Comments on: Rob Pardo Shatters Our Hopes And Dreams For “World of Blackthorne” http://www.brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/ Random Comments About Gaming And Tractors Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:52:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Brask Mumei http://www.brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/comment-page-1/#comment-3043 Brask Mumei Sat, 17 Jun 2006 00:35:23 +0000 http://brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/#comment-3043 I don' t doubt that a sufficiently skilled accountant could make WoW a massive loss on paper. I mean, they did manage to make Spiderman 2 a box-office failure despite $780 million gross.<br> <br> http://www.out-law.com/page-5238 I don’ t doubt that a sufficiently skilled accountant could make WoW a massive loss on paper. I mean, they did manage to make Spiderman 2 a box-office failure despite $780 million gross.

http://www.out-law.com/page-5238

]]> By: Tobold http://www.brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/comment-page-1/#comment-3042 Tobold Fri, 16 Jun 2006 14:28:43 +0000 http://brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/#comment-3042 As it is it takes Blizzard two years to launch an expansion for their existing MMO, so where should the manpower to make a second or third MMO come from? Sure, you can hire another 1,000 programmers and artists, but would that company still be the same Blizzard and make the same quality of games? As it is it takes Blizzard two years to launch an expansion for their existing MMO, so where should the manpower to make a second or third MMO come from? Sure, you can hire another 1,000 programmers and artists, but would that company still be the same Blizzard and make the same quality of games?

]]> By: Sachant http://www.brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/comment-page-1/#comment-3041 Sachant Fri, 16 Jun 2006 00:20:55 +0000 http://brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/#comment-3041 Every time someone mentions Fallout it makes me want to reinstall. Please stop. I need to upgrade and get a bigger hardrive as it is! Every time someone mentions Fallout it makes me want to reinstall. Please stop. I need to upgrade and get a bigger hardrive as it is!

]]> By: Hellfire http://www.brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/comment-page-1/#comment-3040 Hellfire Thu, 15 Jun 2006 18:26:08 +0000 http://brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/#comment-3040 Valid point. Blizzard could easily parlay a winning strategy into a SOE/NCSoft-sized stable of games one pays 35$/mo for and can play at will.<br> <br> The dev cycle for WoW content will get shorter and shorter, I bet by the end of 2007 they'll have at least 1 unreleased chunk of content in the can at any given time "just in case". Valid point. Blizzard could easily parlay a winning strategy into a SOE/NCSoft-sized stable of games one pays 35$/mo for and can play at will.

The dev cycle for WoW content will get shorter and shorter, I bet by the end of 2007 they’ll have at least 1 unreleased chunk of content in the can at any given time “just in case”.

]]> By: Staarkhand http://www.brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/comment-page-1/#comment-3039 Staarkhand Thu, 15 Jun 2006 18:21:12 +0000 http://brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/#comment-3039 Competing with yourself is bad - I smell a WoW: Burning Zerg Crusade x-pack.<br> <br> But really, what will WoW look like after another 4.5 years? You can debate how much 'history' applies to the game that is in fact writing history, but most games have needed a major reshaping, and at that point in time World of Starcraft may look like a better option than WoW 2. Market it as BlizzardMMO 2.0 to the existing customers but leverage the fact that it's 'new' and 'different' to bring the last stragglers into the fold. Competing with yourself is bad – I smell a WoW: Burning Zerg Crusade x-pack.

But really, what will WoW look like after another 4.5 years? You can debate how much ‘history’ applies to the game that is in fact writing history, but most games have needed a major reshaping, and at that point in time World of Starcraft may look like a better option than WoW 2. Market it as BlizzardMMO 2.0 to the existing customers but leverage the fact that it’s ‘new’ and ‘different’ to bring the last stragglers into the fold.

]]> By: Freakazoid http://www.brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/comment-page-1/#comment-3038 Freakazoid Thu, 15 Jun 2006 17:54:52 +0000 http://brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/#comment-3038 No, they'll get the same bolt gun any other marine gets but with +int instead of +crit. MAYBE a powersword, but that might upset the weirdboys. No, they’ll get the same bolt gun any other marine gets but with +int instead of +crit. MAYBE a powersword, but that might upset the weirdboys.

]]> By: Dren http://www.brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/comment-page-1/#comment-3037 Dren Thu, 15 Jun 2006 17:22:47 +0000 http://brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/#comment-3037 But they'd be Paladins with frickin lasers man! But they’d be Paladins with frickin lasers man!

]]> By: Hellfire http://www.brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/comment-page-1/#comment-3036 Hellfire Thu, 15 Jun 2006 13:42:21 +0000 http://brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/#comment-3036 I can't imagine a bizzaro universe where any contractual performance metrics put on paper in 1998 (Blizzad->Havas->Vivendi) are not being met by 6.6-million strong WoW.<br> <br> I'm pretty sure they'd have to be using imaginary numbers to create a scheme where Blizzard-2006 is failing. "You didn't make a hojillion dollars this year." or something...<br> <br> Unless World of Starcraft was radically different from WoW in both gameplay and scope I wouldn't give it a second look. Paladins with a Protoss skin isn't worth 15$/mo. I can’t imagine a bizzaro universe where any contractual performance metrics put on paper in 1998 (Blizzad->Havas->Vivendi) are not being met by 6.6-million strong WoW.

I’m pretty sure they’d have to be using imaginary numbers to create a scheme where Blizzard-2006 is failing. “You didn’t make a hojillion dollars this year.” or something…

Unless World of Starcraft was radically different from WoW in both gameplay and scope I wouldn’t give it a second look. Paladins with a Protoss skin isn’t worth 15$/mo.

]]> By: TPRJones http://www.brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/comment-page-1/#comment-3035 TPRJones Thu, 15 Jun 2006 04:13:05 +0000 http://brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/#comment-3035 Although even if they do have autonomy, it's probably tied to certain performance measures. That's a pretty common stipulation in such deals. If profit margins or sales growth falls below a certains specified rate or a specified period of time, then they'd lose that autonomy.<br> <br> But, again, probably only the lawyers and the CEOs know the details. Although even if they do have autonomy, it’s probably tied to certain performance measures. That’s a pretty common stipulation in such deals. If profit margins or sales growth falls below a certains specified rate or a specified period of time, then they’d lose that autonomy.

But, again, probably only the lawyers and the CEOs know the details.

]]> By: TPRJones http://www.brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/comment-page-1/#comment-3034 TPRJones Thu, 15 Jun 2006 04:08:34 +0000 http://brokentoys.org/2006/06/14/rob-pardo-shatters-our-hopes-and-dreams-for-world-of-blackthorne/#comment-3034 It really depends on the details of the deal at the time of purchase. It's entirely possible that Vivendi owns Blizzard but Blizzard has contractural rights to autonomy. Or they could be out of luck. Only someone who has access to the papers on the deal can really know. It really depends on the details of the deal at the time of purchase. It’s entirely possible that Vivendi owns Blizzard but Blizzard has contractural rights to autonomy. Or they could be out of luck. Only someone who has access to the papers on the deal can really know.

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