Ion on Raid Release Timing, Activision Blizzard Q3 2020 Investor Call

Originally Posted by matheney2k

I'll never understand the blind hate "gamers" have against mobile games. It's a bit cringe tbh..

"Blizzard gamers" in particular that have been around since the old SC1 Diablo1/2 days tend to have this really toxic PC master race attitude problem, that if you're not playing a game in front of a $3000 mega machine with purely masturbatory levels of unnecessarily powerful hardware, then you are not only not a "real gamer" but you are literally killing their hobby.

They had the same ire when D3 console version was announced, like it was a sudden gotcha moment of "Ah HA! This is why Diablo 3 was bad! It was meant to be a console game! Only PC games can be good!"

Originally Posted by Firebert

Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment

Launching but delaying the raid further would ruin overall pacing

Then why do LFR players not get the entire raid until February?

There is no pacing issue for “LFR players”. For players who both have the time and the will to raid before February, normal mode exists. Most casual players won’t be running out of content before then.

Originally Posted by Kralljin

No, it is however a hint that the sub numbers don't look that good anymore.

For reference, last time they talked about Subs was after Classic release, now after that died down, they essentially refuse to answer any question regarding it.

And it's not like he went on "We have better metrics than sub count", he just went on about loosely related topics rather than to answer the actual question.

People have said that since they stopped publishing sub numbers. When was that, back in MoP? Maybe WoD?
People can and will make that argument, I won’t even argue it. Not because I agree but because there’s no way to prove who would be correct in that debate unless Blizzard actually released numbers

People like to act like thay are big brain by waving around sub numbers, I am happy they no longer publish them, less number waving from people, now an even smaller minority just wave around that they don't publish arbitrary numbers so it must mean something conspiracy! x)

Originally Posted by matheney2k

I'll never understand the blind hate "gamers" have against mobile games. It's a bit cringe tbh..

Back in the day when I was in the military out in the field mobile games were what kept me sane at times giving me something to do on the side with down time (you have a lot out in the field).

These days I still find time to play a mobile here or there whenever I'm waiting on a client (or maybe they cancelled on me so now I got a free hour in my car) so mobile games are great for times like that.

And I for one am really looking forward to Diablo Immortal to play during those times

That can basicaly be summed up as you played them as you had no other choice though. Its not stab at you, its good you enjoyed them, but for most people well certainly myself, I am in the opposite situation, I am a troglodyte that stays home all the time, playing on a pc is by and far easier and more enjoyable for me, so when I see a game I kinda like then see its for mobile my enthusiam takes a 100% drop :/

Originally Posted by Firebert

Raids don't get completed by everyone sitting and doing nothing for 90 minutes.

Movies don't require effort and reward you with pixels by going to the theater.

You can AFK through an LFR raid.

I’m not shitting on LFR players, but it absolutely is a watered down experience and the movie theater analogy is a good one.

Originally Posted by Raisei

And why would they? Does it enrich anyone's gaming experience to know if there are 1 Million or 100.000 people playing with them? In the end that info is only useful for the doomsayers that want to point at numbers and say:

"Omg WoW is dying! No really, this time for sure! I mean I was wrong the last fifty times but now I am certain!"

Ah wait, no need to make up a doomsayer line myself when someone provided:



The reality is: The sub numbers are none of our buisness. We don't need them for anything, we can decide for ourselves if the game is worth our time and money or if it isn't.

It is also a reality that compared to most MMOs out there, WoW is standing strong. All the WoW-Killers have hilariously failed, some died right away (Wildstar), others are going on their last leg and can barely keep servers running (TSWL) and others have changed completely to serve another audience then WoW and have thus removed themselved from the competition (SWTOR), none could touch WoW and none ever will until Blizzard itself decides to end WoW and release a new MMO.

Never said they should.

"World of Warcraft franchise engagement is at its highest level for this stage ahead of an expansion in a decade, with Shadowlands presales well ahead of any prior expansion."

"World of Warcraft MAUs were stable year-over-year."

Yup, was completely expecting that for WoW. Even at 3 AM, there's people everywhere on my 3 servers.

Gonna be interesting to see the Q4 report now! DeAd GaEm ThO, NoBoDy GoN' PlAy Sl!!!111...

I'm really looking forward to Diablo Immortal. I've only dabbled with Diablo, but I like having games to play on the go, this should be a fun game for my phone.

Originally Posted by Tuskla

I'm really looking forward to Diablo Immortal. I've only dabbled with Diablo, but I like having games to play on the go, this should be a fun game for my phone.

Diablo Immortal on the Switch would be sick (don't know if it's coming or not). On a smartphone? Not so much. Diablo 3 on the Switch was excellent.

Originally Posted by Firebert

Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment

Launching but delaying the raid further would ruin overall pacing

Then why do LFR players not get the entire raid until February?

Because no one cares about scrubs who only do lfr. Easy.

Originally Posted by Queen of Hamsters

Yup, was completely expecting that for WoW. Even at 3 AM, there's people everywhere on my 3 servers.

The changes to leveling, customization, and transmog seems to have really pulled back in a lot of casual players. It's anecdotal but my servers and friends list are more populated than they have been in quite a while.

Originally Posted by Sentynel

Diablo Immortal lol.

Diablo Immortal is going to make them so much $$$ it won't be funny.
Americans gamers (not assuming you are one) often massively underestimate the sheer volume of money that ASIA spends on Mobile games.

It will destroy analyst expectations of MAU and ARPU.

This should be seen as a very good thing for the Franchise as they will continue to develop the IP on Console/Desktop. However, worth accepted the fact that most games are heading to Mobile/Console friendly.

Originally Posted by Kathranis

The changes to leveling, customization, and transmog seems to have really pulled back in a lot of casual players. It's anecdotal but my servers and friends list are more populated than they have been in quite a while.

Yeah, same here. Didn't expect that initially but upon seeing it, I believe it. XD

Originally Posted by Lurker1

Nope it just simple means there making money sub counts don't matter anymore if there up or down only how much there making as a company keep reaching here.

Which he could've just said instead of avoiding the question entirely, couldn't he?

Originally Posted by Raisei

The reality is: The sub numbers are none of our buisness. We don't need them for anything, we can decide for ourselves if the game is worth our time and money or if it isn't.

Huh?
Was that question asked by a player or community representative?

No, it was asked by an Investor, which makes it legally binding for Brack to answer that question truthfully.
The fact that chose to avoid it entirely implies that a truthful answer would make them look bad.

Originally Posted by Raisei

It is also a reality that compared to most MMOs out there, WoW is standing strong.

Considering that Blizzard refuses to release any actual sub numbers, you can figure it out yourself that WoW is getting more and more carried by MTX rather than the regular sub.

So "going strong financially" would be the more accurate statement.

Trying to create a tanget about "all the other MMO's" is just a smokescreen, it has absolutely nothing to do with the discussion at hand.

Originally Posted by Eapoe

Not because I agree but because there’s no way to prove who would be correct in that debate unless Blizzard actually released numbers

It's not about proof mate, it's about the fact that he completely avoided answering a very simple question.

Wow is the most lively game ever for something that's supposedly been dying for most of its lifespan thus far.

Originally Posted by matheney2k

I'll never understand the blind hate "gamers" have against mobile games. It's a bit cringe tbh..

Back in the day when I was in the military out in the field mobile games were what kept me sane at times giving me something to do on the side with down time (you have a lot out in the field).

These days I still find time to play a mobile here or there whenever I'm waiting on a client (or maybe they cancelled on me so now I got a free hour in my car) so mobile games are great for times like that.

And I for one am really looking forward to Diablo Immortal to play during those times

I don't know, I'm old now and I've been a PC gamer since before some of these people were born. I was probably an adult before a lot of these people were born. Since Hearthstone released on Mobile I haven't touched it on PC. The mobile experience is just ... better. Same with Riot's Teamfight Tactics. There's definitely a place for mobile games.

Love your sig btw.

[QUOTE=Halifax;52765622]"Blizzard gamers" in particular that have been around since the old SC1 Diablo1/2 days tend to have this really toxic PC master race attitude problem, that if you're not playing a game in front of a $3000 mega machine with purely masturbatory levels of unnecessarily powerful hardware, then you are not only not a "real gamer" but you are literally killing their hobby.

They had the same ire when D3 console version was announced, like it was a sudden gotcha moment of "Ah HA! This is why Diablo 3 was bad! It was meant to be a console game! Only PC games can be good!"[/QUOT

If you already know why the hell are you here repeating it. PC for life, maybe your mommy will give you extra allowance this year.

Originally Posted by Firebert

Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment

Launching but delaying the raid further would ruin overall pacing

Then why do LFR players not get the entire raid until February?

Because they are LFR players lmao

Originally Posted by Firebert

Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment

Launching but delaying the raid further would ruin overall pacing

Then why do LFR players not get the entire raid until February?

Always been this way. If you want to see the ending or clear the raid sooner, you can clear the content on an actual raid difficulty setting.

Originally Posted by matheney2k

I'll never understand the blind hate "gamers" have against mobile games. It's a bit cringe tbh..

It's quite easy to explain. Most hard 'r' Gamers don't play mobile games and think this is some zero-sum game where one more mobile game means one less 'real' game.

Originally Posted by Lorgran

"Activision had 111 million MAUs in the second quarter, down from 125 million in Q2 and up from 102 million in Q1 2020."

Wut?

They have this game called Call of Duty. It's a pretty big deal.