In my opinion, Blizzard is the best PC exclusive games developer in the world.
To date I have lost more hours of my life to games carrying the Blizzard logo than any other developer.
It started out 15 years ago (1994) with Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, which was Blizzard’s first breakthrough core title. I could barely read and write, but when given the opportunity to control miniature Orcs, gather resources and build an army out of the earth; I became a tiny micromanaging economic genius.
Blizzard followed up a year later with Warcraft II (1995), and another year later with Diablo (1996). I can’t remember exactly which console I owned at the time, and in the three years of these three releases I became a firm PC fanboy. It was only much later that consoles managed to win be back to a more neutral standing.
1997 was a quiet year for the developers, at least as far as the public could tell. That was fine by me though, as I was quite happy to gorge myself on the follow up expansions to Warcraft II (1995&1996) as well as become acquainted for the first time with the concept of multiplayer RTS.
In the following year however, it became abundantly clear that Blizzard had been very busy when they dropped the massively popular StarCraft (1998). In gaming terms, that year will for me always be remembered as “The StarCraft year”. I did not play much of anything else, and at the time it seemed that neither did many other people, as StarCraft became arguably the world’s most popular real time strategy game.
1999 was another quiet one, but the following year Blizzard released Diablo II (2000). A year later, we got an expansion to the demonic dungeon trawler, Diablo II: Lord of destruction (2001), and the year after that Blizzard dropped Warcraft III (2002).
In the following two year , Blizzard gave us an expansion to Warcraft III – The Frozen throne. (2003) (DOTA anyone?).
At this point, Blizzard was unstoppable, having yet to put a foot wrong. I had happily poured hours of my life into their titles, and little did I know that they had only just begun.
In 2004, Blizzard released World of Warcraft (2004); perhaps the most successful (and profitable) game yet to be released on any platform. Words cannot describe the wonderment and general awesomeness I experienced in my time with WoW.
It remains the only game I have ever stopped playing as a result of it being too compelling, involving and immersive. Unfortunately, life needed me and I had to begrudgingly hang up my “Brutal Gladiator’s Waraxe”.
Since its release in 2004, World of Warcraft has enjoyed two expansion packs (2007&2008). Apart from those, Blizzard has been rather quiet in terms of new releases. However, if history has taught us anything, then it is that when Blizzard is not bringing something big out, they are preparing to.
Currently, Blizzard has a number of confirmed projects in development. Star Craft II, Diablo III and an unnamed next gen MMO. According to a report by Gamezine, Blizzard COO, Paul Sams has confirmed that Blizzard is planning “a front-line title every year”.
Sams would not give any details regarding exactly which games would be released in which years, but it is safe to assume that the first of the StarCraft II trilogy (Wings of Liberty) will be Blizzard’s next release. This prediction has been given additional weight by the announcement that the Beta would go live in the next few months.
If Sams’ claim that the developer will release a front-line title every year over the next few years is to be believed, then it seems unlikely that they will release Diablo III in the same year that they bring out the first of the StarCraft II games.
Furthermore, Blizzard has not brought out two full titles in a single year since 1995 when it released “The Lost Vikings II” and “Justice League task force” in the same year. Needless to say, Blizzard has come a long way since then.
Given that Diablo III and Starcraft II are both massive releases in their own right, it would not make sense from a business perspective to release the two games in the same year.
Unless Blizzard was to release SCII very early in 2009, which is now looking impossible, and Diablo III at the very end of the year, we do not see the two emerging in the same year.
Our predictions for Blizzard releases
2009: Star Craft II: Wings of liberty (June– October)
2010: Diablo III (April – July)
2010: StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (November – December)
2011: StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void (November – December)
2012/2013: Next Gen unannounced MMO
While Sams claims that they will be releasing a lead title a year, we don’t see Blizzard releasing the first StarCraft II title this year and then not following up with a release in 2010. We also cannot imagine Diablo III coming later than 2010, it therefore stands to reason that we should get both of them next year.
If anything, Diablo III will be released later on in 2010 and the second Star Craft II title will be pushed back a year.
There is also the chance of a final World of Warcraft expansion; however, this is not something that we are holding out for.
Disclaimer: These speculations are just that, speculations.
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