Blizzard's Plans For WoW [Speculation]

[Deleted]

As you know every 1 year or two WoW subs are declining. To combat this situation Blizzard is focused on mini-games HS/Heros of the storm/Diablo 3 which was a good decision, since Activision stated that they have good profit from the mini games. My guess is when WoW goes down to 1 million, we will still play, but alot of prices will be increased and also wow store will be the place to purchase everything. Or They will make another MMO that is based on star-craft universe/diablo and leave the Warcraft to the mini-games and to the movies that they will produce in the future

[Deleted]

Did you pass first grade?

Just play the damn game and stop worrying about subs. Their profits are at an all time high. And the game wont be going anywhere anytime soon. What is the point of worrying about subs? As a player you should worry about the well being of the company that is operating the game you love. And since their profits are on an all time high, well... they are doing very well.

[Raven]

Yeah Diablo 3 the real mini game.

[PuppetShowJustice]

Blizzard doesn't make other games to combat WoW sub loss. They make other games because they're a video game company.

[Deleted]

Did you pass first grade?

Just play the damn game and stop worrying about subs. Their profits are at an all time high. And the game wont be going anywhere anytime soon. What is the point of worrying about subs? As a player you should worry about the well being of the company that is operating the game you love. And since their profits are on an all time high, well... they are doing very well.

So where exactly do you get that from that the profits are at an "all time high"? And either way, through which means they get their money is important for the quality of the game.

[Deleted]

Blizzard doesn't make other games to combat WoW sub loss. They make other games because they're a video game company.

Yes, although HS is 100% WoW Based + Hero Of The Storm has ton of lore characters, that is why I speculate. Face it, when WoW dies, they mini games are going to remind us of Warcraft. I am waiting for blizzard to make a new big MMO with a better engine+graphics.

[Deleted]

Yes, although HS is 100% WoW Based + Hero Of The Storm has ton of lore characters, that is why I speculate. Face it, when WoW dies, they mini games are going to remind us of Warcraft. I am waiting for blizzard to make a new big MMO with a better engine+graphics.

WoD is the next big MMO with better engine + graphics. Go to a zone in WoD and then go back to a zone in Outlands.

[fixx]

So where exactly do you get that from that the profits are at an "all time high"? And either way, through which means they get their money is important for the quality of the game.

Quarterly reports.

Yes, although HS is 100% WoW Based + Hero Of The Storm has ton of lore characters, that is why I speculate. Face it, when WoW dies, they mini games are going to remind us of Warcraft.

WoW's not gonna die in next decade or more, so your speculation is bit premature.

I am waiting for blizzard to make a new big MMO with a better engine+graphics.

You'll have to wait for a long time... Probably longer than you live.

Blizzard's graphic style has always been cartoony and there's no foreseeable reason why it wouldn't be that way for all future titles too. WoW is cartoony on purpose, not because of engine limitations.

[Deleted]

Quarterly reports.

Revenue is down.

[fixx]

Revenue is down.

Revenues up year-over-year
Subscriber decline in Q2 similar to last expansion cycle
Beta testing has begun for Warlords of Draenor

http://investor.activision.com/results.cfm
Q2 slides, page 9 describing WoW

[Vankrys]

Did you pass first grade?

Just play the damn game and stop worrying about subs. Their profits are at an all time high. And the game wont be going anywhere anytime soon. What is the point of worrying about subs? As a player you should worry about the well being of the company that is operating the game you love. And since their profits are on an all time high, well... they are doing very well.

what's the harm in discussing. People likes to talk about things they enjoy (or hate), about the future, the past. I don't get the "must be a sheep and never question" attitude here.

[shise]

Diablo a ... "mini" game?

Is this a troll attempt or are you serious?

[Vankrys]

Diablo a ... "mini" game?

Is this a troll attempt or are you serious?

maybe a side game would be a better wording

[Noctifer616]

http://investor.activision.com/results.cfm
Q2 slides, page 9 describing WoW

This was already explained before in another thread. That slide talks about non-GAAP revenue, not GAAP. GAAP revenue was down.

[BenBos]

This was already explained before in another thread. That slide talks about non-GAAP revenue, not GAAP. GAAP revenue was down.

Wrong.

Blizzard's revenue in the first half of 2014 went UP with exactly 247 million dollars over the same period 2013.

You confuse with Activision Games which went down over the same period.

The reasons are two fold: Launch of Hearthstone and the D3 expansion.

It is a clear indication that Blizzard is spreading its overall revenue over several games these days AND on multi platforms (from consoles to tablets) and that is a GOOD thing.

By years' end Blizzard (only their part) will probably surpass 1.6 billion dollars for 2014. That's way up from 2007's revenue when they only just passed 1 billion dollars for the first time.

-----> To put it bluntly: Blizzard grew with 60% over 7 years with the same number of WoW subscriptions ....!

So you're wrong.

Blizzard is actually doing pretty well. As such I agree with the OP: Blizzard is cashing in on WoW Lore to develop other games that sell.

I am quite convinced brand new games are in the pipeline with the same policy to promote Warcraft.

Which games ? Perhaps we'll hear something at BlizzCon, but other iPad/iPhone games wouldn't surprise me one bit.

[Doez]

So where exactly do you get that from that the profits are at an "all time high"? And either way, through which means they get their money is important for the quality of the game.

Are you even playing the game? You wouldn't ask such a question if you were. With the Blizzard store items and the $60 boosts that people are buying left and right, their profits are on the rise. This game isn't going anywhere.

[Noctifer616]

Wrong.

Blizzard's revenue in the first half of 2014 went UP with exactly 247 million dollars over the same period 2013.

You are confusing Blizzard revenue and WoW revenue. The YoY revenue up on the slides was talking about WoW, not Blizzard. Yes, Blizzard revenue year on year was up, but WoW revenue was down compared to the same quarter last year. Only non-GAAP WoW revenue was up year over year, not GAAP.

[BenBos]

The topic of the OP was that Blizzard spreads Warcraft Lore over other games these days to up revenue.

As such the overall Blizzard revenue increased with 247 million dollars revenue in the first half of 2014 compared to same period 2013.

So in staying on topic, I proved the OP was right: Blizzard overall upped revenue by making other WoW Lore based games.

In fact the situation in 2014 is pretty clear.

In 2007 Blizzard had only World of Warcraft to secure its first 1 billion dollars revenue, here by joining that illusive 1 billion dollars yearly Club.

In 2014 Blizzard is projected to have around 1.6+ billion dollars but now including cross platforms like iPad, PC gaming and even console play.

So with around the same number of WoW subscriptions (7 million give or take), Blizzard managed to grow with 60% in the market.

No easy feat as WoW was considered by many at the time (2007-2008) a one hit wonder and not to be repeated that easely.

They showed instead that they no longer depend ONLY on WoW to secure a foothold in that 1 billion dollars market.

The discussion was simply that Blizzard now includes WoW Lore based games to sell other games. Hearthstone is just the first of probably many to come.

But WoW remains their main attraction of course and it is a new policy. They even launch a WoW movie finally.

As such subscriptions are less important in the overall success of Blizzard. It is still a huge part, but the company is spreading over several successful games in the last 3 years.

As should be.


---- Conclusion.

It is pretty clear where this leads to: a Blizzard family of RECENT games replaced WoW only subscriptions. I do like many others: I hop from one Blizzard game to another with sporadically going to other games.

That was something Blizzard couldn't do between 2004 and 2010.