BlizzCon and Our Latest Plans - No BlizzCon This Year

[Cosmic Janitor]

That is a bit of a misrepresentation. Overwatch is a single game that has sold 50 million copies in 4 years. CoD has sold more then 20 million copies 8 times. That is 8 out of 18 releases breaking 20+ million. Some of those were back to back. 2009 to 2015 were all 20+ million.

Doesn't really matter. Their intial sales were around 20+ million in the first year, which puts them into the heavy hitter category of ActiBlizz flagship titles and the expectations that come with it. For a "salvage job" it certainly outperformed any reasonable expectations anyone could have for an MMO (which Titan supposedly was) at that point in time, as probably no one would believe Titan would reach and maintain old WoW numbers again.

[Wangming]

I've had the theory for some years now, based on interviews and a couple of films, that the failure of Titan was a trauma for Blizzard management. I don't think they've ever really recovered from that. Sure, they managed to salvage Overwatch from that but again, that was a salvage job from a failed project. They've been as dry as a bone for new games ever since. It's a timeline that people should think about.

I'll repeat that with their old-line management people gone Brack has an opportunity to put Blizzard back on track but he'll have to break the corporate culture to do that. I'm not sure he's that heavy a hitter.

Funny how Titan was cancelled in 2013. Wether it was the cause or the effect of the lost mojo is a different question, but it fits the timeline. As for a failed project breaking them...I don't want to bring Final Fantasy XIV up all the time. I really don't. But we all know when it was first released it was worse than Daikatana and look where they got now. Maybe Titan needed a Yoshida. Who knows?

[MoanaLisa]

Funny how Titan was cancelled in 2013. Wether it was the cause or the effect of the lost mojo is a different question, but it fits the timeline. As for a failed project breaking them...I don't want to bring Final Fantasy XIV up all the time. I really don't. But we all know when it was first released it was worse than Daikatana and look where they got now. Maybe Titan needed a Yoshida. Who knows?

They made a 3-part documentary about Overwatch. The first part was dedicated mostly to the fall and cancellation of Titan. It's worth watching if you haven't seen it. It's pretty honest and you can tell that everyone on the Titan team was highly invested and that the cancellation was something of a trauma for everyone. Keep in mind that while Titan was cancelled in 2013 it had been in development since about 2007. The film is celebratory in that they managed to save something from Titan's wreckage and make it work. However, it doesn't take any imagination to wonder how the team that worked on Titan for years felt when no one ever saw their work. And it's not difficult to compare their corporate behavior pre-cancellation and post.

I honestly don't think Blizzard has been the same since. Eventually a team of 140 developers and artists was cut to 40 to see what could be salvaged.

This 3-part thing on Overwatch is well done by the way. Here's a link to the first part in case you haven't seen it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq-H...meSpotGameSpot

[Wangming]

They made a 3-part documentary about Overwatch. The first part was dedicated mostly to the fall and cancellation of Titan. It's worth watching if you haven't seen it. It's pretty honest and you can tell that everyone on the Titan team was highly invested and that the cancellation was something of a trauma for everyone. Keep in mind that while Titan was cancelled in 2013 it had been in development since about 2007. The film is celebratory in that they managed to save something from Titan's wreckage and make it work. However, it doesn't take any imagination to wonder how the team that worked on Titan for years felt when no one ever saw their work. And it's not difficult to compare their corporate behavior pre-cancellation and post.

I honestly don't think Blizzard has been the same since. Eventually a team of 140 developers and artists was cut to 40 to see what could be salvaged.

This 3-part thing on Overwatch is well done by the way. Here's a link to the first part in case you haven't seen it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq-H...meSpotGameSpot

Thank you for the link. Will definitely watch it. In return here is the link for the 3-part documentary on FFXIV. It is very enlightening even if you don't care about Final Fantasy. Lots of details about how game development or project management works. Doesn't include more recent developments like covid or Soken's cancer, but gives a lot of details about relaunch. And it even talks about several Blizzard games and how influential they were.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs0yQKI7Yw4&t=3s

[MoanaLisa]

Thank you for the link. Will definitely watch it. In return here is the link for the 3-part documentary on FFXIV. It is very enlightening even if you don't care about Final Fantasy. Lots of details about how game development or project management works. Doesn't include more recent developments like covid or Soken's cancer, but gives a lot of details about relaunch. And it even talks about several Blizzard games and how influential they were.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs0yQKI7Yw4&t=3s

Thanks. Will watch this afternoon and evening. I'm a 3-4 month/year player of FFXIV. I take breaks from WoW and migrate over. This year it may end up being more like six months.

It's been nice chatting. Something too rare here.

[Wangming]

It's been nice chatting. Something too rare here.

Likewise, Moana. These speculations is what this site should be about. It's why I like the expansion hype threads.

[rrayy]

I know this wasn't directed at me, but just wondering what your stance is on the word 'pandemic'. I feel like this is relevant to how I'd go about understanding your views on the situation.

I feel like you are implying that you think the pandemic is 'fake', and that you may be using evidence of Wrestlemania and other events to support your argument. Would this be correct? And I figure this implies why you are trying to 'call Blizzard's bullshit' on using what you consider non-existent 'safety reasons' as a means to cancel Blizzcon this year?

MY stance is that the CDC and the government has dumbed down the definition to the point that any virus could be called a pandemic. It's a buzzword used to fear monger and blow things out of proportion so the government can get more control. That does not mean the virus does not exist. We know for a fact that the numbers reported are dubious because every death of someone who had COVID was automatically label a COVID death despite the fact that some already had a terminal illness, had other serious pre-existing conditions that likely would have killed the person anyway or had immune systems compromised to the point just about anything could have killed them. The overall world wide death toll backs this up. It didn't go up at all and while you had all these reported deaths, you see a decrease in deaths by all the other diseases and viruses.

If I'm following this correctly, then I'd address this by saying whatever you personally feel about the pandemic being a real thing or not, Blizzard says and feels otherwise. And whether truthful or under guise of an excuse, their plans are being made to avoid a Blizzcon this year, and work towards a smaller venue in the future. And I personally interpret their message to maintaining it as an international venue, rather than close it off as a US-only enterprise. Of course, I may be wrong, and maybe 'small in-person gatherings' could mean US-only. However as I interpret it, they are keeping it a global event, and I don't see them forgoing the international stuff for the sake of maintaining the event. I don't see how any of this actually conflicts with anything you've said outside of your personal beliefs that they *should* make a US only convention, which I've been explaining is not the direction they are taking. If they didn't believe a pandemic exists, I'm sure they wouldn't use the word in their own statements.

"pandemic is a "buzzword". The media misused ,and overused, it to the point everyone uses it out of habit. All I am saying is that not having the internationals able to attend is not an excuse to cancel the event. It was not going to hurt for one year having a US-only event. It could have been done. They chose not to and that is fine.

[rhorle]

MY stance is that the CDC and the government has dumbed down the definition to the point that any virus could be called a pandemic.

Any disease can be a pandemic. The CDC, and government, has not changed the meaning of the word pandemic. It isn't a buzzword but a word that has an established definition and meaning when talking about diseases. Just because you can't accept it or didn't know that the word existed prior to doesn't make it a buzzword. Lol. If a person has something that would have likely killed them anyways but that something wasn't the cause of death it doesn't get listed.

Listen to yourself. You are saying the virus is real yet at the same time wanting information to falsified simply because you can't handle the truth. Do you realize how crazy that makes you look? You would rather a fake cause of death be listed then the actual cause of death.

[Triceron]

They chose not to and that is fine.

It's funny that you say it's fine while you've been arguing all my points for the past few days for practically no real reason, since we're both in agreement that they *could have* done it and chose not to and that it's all fine.

At least we're clear we're on the same page, just coming to it from different angles.

[rhorle]

It's funny that you say it's fine while you've been arguing all my points for the past few days for practically no real reason, since we're both in agreement that they *could have* done it and chose not to and that it's all fine. At least we're clear we're on the same page, just coming to it from different angles.

That said, even a reduced attendance event would be difficult logistics wise to put on, so it is best to save the money and all the planning, have a virtual one in early 2022 and then prepare for a full attendance BlizzCon in late 2022. It makes the most economic sense.

It is super funny.

[ZazuuPriest]

People are still dying due to COVID in most parts of the planet. While cases may have dropped in your particular corner of it, doesn't mean the "pandemic ran it's course"

people are still dying of lots of things doesn't mean its a pandemic.

[panda040]

people are still dying of lots of things doesn't mean its a pandemic.

This, i think what rrayy is trying to say is the actions taken by government in response to covid are greater and far more damaging than the actual virus itself. Many businesses closed and alot of cash was created out of thin air to stymie an economic down turn. A band-aid fix at best.

[rrayy]

This, i think what rrayy is trying to say is the actions taken by government in response to covid are greater and far more damaging than the actual virus itself. Many businesses closed and alot of cash was created out of thin air to stymie an economic down turn. A band-aid fix at best.

Indeed. Dumbing down the definition of pandemic as far as they have has allowed one side to grab the big time power and control over everyone they crave. Funnily enough, the red states that eased restrictions early still had their case numbers go down while blue states that continued to lock people in their houses had higher numbers.

[rhorle]

Indeed. Dumbing down the definition of pandemic as far as they have has allowed one side to grab the big time power and control over everyone they crave. Funnily enough, the red states that eased restrictions early still had their case numbers go down while blue states that continued to lock people in their houses had higher numbers.

The definition of Pandemic did not change. It was not made dumber. You just didn't understand or worse know the meaning and twist it for your conspiracies. There is not one side that grabbed power or control over anyone. The government did what the government has always done.

[Forogil]

No one really understands what the summer (Northern Hemisphere) will bring to the planet with the ongoing pandemic and it's true that new cases among the unvaccinated—a substantial number of people in the U.S.—are much higher than those that have received the vaccine. In some places the rate of new cases with those that have yet to be vaccinated are near the levels of last winter.

I would be much more concerned about what the autumn and winter will bring; as it seems the virus is seasonal.

And an additional problem with planning big (and international) events in these times is that it's not enough that it will be ok when it actually happens, but both the organizer and attendants want to know that in quite a bit of advance (for Blizzard that time seems to be half a year) - they don't want to be standing there with a big conference hall and then having to cancel (or being told that they have to reduce the numbers to half after selling the tickets) - and we really don't know what will happen during that time.

Added: Oh, and additional thought - many would be a bit hesitant on attending a big event like this. Clearly, there are some that don't care about the pandemic (and who don't understand that the deaths are under-reported in the US) who wouldn't be hesitant - but do you think Blizzard want to be associated with them?