Blizzard's *Next* MMORPG?

[Warlock]

Interesting story from <A HREF="http://www.eurogamer.net">Eurogamer</a> today. Apparently Blizzard's vice president of development, Itzik Ben Bassat, said this:
<ul><font size=1>"When we announce our next MMORPG it's not going to be another WoW - we're not a company that tends to tread the same ground," said Bassat, speaking to film magazine Empire around the time of Burning Crusade's launch. "It'll be something innovative and new that really brings entertainment to another level."</font></ul>Next MMORPG? I guess this is a hint at Blizzard's next project. Personally I think this sounds like they might try a StarCraft MMORPG ala Planetside with more FPS style controls. Who knows. Interesting none-the-less. You can read the story <A HREF="http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=72082">right here</a>.

[Aldrius]

"We never retread the same ground!"

'What about those 3 WarCraft RTS' you made?'

"...we never retread the same ground..."

[Flamestrider]

"Um...Starting now! Yeah, that's what we meant."

To be fair, though, Warcraft III was a step in another direction in its combination of RTS and RPG elements.

[Rebirth]

Next MMORPG? I guess this is a hint at Blizzard's next project. Personally I think this sounds like they might try a StarCraft MMORPG ala Planetside with more FPS style controls. Who knows. Interesting none-the-less.

I've been saying this for over 2 years... It was only a matter or time, though I think theyll release SC2 before hand... hopefully....

my bet for teh title... StarCraft: Universe

[Wulfang]

In my opinion, this is gonna be that new project they said they were working on. After this, I think will come Starcraft 2 (RTS), then Diablo 3 (either a normal RPG or a MMORPG), possibly Starcraft: Ghost and then Warcraft IV.

[Flamestrider]

What in God's name would Diablo III be about?

At this point, if anybody got resurrected, it would just be overdoing it.

[Kenzuki]

What in God's name would Diablo III be about?

At this point, if anybody got resurrected, it would just be overdoing it.

To be fair you never destroyed Baal's Soulstone, and the destruction of the Worldstone means unforseen changes that not even Tyrael could know of. Richard knaak said that he wouldn't write for a dead universe and that the Diablo one was alive and well.

[Flamestrider]

You never saw it destroyed. But it was implied. I mean, it would be kinda retarded if it turns out that the hero, having already destroyed Diablo and Mephisto's soulstones, simply forgot that he had to destroy Baal's as well.

The Worldstone angle is valid though, I suppose. We never really got much of a sense of what it was or what it did.

[Doomsday]

I'm gonna lead towards an FPS of Starcraft. It would be very interesting to see how they would handle the zerg if they were to make a game like this.

[Vonhahn]

I'd way rather see starcraft 2 then a starcraft mmo. But whaterver, any starcraft would be good. It could also be possible that blizzard might have a new universe in the works.

[Kenzuki]

You never saw it destroyed. But it was implied. I mean, it would be kinda retarded if it turns out that the hero, having already destroyed Diablo and Mephisto's soulstones, simply forgot that he had to destroy Baal's as well.

The Worldstone angle is valid though, I suppose. We never really got much of a sense of what it was or what it did.

The novel, Moon of the Spider takes place after the Worldstone was destroyed. Astrogha, the spider demon seemed to still fear Diablo, as though he was afraid he still lived somehow.....

[Vicious]

We never killed the prime evils for good in Diablo 2, we just severed their best connection to the Sanctuary, the human world by destroying the soulstones.

The story can evolve just as Warcraft did, i trust Metzen to do it well, we never saw the High heavens for example.

More MMO´s from Blizzard.......why am i not happy.....

[Drirlake]

More MMO´s from Blizzard.......why am not happy.....

I know why you are sad, as i am sad as you, thats simply because i was really expecting blizzard to announce another warcraft RTS game, so that as last we can get a proper story line, but with another MMO coming wether is it starcraft or diablo means that blizzard is not intrested in making RTS games anymore :( .
Actually i am depressed from everything in wow currently, i was hoping that the burning crusade could change that, but still i haven't seen too far to tell.

[Creative]

It doesnt say "our next game is another MMORPG", so they might make Starcraft or anything BETWEEN those ;)

[Warlock]

The novel, Moon of the Spider takes place after the Worldstone was destroyed. Astrogha, the spider demon seemed to still fear Diablo, as though he was afraid he still lived somehow.....

Maybe Metzen will forget that Diablo was destroyed for the next game and have him team up with the Eredar :D

[Kerrah]

Maybe Metzen will forget that Diablo was destroyed for the next game and have him team up with the Eredar :D
Space mushrooms will come and invade Sanctuary so that Heaven and Hell have to team up.

[Wulfang]

The novel, Moon of the Spider takes place after the Worldstone was destroyed. Astrogha, the spider demon seemed to still fear Diablo, as though he was afraid he still lived somehow.....
I heard that, in Moon of the Spider, there's a theory about what may happen to Sanctuary now that the Worldstone is destroyed.

Ken, as you've read the book and, sadly, I never will, could you tell me what that theory is?

[Flamestrider]

We never killed the prime evils for good in Diablo 2, we just severed their best connection to the Sanctuary, the human world by destroying the soulstones.


Regardless of how well Blizzard explains it, it is lame on principle to have the same three villains return in Diablo III. It was a cool universe, but a fairly limited one. Once the three prime evils are dead, there's simply not very much to do, unless it doesn't involve hell at all. Asmodan and Belial are still out there, but a game featuring them would be an enormous anticlimax.

While on the subject, I was under the impression that destroying the Soulstone normally would simply send the evil contained therein back to hell. Destroying it on the Hellforge in the River of Flame, on the other hand, seemed to be pretty final.

But I could be wrong.

[Rebirth]

More MMO´s from Blizzard.......why am i not happy.....


I saw this coming as well. In some interview a Blizz rep said that they were pretty much a multiplayer and online gaming company... go figures...

[Bradford]

I saw this coming as well. In some interview a Blizz rep said that they were pretty much a multiplayer and online gaming company... go figures...

Old Gods online.

[Rebirth]

Hahahahahaha

[Kakwakas]

Maybe they could bring back the idea of the Starcraft FPS and make it like Planetside.
Only it wouldn't suck so much.

[Krucifire]

Oh god no please no more MMO's by blizzard

RTS for the love of the Light!


Starcraft 2:"Working Title"


Diablo 3: "Working Title"

please no... -_-

[Vicious]

Regardless of how well Blizzard explains it, it is lame on principle to have the same three villains return in Diablo III. It was a cool universe, but a fairly limited one. Once the three prime evils are dead, there's simply not very much to do, unless it doesn't involve hell at all. Asmodan and Belial are still out there, but a game featuring them would be an enormous anticlimax.

There are more villains in Diablo besides the Prime evils, there are a couple of Lesser Evils we never saw, Blizzard may well use them as main antagonists this time.

Anyways, this is just wild speculation.

[Kerrah]

It would just be a little lame if one of those guys who served as the bosses of acts 1 and 2 in D2 would be last bosses in D3.

[Doomsday]

Maybe they somehow drain the powers from the prime evils and become all powerful. :P

Basically just a copy of Illidan and sergares.

[Kerrah]

Or maybe they make a deal with the devils by summoning them back.

...and then get slaughtered as a reward.

[Nephalim]

There are more villains in Diablo besides the Prime evils, there are a couple of Lesser Evils we never saw, Blizzard may well use them as main antagonists this time.Here's the thing:

Diablo was always a linear story. Whereas Warcraft and Starcraft had a bunch of characters and a bunch of different and intertwining story arcs, Diablo's narrative was very straightforward and even if it deviated it didn't go far and everything came back to the core storyline. Diablo was this narrative's main character. YOUR characters are the faceless champions, it is Diablo who has personality and development.

Yes, there's certainly room for stories set in the world of Sanctuary, but Diablo's story is over. They could probably rationalize his return somehow (this Lilith crap, for instance) or could go in a different direction and use new villains (Belial and Azmodan, for instance) but it wouldn't be Diablo, it would just happen to share the setting. The Diablo books have been fairly weak, and I think this is part of the reason, because they're Diablo in name only. They couldn't exactly call it Diablo 3 and then not have Diablo in it.

All this aside, the brains behind Diablo have left the building. The brand name carries more weight than theirs did (at least Vivendi seems to think so) but I don't think that would be enough to carry it alone. We'd probably get more Diablo vibes out of Hellgate: London than a Diablo 3, were it produced.

And finally, why do you want a Diablo 3? There are no real loose ends, the story had a glorious finish that demanded no follow-up. There was no cause for a sequel, and no need for one. I don't know what it is about people that makes them think that if they liked something it needs a sequel.

[Vicious]

It would just be a little lame if one of those guys who served as the bosses of acts 1 and 2 in D2 would be last bosses in D3.

The 4 lessers evils defeated the 3 Prime evils you know?

Diablo was always a linear story. Whereas Warcraft and Starcraft had a bunch of characters and a bunch of different and intertwining story arcs, Diablo's narrative was very straightforward and even if it deviated it didn't go far and everything came back to the core storyline. Diablo was this narrative's main character. YOUR characters are the faceless champions, it is Diablo who has personality and development.

You just described how the storyline of Diablo evolves in the game, how does that makes it "harder" to make another Diablo game?

In case you didn´t noticed, the main villain of Lord of Destruction was Baal.

Yes, there's certainly room for stories set in the world of Sanctuary, but Diablo's story is over. They could probably rationalize his return somehow (this Lilith crap, for instance) or could go in a different direction and use new villains (Belial and Azmodan, for instance) but it wouldn't be Diablo, it would just happen to share the setting. The Diablo books have been fairly weak, and I think this is part of the reason, because they're Diablo in name only. They couldn't exactly call it Diablo 3 and then not have Diablo in it.

Lilith crap...right, the story evolves and just because Knaak is the author of the book (Which was great but i can guess where will you go with this) you diss it, the origins of the Sanctuary and the humans were a very nice twist and in taste of Diablo storytelling but whatever, since it´s Knaak´s it automatically bad, right?

Personally, of all the Diablo books i only thought that The Blackroad was kinda weak and that one isn´t even from Knaak.

This trilogy only shows that Metzen still has story for it, you can´t say that Diablo´s story is over like it´s the most simple thing out there, when Warcraft 2 ended you couldnt guess the ammount of crap that it´s universe now has plus there´s the issue of the Worldstone being destroyed.

[Kenzuki]

I actually liked Knaak's Diablo books, personally I think he does a better job writting for Diablo than he does for Warcraft even. Zayle and Humbart rock man!

Lord of Destruction left a big hole open, what happens to the world when the Worldstone is destroyed?

[Wulfang]

The 4 lessers evils defeated the 3 Prime evils you know?
Well, that isn't very correct. In Diablo 2, during the Act where you went to hell, after you slayed Izual, an angel that had been corrupted by the Prime Evils and turned into a demon.

After killing him, his spirit reveals to you that the Prime Evils have been duping both Heaven and Hell all along: when they corrupted Izual, he told them everything about the Soulstones, like how to use, corrupt and even break out of them. The Prime Evils then let themselves be defeated by the Lesser Evils so that they'd be banished to Sanctuary as disembodied spirits. Meanwhile, Izual told Tyrael that the only way of stopping them from destroying mankind was to use the Soulstones.

As you see, the events of the last 500 years in the Diablo universe have all been a plan of the Prime Evils to make themselves stronger (by possessing powerful humans like the Wanderer, Tal-Rasha and Sankekur) and then to finally conquer Sanctuary and break down the gates of the High Heavens.

[Nephalim]

The 4 lessers evils defeated the 3 Prime evils you know?The Dark Exile was masterminded by the Primes, you know?
You just described how the storyline of Diablo evolves in the game, how does that makes it "harder" to make another Diablo game?I didn't say that makes it harder. I'm saying that makes it pointless.
In case you didn´t noticed, the main villain of Lord of Destruction was Baal.In an eventuality that flowed directly and inevitably from Diablo II. There were no inevitabilities left after Lord of Destruction, they'll have to be made up after the fact.
Lilith crap...right, the story evolves and just because Knaak is the author of the book (Which was great but i can guess where will you go with this) you diss it, the origins of the Sanctuary and the humans were a very nice twist and in taste of Diablo storytelling but whatever, since it´s Knaak´s it automatically bad, right?I was actually referring to the patch 1.11 stuff. Though in response to your question, it's not automatically bad, being Knaak's. But it so happens that it was bad purely in its own right. Birthright wasn't atrocious, it was no War of the Ancients (though I suppose he's still got time) but it wasn't good.
Personally, of all the Diablo books i only thought that The Blackroad was kinda weak and that one isn´t even from Knaak.The Black Road was kinda weak?

And I liked Legacy of Blood and I didn't mind Moon of the Spider, but they're not Diablo.
This trilogy only shows that Metzen still has story for it, you can´t say that Diablo´s story is over like it´s the most simple thing out there, when Warcraft 2 ended you couldnt guess the ammount of crap that it´s universe now has plus there´s the issue of the Worldstone being destroyed.Well, like I said before, Warcraft's an entirely different monster. Within the first two games they established multiple story arcs that occasionally operated independent of each other. There was no core narrative. Now it's at the point that Warcraft, as a story, can't possibly ever end. Diablo was a linear story, with few story arcs that deviated from a core storyline.

Warcraft is about the whole world of Azeroth. Diablo was about a single plot in the world of Sanctuary. I'm saying that it doesn't matter how much crap is in its universe, that story is over. So yeah, you could make a new story set in Sanctuary with all kinds of ancillary crap, but that wouldn't be Diablo anymore. That would be a different story in the same setting.

[Kenzuki]

They could still call it Diablo III, I don't see why keeping the name would hurt anything. And yeah The Black Road was the only one I really had trouble finishing, I liked the Kingdom of Shadow and Legacy of Blood though.

Edit: In some ways I like the Diablo Novels better than the Warcraft ones. It's because they had alot of new lore and story and they are more darker than the Warcraft ones. Perfect for a lonely night at the house :P

[Rowan Seven]

I saw this coming as well. In some interview a Blizz rep said that they were pretty much a multiplayer and online gaming company... go figures...

Remember, Blizzard has been an online game company for quite some time. As strong as the single-player options for Diablo, Starcraft, and Warcraft have been, the staying power of these games has rested in their multiplayer online capabilities. In my opinion, it makes sense that Blizzard would describe themselves as such.

[Nephalim]

They could still call it Diablo III, I don't see why keeping the name would hurt anything.Of course they could call it whatever they want. But the first two games and expansion were part of the same story. I don't mean part of the same universe or franchise, they are all part of a single, linear plot, which has ended. It had an ending complete with resolution. And this plot revolved almost wholly around Diablo (the character). Any sequel would herald the birth of a new plot, and if Diablo (the character) were absent from this plot, calling the game Diablo 3 would be fairly inappropriate.

Naturally, I wouldn't expect that to stop anyone, if Baldur's Gate II (in which we never saw or heard mention of Baldur's Gate, let alone WENT there) is any indication. All I mean is that the existing Diablo games are about Diablo.
It's because they had alot of new lore and story and they are more darker than the Warcraft ones.Really. I've never found the Diablo novels to have very much in the way of lore. Or, if they do, it's only lore relevant to that particular plot. Even Legacy of Blood told us nothing about Bartuc or Horazon we didn't already know.

[Kenzuki]

They have what I like to call little nuggets of knowledge.

[Nephalim]

Perhaps, but I'd say that the Warcraft books have them in various degrees but in much more ample amounts.

[Vicious]

Even Legacy of Blood told us nothing about Bartuc or Horazon we didn't already know.

I think that the purpose of that book was to give closure to that particular storyline.

[Darkwind]

Starcraft needs to have an RTS sequel first, then they can open it up for an MMO (RPG or FPS, though I'd prefer the latter).

Diablo. . .hmmmm. I disagree about the narrative ending. Tyrael specifically says that the Worldstone being destroyed will hold untold consequences for Santuary.

Personally? I'd love to see Tyrael fall after the destruction of the Worldstone as a parallel to Lucifer and take up the Diablo mantle. A little predictable, but its a way to continue the story. I'd rather his be just an online RPG, though. I fear a MMO Diablo would just be "Dark Warcraft".

And I really need to read the Diablo/Starcraft novels. I've only read the first of each (Legacy of Blood and Liberty's Crusade) yet I've read every Warcraft novel. . .

[Cantus]

Of course they could call it whatever they want. But the first two games and expansion were part of the same story. I don't mean part of the same universe or franchise, they are all part of a single, linear plot, which has ended. It had an ending complete with resolution. And this plot revolved almost wholly around Diablo (the character). Any sequel would herald the birth of a new plot, and if Diablo (the character) were absent from this plot, calling the game Diablo 3 would be fairly inappropriate.

Many games and novels attach their names to an already well known world, but create a divergent story line from the arcs already known in the series. It's because of these that people are kept interested, because eventually (as in something like the Matrix), a single character dragged through and empowered simply becomes too powerful to control. There is only so much you can do to expand a single character, and after that point, there isn't really much more of an adventure.

This is why the expanded Star Wars universe held my interest for only awhile, because there was no character advancement without the author chancing giving Luke or Han too much power.

Instead by expanding the cast of characters, and using the universe the original ones are set in for new adventures, we can stay engrossed with the setting while still advancing towards a distinct future.

[Nephalim]

Instead by expanding the cast of characters, and using the universe the original ones are set in for new adventures, we can stay engrossed with the setting while still advancing towards a distinct future.But if you remove Diablo and the Prime Evils from the setting, there's not a whole lot to it. I understand what you're saying, that yes we could make a sequel sans Diablo set in the world of Sanctuary. What I'm saying, as I've been saying for a while, is that it would be such a far cry from Diablo that veteran fans would find little for them to go on - it would barely be a sequel at all. Diablo was centred primarily around Diablo. Without him, there's really only places and names. This might be enough for some, but I just don't see the point. It seems like a sequel for the sake of having a sequel.

[Kenzuki]

But if you remove Diablo and the Prime Evils from the setting, there's not a whole lot to it. I understand what you're saying, that yes we could make a sequel sans Diablo set in the world of Sanctuary. What I'm saying, as I've been saying for a while, is that it would be such a far cry from Diablo that veteran fans would find little for them to go on - it would barely be a sequel at all. Diablo was centred primarily around Diablo. Without him, there's really only places and names. This might be enough for some, but I just don't see the point. It seems like a sequel for the sake of having a sequel.


One could say the same thing about a Warcraft without humans vs orcs.

[Tularis]

Kenzuki has a point; Warcraft 3 felt vastly different to Warcraft 2. Not a bad thing from my point of view - indeed a welcome change - but all of a sudden the orcs weren't even villians at all, and other major forces were attempting to now destroy the world. yet it worked. The same could be done for Diablo. I don't particularly care if they do or not - I could never get into the Diablo storyline as much as Warcraft or Starcraft, but they could.

[Flamestrider]

Warcraft still has humans and orcs.

[Vicious]

Warcraft still has humans and orcs.

Kenzuki was talking about their conflict.

[Nephalim]

One could say the same thing about a Warcraft without humans vs orcs.Not really. The human vs orc conflict was at the core of Warcraft 1, but in Warcraft 2, other elements began to phase their way into the lore, and by Warcraft 3 the game could survive without it.

But Warcraft has always been an entirely different monster. It had a much more elaborate storyline, less linear, and never centred around individual characters until Warcraft 3, but even then, there was a host of characters. Warcraft has been about the WORLD.

Diablo never phased in another story, rather, it brought seemingly unrelated stories into its core one, such as the Izual subplot. When it ended, it left no solid ground on which to continue that plot. A sequel won't continue the story, it will have to make a new one. And like I said, I'm sure there are those among you who might want that, I just don't see the point. It's like a Silence of the Lambs sequel with no Hannibal Lecter.

[Flamestrider]

Kenzuki was talking about their conflict.

My bad; I misread "humans vs. orcs" as "humans and orcs." Needless to say, I was a bit confused.

...Yeah, what Nephalim said.

[Aldrius]

But does orcs vs. humans necessarily have to pertain to them... warring with eachother?

It could be a cultural conflict. Granted, that's not as exciting, but it's better than dragging something out.

[Kenzuki]

But does orcs vs. humans necessarily have to pertain to them... warring with eachother?

It could be a cultural conflict. Granted, that's not as exciting, but it's better than dragging something out.

Orcs and humans having this cold war crap doesn't cut it. Both the humans and orcs WANT to kill each other, at least the ones who actually fought in a War, not some hippy like Thrall and Jaina who never saw what happened during the conflict. Of course it's easy for them to forgive one another, their hands are clean. But I digress, it won't happen anymore because Blizzard doesn't do that anymore.

They should either make them have a full scale war or just shut the heck up and make a peace treaty and kiss one another.

[Aldrius]

But are there many of the orcs and humans left? Even King Varian was only young when the second war came about.