With the sale--do you think WoW is moving into maintenance mode after 9.2?

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Though hopefully, they kick ole Bobby to the curb sooner rather than later, the guy is a massive liability, especially with their legal problems not even close to over yet.

Word is he's out once the deal is approved so good news there.

[Chickat]

The Warcraft IP is still one of the highest grossing franchises in the world. As a whole, just a little behind James Bond.

And according to this, ahead of Candy Crush, to boot.

They'd be nuts to ignore Warcraft.

I feel like that number is wrong. Wow was averaging over a billion a year for over a decade. Also all other Warcraft and hearthstone. The lifetime earnings should be over 20b. Warcraft is on the same level as Lord of the rings imo.

[znushu]

It depends on the sales the product continues to earn from subscriptions and the cash shop which blizzard has stated multiple times that they don't listen to players feedback unless it shows in sales which as it stands their is still a value in the product maintaining it's servers for both classic and 'retail' as it's known. I wouldn't get too attached to classic as it's future is uncertain after WOTLK drops. Some people I know with connections state that they might just make it a separate game with it's own sub while others state that they'll just merge them into the retail product. As for retail it's prob just going to end up ditching the whole horde and alliance entirely and just merging players into one order which has already been happening slowly since BFA. More employees will be slowly removed as a result of the buyout to make way for blood that is more on board with the current climate microsoft wants to have but you might not notice it unless you look it as Blizzard wishes to move forward it seems. You might see more events and limited time stuff though which is nice but at the end of the day but a officially announced maintenance mode? doubtful.

[Makabreska]

Word is he's out once the deal is approved so good news there.

Wasn't Phil Spencer one of they guys being vocal when Blizz scandal broke out? Would be hypocritical af if they would allow Bobby stay after his contract runs out.

[Wadrak]

I know retail may be in questionable state but going into maintenance mode would be very unambitious from Microsoft

Considering they just spend 70Billion ...

World of Warcraft is still one of the biggest brands of Activision Blizzard.

I would expect them to have atleast some plans to revitalize WoW. And see how it goes.

[Relapses]

Wasn't Phil Spencer one of they guys being vocal when Blizz scandal broke out? Would be hypocritical af if they would allow Bobby stay after his contract runs out.

Funny how millions billions of dollars can change people's opinions, eh?

[Gourbaak]

yeah they spent 68 billions to shut their current most profitable licence, seems a good business decision

[Asrialol]

yeah.....microsoft spent 68 billion dollars to put it into maintenance mode.......

WoW is a tiny fraction of Activision Blizzard's earnings.

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yeah they spent 68 billions to shut their current most profitable licence, seems a good business decision

Candy Crush is going into maintenance mode?

[Chickat]

Everquest 1 isn't in maintenance mode. They're still releasing expansions. It has like 75k players.

WoW is not going to be put to pasture anytime soon.

I agree but wow is significantly more expensive to develop for. If they ever fall as low as 500k or even a million they might consider ftp.

[The Stormbringer]

Yeah dude. They're going to put the biggest, most popular and most profitable video game in history directly into maintenance mode because Microsoft bought them out. Definitely. 100% happening. I don't know why you didn't just put [CONFIRMED] in the title.

You are incredibly misinformed, I have to say. WoW is in the top ten, but only barely just. https://www.titlemax.com/discovery-c...me-franchises/ Pokemon is the top dog, and has been for a long time.

[Akta]

yeah sure, they spent 70 000 000 000 dollars just for candy crush

[Relapses]

You are incredibly misinformed, I have to say. WoW is in the top ten, but only barely just. https://www.titlemax.com/discovery-c...me-franchises/ Pokemon is the top dog, and has been for a long time.

I was being intentionally facetious to point out the hilarious absurdity of the OP's suggestion.

[Chickat]

Let's be conservative here. 5 years from now gamepass has 50m users. Gamepass is now 20 dollars a month. That's at a minimum 12 billion dollars a year. Now let's be optimistic. Gamepass is now 25 dollars. They have 100m users. That's 30 billion. Gamepass really does have potential to make Microsoft bank. Especially if they bundle wow into it.

[The Stormbringer]

I was being intentionally facetious to point out the hilarious absurdity of the OP's suggestion.

Aahh, apologies. There've been a lot of people blindly defending Blizzard today, so I didn't even put on my sarcasm goggles. My mistake!

[Jazzhands]

Everquest 1 isn't in maintenance mode. They're still releasing expansions. It has like 75k players.

WoW is not going to be put to pasture anytime soon.

EQ2 is still getting content and has even less, and it was just announced that RIFT will be getting a content update for the first time in a few years, though we're all holding our breath on that one. I always laugh when I see threads like this made by people who have absolutely no idea what the MMO market looks like outside of WoW, claiming WoW is dying and going in maintenance mode. EQ1 is going strong after 23 years, WoW ain't goin anywhere lol

[Chickat]

I know retail may be in questionable state but going into maintenance mode would be very unambitious from Microsoft

Considering they just spend 70Billion ...

World of Warcraft is still one of the biggest brands of Activision Blizzard.

I would expect them to have atleast some plans to revitalize WoW. And see how it goes.

Yeah but we won't see any input from Microsoft until 11.0 at least. At probably 11.0 patches. 12.0 should be mostly developed under Microsoft.

[McNeil]

I thought Shadowlands already felt like an expansion in maintenance mode with the possibility that 10.0 will end up way better like how they abandoned WoD for Legion.

[Wadrak]

Yeah but we won't see any input from Microsoft until 11.0 at least. At probably 11.0 patches. 12.0 should be mostly developed under Microsoft.

If they replace Kotick as news suggest.
Then person from that position can replace people under him, and those under him ... etc etc.

And that new CEO would be kind of responsible for the company, so he would probably "review the situation" and make some changes if necessary.

Its possible some adjustments where the game is heading could happen earlier.

[Lochton]

I know the deal was just announced but do you think they'll halt working on 10 until MS can evaluate the buy? I know 9.2 is actively being worked on right now, but I feel like 10 expansion may not have the same level of support, and could lead to a delay while the company evaluates the IP.

Far from? Why would they mention one of the main goals being to get WoW and then go maintenance mode after 9.2 when people have just found encrypted files of a possible 10.0 reward?`

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If they replace Kotick as news suggest.
Then person from that position can replace people under him, and those under him ... etc etc.

And that new CEO would be kind of responsible for the company, so he would probably "review the situation" and make some changes if necessary.

Its possible some adjustments where the game is heading could happen earlier.

News seem to show Kotick being no more after the sale is completed. And they wish to keep as many original ATVI employees as possible.

[Kiivar86]

EQ1 is going strong after 23 years, WoW ain't goin anywhere lol

28th expansion out just last month, in fact.

Makes me laugh too.