Jim Sterling (The Jimquisition)

Don't get too excited, they're probably just using Diablo as a shield.

I mean, I find it hard to not get at least a little bit excited about Diablo 2; it's one of the best games ever. But that is indeed what they're doing, no doubt about it.

Maybe they somehow figured we knew they'd make an Overwatch character LGBT to deflect criticism so they're trying to blindside us. I guess?

Blizad is so desperate for good publicity at this point I'm convinced they'd announce Starcraft ghost if it meant people would stop being mad at them

Well Starcraft itself is on its last legs as they canceled SC 3, putting that arc as final missions in SC 2 and basically stopped producing content so I doubt that’s ever happening.

Honestly I expect ‘Overwatch 2’ with some token something being the promoted as a big deal. A new Hearthstone xpac. A new Hero for Hot S. Lots of news for the next big Wo W patch. And maybe Diablo HD.

But nothing else. I bet Diablo Immortal will get a lot of time too.

I doubt that. Putting the recent controversy aside, Blizzard literally can't got another blizzcon without a substantial announcement after the last one. They'll announce something (Be it Overwatch 2 / Overwatch Story Mode or other) even if they only have concept art of it, simply to not have a repeat of last year, coz otherwise it'll become harder and harder for them to even have Blizzcons because people aren't gonna be as keen to spend money on a show that has nothing but micro dlcs to announce.

Plus Blizzard kinda needs a new product? Hearthstone already had MTG arena eat its lunch, and now Riot's own card game looks to do the same (all the HS streamers are, atm, playing it rather than hearthstone). Announcing new expansions only gonna keep the game going for so long. HOTS is all but dead. SC 2 is dead. Overwatch has been on a downward spiral since Battle Royales became the flavor of the day with several of its biggest figures moving on to other things. Blizzard needs to announce something less they just become "The Wo W company". "Warcraft 3 but with slightly better but not particularly impressive graphics" isn't gonna cut it either.

Plus as it's been pointed out before, distracting people with games they want has never been a failing tactic to end controversy.

Edited by Ghilz on Oct 21st 2019 at 8:33:35 AM

Diablo 4 has been effectively confirmed, actually. I would absolutely expect it to be announced. Someone that leaked it (and has a good track record) is saying we can also expect a Diablo 2 remaster and Overwatch 2

We'll see how well people react, but I feel like a new IP would do better

Edited by Hylarn on Oct 21st 2019 at 5:38:36 AM

OW-setting battle royale game? If they're gotta trend, they're gonna trend...

I find it funny that Blizzard is going to seriously say "I have the power of Satan and anime on my side."

It's not like Blizzard decided to suddenly make Diablo 4 so they could have an announcement at Blizzcon to distract from the China controversy. It's like how players accused them of putting out the "Old Soldier" cinematic for WoW in response to the anger over "Warbringers: Sylvanas". The cinematics take over a year to make each. Maybe the timing of its release was impacted, but I don't see how given that it was literally a week prior to the release of the pre-patch for Battle for Azeroth and the Battle for Lordaeron scenario contained therein.

There are plenty of reasons to be upset right now, but let's not make shit up.

As an aside, I don't play SC2 competitively, but I do enjoy watching tournaments. I don't really mind if we don't get a third game given how conclusively the second ended. It's not necessary to flog sequels forever and I wish more publishers would recognize this.

In their latest "Weekly Reset", Taliesin and Evitel addressed rumors that Blizzcon is going to be cancelled. I don't see how that is even remotely realistic at this point.

Edited by Fighteer on Oct 21st 2019 at 9:18:03 AM

A Starcraft 3 would be great.

And IIRC, they confirmed a Diablo 4 was in the works to salvage the Diablo Mobile fiasco, didn't they?

They just said that the mobile game wasn't meant to be Diablo 4. They didn't confirm at the time that they were developing Diablo 4.

I suspect that if they weren't in sore need of some better PR now, they'd have held off on announcing Diablo 4, if only to make sure that when they do announce it, they have more work to show off.

Announcing it now probably means we'll get concept art and a trailer.

Edited by M84 on Oct 21st 2019 at 9:42:26 PM

Considering the expanses people have already had to put forward to go, it'd be ridiculous to cancel so close.

Like I said, last year all but guaranteed Blizzard will announce something this year. The China thing likely won't impact Blizzard's decision. Except perhaps by making them hope everyone forgets about it when the new announcement comes out.

Edited by Ghilz on Oct 21st 2019 at 9:44:51 AM

I do feel bad for the employees at Blizzard who have to put up with the shit management forces on them. Remember that poor guy who got stuck with the short straw of announcing Diablo Immortal last year?

Edited by M84 on Oct 21st 2019 at 9:45:15 PM

Must have misunderstood that then.

Given that we know that Diablo IV is coming because they're advertising an artbook that has stuff from it, I'm going to say that it's probably fairly close to release anyway

YMMV on that. I am not convinced anyone in the dev being forced to be the ones reading the announcements, so long as it's a thing that might be encouraged and glamorous. Blizzard has marketing people. But I doubt they go "Hey development computer science guy who has no public speaking experience. Go on stage or you're fired". It's probably pushed and encouraged "They fans will love having a dev talk to them rather than some marketing guy" and maybe even rewarded when volunteered, but I doubt it's a forced requirement. I suspect no one at Blizzard saw how Diablo Immortals was gonna go down, because Blizcon announcement never have gone down badly, so Dev guy went "Sure, I'll do the announcement", and he got caught off guard when it did fail.

I do fully suspect though that a willingness to speak is a thing Blizzard makes a company value, especially when it comes to applying to jobs like team leads and project manager.

How do we know that there "isn't more work to show off" about D4? The fact that they are planning to announce it tells us they must have something more than concept art ready. I expect a trailer at the very least.

[shrug]. I'm happy to keep following Blizzard as long as they keep putting out quality content for WoW. I'm getting a bit bored with Hearthstone, but it's not like I was going to start playing any other online CCG, so mainly it's going to be that I stop spending any money on it and let it peter out.

Have they fallen into a creative rut lately? Could be. Does that have anything to do with Daddy Activision calling the shots? Hmmmmmmmm....

If Diablo IV is monetized through microtransactions (the RMAH notwithstanding; they surely won't try that again), I'll know for sure where their marketing direction is coming from.

Edited by Fighteer on Oct 21st 2019 at 10:34:05 AM

Assuming the rumours are true, what I'm expecting is this:

• Overwatch 2! Story mode! New mechanics! Coming pretty soon! (Let's ignore that it invalidates all the work you put into the original)
• Diablo IV is due in a year or so and is 100% on the live service train
• If you don't like these announcements you should be happy to know that there's a D2 remaster coming! (Eventually)

In which Jim picks up a stick and moves towards the already mostly rotten carcass of a horse that nobody really remembers anymore.

..also, holy shit, that came out this year, didn't it? I genuinely forgot and thought it came out the last one.

Edited by TheLovecraftian on Oct 21st 2019 at 12:52:40 PM

RIP Bioware can someone nail the coffin shut already

Edited by MightyKombat on Oct 21st 2019 at 4:38:41 PM

Of course all sign show that Bioware hasn't learned it's lessons coz rumors for DA 4 are filled with mention of it being a massively multiplayer live service.

Bioware thought the Destiny approach would work in 2019. It ain't 2014 where Destiny somehow had a lucky shot to stay relevant and successful to this day. (I have a very low opinion of Destiny franchise)

It’s called Activision funded advertisement & Bioware doesn’t have that.

Oh, no.

Edited by GoldenKaos on Oct 21st 2019 at 4:53:05 PM