

On Topic:
Just heard all the tomb of sargeras dramas. Really really good job on those. The lore hype is real

[Bane-Thunder-God]

Numbers are great, everything selling well, they're retaining players, they're good to go for 2017.

There's only one piece of the puzzle for 2017 that's missing - what big releases are slated? Legion launches 2016. Overwatch probably won't get DLC like updates, for money anyway. Hearthstone sells new cards and "adventures", Starcraft is dead in the water, and we know something new in the Diablo world is coming...

So what box will be for sale next year? Very interesting to contemplate...maybe they have something up their sleeves for Blizzcon...

Diablo 4 announcement Gamescom, more details in BlizzCon, release late 2017.

[Deleted]

It is cool that the tomb of sargeras part 4 mentions the wow player base. You never really see that done in wow lore

While it's still recent, you see it in the book, Illidan too - there's a cringeworthy sequence to describe him getting defeated on top of The Black Temple that mentions pretty much every class attacking him in some way.

[Smeller]

That moment when Gul'dan thinks in Khadgar's voice (8:24)

[Venziir]

It is cool that the tomb of sargeras part 4 mentions the wow player base. You never really see that done in wow lore

You see it as a part of an Illidan related questline in Legion, and in the "Tides of War" book, Malkorok and a bunch of his orc spies are attacked by Alliance soldiers, who are clearly player characters.

- - - Updated - - -

I love knowing Heroes of the Shitstorm has been omitted out of the reports because the game bombed so hard not even fanboys and Felicia Day could save that sleazy, incomplete piece of broken-imbalanced shit game.

Keep living in denial that HoTS is good like a fanboy like WoW fanboys are in denial knowing Legion is a piece of sjw-corrupted shit that will probably kill WoW.

HoTS is in the third picture. Oh and does it make your life feel any better to post shit like this?

[Deleted]

Why do you think they pruned abilities?

You mean that prune that barely removed anything when you consider they added new talents, abilities and artefact traits.

[Deleted]

They forgot the part where the servers are emptier than ever and players could give a shit how the game is previewed when there hasn't been content in over a year.

Not only do they seem to think the players are thick, they also seem to view the shareholders in the same light...big loss in China, not important, big gain in China...really important!....and when they all leave 2 months after the expansion ? Guess what China ? Your not important, because your not real subs....anyone else seeing a pattern here ?

[ZeroWashu]

the day I can raid with one bar of abilities is the day I believe they pruned them

[Roar-Powah]

Not only do they seem to think the players are thick, they also seem to view the shareholders in the same light...big loss in China, not important, big gain in China...really important!....and when they all leave 2 months after the expansion ? Guess what China ? Your not important, because your not real subs....anyone else seeing a pattern here ?

Nothing new from Blizzard, also the wording on how WoW is doing isn't great at all. If it was going good or better than WoD numbers they would use the word "strong" etc etc

I guess Blizzard burned too many people with WoD, also someone should tell the shareholders to look at the WoW forums to really gauge how WoW is doing.

[nox597]

The link to the script seems to be pointing to Part 1... Is this intended?