Mike Morhaime Starts New Gaming Company, Dreamhaven

[PenguinChan]

Will be interesting to see what they come up with in the next 3 - 4 years. Going to assume a love child game or two from all them - potentially a title that they wanted to do under Blizzard but couldn't because of how Activision (And current Blizzard) is.

[TickTickTick]

"We’re almost trying to create a haven for creators who want an environment that is development friendly, values product, and player experience over short-term financial pressures.”

We'll see about that

[Aekero]

Wasn’t Morhaime one of the guys people shouted for to quit, he’s in it for the money, and he’s ruining the game?

if anyone was shouting that they didn't really know him... He always came off as a gamer first, terrible speaker, passable bassist. This is interesting as I thought he was just getting out of the game, but it looks like he's trying to go back to his roots. I'm not going to give anything they make a free pass but I'm very interested to see what they come out with. (especially because it will involve completely new IPs) I imagine the culture for the employees will be closer to original Blizzard and not acti-blizz, which is a great thing.

[Clozer]

values product, and player experience over short-term financial pressures

I never understood how these big companies nowadays are so short-sighted. By april we have to make X money to look good. Meanwhile, old Blizzard didn't release any games or make any microtransaction money for YEARS before releasing a new title and they became one of the biggest in the gaming industry this way.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Lots of respect for him. I´d go as far as calling him a hero of the gaming industry, and no, I am no die hard fan or something.

I really look forward to see if something comes out, which I expect to happen. But we probably won´t hear much more about it all for a good couple of long years, and then a good couple more.

a hero? This is the same guy who laid off 600 employees in mop and defended loot boxes, sure you could say that was all Activision making him do it but that just means he’s willing to stand by and support hurting the industry for a pay check which is pretty far from a hero by any measure.

[Hubbl3]

Shots fired at Blizzard. lul

Yeah, he was one of these powerless CEO guys, unable to control his own company's destiny.

[hulkgor]

Huge respect for the dude and i will be eager to know more about upcoming projects from them.

Will never forget his blizzcon opening speeches with a hawaiian shirt

[aceperson]

Yeah, he was one of these powerless CEO guys, unable to control his own company's destiny.

being a ceo doesn't really matter when you have a parent company who can make you do whatever they want.

as much as he may have defended stuff like loot boxes, you knew he was someone who cared for quality above all else.

[Clozer]

a hero? This is the same guy who laid off 600 employees in mop and defended loot boxes, sure you could say that was all Activision making him do it but that just means he’s willing to stand by and support hurting the industry for a pay check which is pretty far from a hero by any measure.

Yes, just like he left that said company.

[Hubbl3]

being a ceo doesn't really matter when you have a parent company who can make you do whatever they want.

I'm sure he was in no way responsible for the direction of Blizz. Absolutely everything was forced onto him by evil Bobby.

[Aerisot]

So...How long until Chris Metzen and Allen Adham rejoin them?

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Yes, just like he left that said company.

Years later after he helped hurt the industry and drove blizzard into its current course all while profiting heavily.

Is a hero some one who helped caused a problem while pocketing money to You?

[Stormgnoef]

And now we just have to wait 14 years for their first game to come out.

Rather wait long time for amazing game then it being rushed and suck at launch.

[aceperson]

Years later after he helped hurt the industry and drove blizzard into its current course all while profiting heavily.

Is a hero some one who helped caused a problem while pocketing money to You?

i feel both of you are oversimplifying this. mike is a guy who wants quality at any cost. yes, he did some bad things like defending loot boxes (firing people is unlikely to have been a choice of his, more likely it was something activision forced). it's possible he stayed for as long as he did because he needed more funds to self-publish and he left as soon as he was able to.

he's clearly not a hero because he didn't speak out against injustice but by no means is he some heartless villain.

[Eapoe]

He was the CEO from the beginning and frequently would make the decision to push back games so they would have strong quality to them. It was after Activision got involved you started to see frequent releases you push more box sales, and as CEO he had a obligation to his majority share holder. It was out of his control at that pont. By being an developer he has full control over he can reign in those decisions.

The problem wasn't him as much as it was just corporate America's vicious cycle.

Ummm, you know Wrath was like less than 2 years from BC, and everything else has been a roughly 2 year release cycle.
Activision also merged in 2008, which means Morhaime was there for 10 years after.
I’m not saying Dreamhaven won’t make good games or having any reason to think they won’t, but I’m still pretty sure people raged over Morhaime and stated he needs to be fired. Just like they did with Greg Street, and they are now doing with Ion.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

i feel both of you are oversimplifying this. mike is a guy who wants quality at any cost. yes, he did some bad things like defending loot boxes (firing people is unlikely to have been a choice of his, more likely it was something activision forced). it's possible he stayed for as long as he did because he needed more funds to self-publish and he left as soon as he was able to.

he's clearly not a hero because he didn't speak out against injustice but by no means is he some heartless villain.

To be clear I don’t think he’s a villain, it seems pretty clear that he’s like most people in the gaming industry who put money before the good of the industry or even the customer he’s middle of the road like almost every one in the industry.

[Roar-Powah]

Pretty clear picture now that Activision do call the shots over at Blizzard. Bobby is so bad for the gaming industry, i stopped many many years ago buying any of Activisions IP as they just are all the same year on year and WoW is going that direction as well.

[Hey There Guys its Metro]

Its funny, these companies always get this beautiful art and spend all this time on presentation, meanwhile they take a decade to produce a game.
What's up with that?
Is it that hard to get people to want to make a game together that you need to lure in attention before you have even started?

[Draco-Onis]

Its funny, these companies always get this beautiful art and spend all this time on presentation, meanwhile they take a decade to produce a game.
What's up with that?
Is it that hard to get people to want to make a game together that you need to lure in attention before you have even started?

it usually has to do with funding which should not be a problem in this case.

[Erwarth]

Still waiting for Bonfire Studio first announcement