Category: PC (Page 11 of 18)

      Blizzard still updating Diablo II

      December 10, 2009 /

      Diablo 2 werebear.While you’re waiting for Diablo III, Blizzard’s been hard at work updating the game’s predecessor. There’s a new patch coming for Diablo II, and it’s available for beta testing right now.

      Why patch a nine year-old dungeon masher, you ask? Well, apparently people needed the ability to respec their characters. It’s a nice addition, even if you only get to do it once. Really, spending the 20 minutes it takes to get rushed to Hell is just so much work.

      There are also some bug fixes and spell tweaks associated with the patch, pretty run of the mill stuff. Anyone out there still playing this game? I picked it up for about a day a few weeks back and remembered quickly why I quit.

      Source: Battle.net

      Activision, Development, PC

      Blizzard says WoW imitation is flattering, “not the right move”

      December 1, 2009 /

      World of Warcraft old welcome screen.In an interview for the latest issue of PC Zone, Blizzard lead producer Shane Dabiri tried to discourage aspiring MMO developers from attempting to copy World of Warcraft, saying it’s “definitely not the right move.” Instead, he thinks those same devs should be looking to create “innovative new MMOs.”

      Sounds like good advice to me. Really, why would anyone play a new game that’s just like WoW when there’s an established player base – a gigantic one at that – around Blizzard’s baby. “Players that have invested time in WOW don’t just want to do the same thing in other game – they want to try something completely new and different,” said Dabiri. Again, true. This was part of the reason I quit playing Warhammer. I thought I was just burnt on WoW, but almost all MMOs today use the same grinding method to grant players rewards. It gets old. Someone, somewhere has to have a new idea about thousands of players interacting with one another.

      That’s another important point – the shift in MMO development has to be about more than just setting. Part of WoW‘s success is that it has an engaging, coherent world, but more importantly it was a new style of play for millions of people. That’s what we really need from a new MMO – something that feels completely different from anything we’ve played before.

      Source: cvg.com

      Activision, MMO, PC

      Today marks World of Warcraft’s fifth anniversary

      November 23, 2009 /

      First look at Orgrimmar.Today Blizzard’s World of Warcraft turned five. Though not the first game of its kind, it’s certainly the runaway hit of the MMO genre, only likely to be dethroned by Blizzard’s next massively multiplayer project.

      The game launched on this same date in 2004, marking the 10th anniversary of the Warcraft franchise. Since then it has sold nearly 9 million copies in the US, added two expansions, and has a third on the way. The numbers are mind-blowing, especially when you consider the subscriber base that plunks down as much as $15/month for access to the ever-changing world.

      Let’s avoid the “pathetic waste of time/best game evar” debate to simply consider the impact WoW has had on the industry. Pretenders to the MMO throne are usually long dead by five years, and the ones that survive are top-heavy ghost towns where only the zealous continue to play. By contrast, WoW has continued to grow and expand around the globe, attracting attention even from people who could care less about the game. The sheer number of man-hours invested in the game is no doubt staggering, and something I’d really like to see when Blizzard finally shuts down the servers.

      So here’s to WoW and all the fun we’ve had in Azeroth. Now, who wants to buy my account?

      Activision, MMO, PC

      No date for Diablo III means no time soon

      November 22, 2009 /

      Diablo III concept logo.For a while there I was hoping Blizzard would spring a holiday surprise on us and drop Diablo III just before the end of the year. I realize it would have been crazy – this season is already packed with blockbuster titles for every platform and Blizzard likes to be everyone’s primary focus when it launches a new game. It makes sense, then, that we won’t see the game this year. Or next. But probably the one after that.

      Speaking with TechLand, Rob Pardo said Blizzard isn’t even approximating a release date yet. “We always announce all of our games too early,” he said. “We realize that and go, ‘You know what? Next time we’re not going to do that.’ And then we always fail at that. But I’d rather fail at that than fail at making the game great. I think it’s safe to say that, yeah, [Diablo III] is not going to be out next year.”

      On the one hand you have to respect his position. It’s pointless to claim a release date if you’re just going to push it back again and again. On the other, though, it’s tough to see the point in talking so much about the game when we could be two years from release. The game already feels overdue, and it’s not like the gameplay or the graphics are so earth-shattering as to be considered even excellent in two years or more.

      I’d call this the next Duke Nukem if it were anyone but Blizzard and anything but Diablo.

      Activision, PC, Previews

      Blizzard throws a bunch of content at Starcraft II site

      November 20, 2009 /

      Starcraft II.Blizzard updated the official Starcraft II page today with all sorts of goodies for you ravenous fans. I was excited to see some 17 new screenshots from both gameplay and cinematics. As you’d expect, the cinematics have that special Blizzard flair, the kind that usual makes me wish the company’s games were a tad less stylized for actual gameplay.

      The update also showcases the storytelling aspects of SC2. I love to see tidbits like this, especially because it can be difficult to develop a solid storyline with, well, any game. The Starcraft II campaign sounds great, even if you’ll spend the vast majority of your time online. Blizzard also tossed in a short story about the Changeling unit.

      For the map addicts among you, there’s also a closer look at how Blizzard makes 1v1 maps into a strategic battle. Again, a nice read and a great look behind the scenes.

      PC, Previews

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 Fearless Gamer

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑