Diablo3.com becomes Diablofans.com! Blizzard acquires diablo3.com.
Well, there's no point in beating around the bush any longer, so let's get right down to it. A few months ago we were contacted by Blizzard in regards to the Diablo3.com domain name. While they appreciate all the work that's been put into running this big Diablo fan community over the years, they still want the domain name. Hmm, I wonder why? Now before you get all up in arms about it, allow me to explain a few things.
First off, this fan site isn't going anywhere, it's just getting a new name: Diablofans.com! Blizzard is actually being really cool about it, giving us all the time we need to make it a smooth transition before we hand the old domain over to them. So be sure to update all of your bookmarks and point 'em to diablofans.com instead. Your user accounts will all still be perfectly functional and, along with this new site name, we'll soon have a big site redesign up and running as well. A new name, a new look. Huzzah!
Secondly, while Blizzard is indeed acquiring the diablo3.com domain name, they told me that this shouldn't be considered an announcement for the Diablo 3 game we've been waiting for all these years. They acquire new domains all the time. While this is true, I personally can't help but think that this is a confirmation of sorts that they're working on the next Diablo game. Sure, they can claim it's because they want to protect their intellectual properties 'n what have you, but I can't imagine they would all of a sudden be so interested in the diablo3.com domain if they weren't working on a new Diablo 3 game behind the scenes.
On a final note, I want to thank all of you guys who've made this community so strong over the years. It's only going to get better around here and I hope you'll all stick with us. One of the nice things about this whole name-change ordeal is that Blizzard really appreciates the fact that we're a dedicated fan site and we'll be working with them much more closely in the future to bring you the latest Diablo game news.
It's funny, I've had so many offers over the years from people who wanted to pay a lot o' cash for the diablo3.com domain name and I wasn't even willing to consider then. I set out to have a great Diablo fan site because I simply loved the Diablo series. Fortunately, with the help of some great people on the staff and fans like you, we accomplished just that. But when Blizzard came around asking for the domain, I was excited about it both as a Diablo fan and for their recognition of all the work we've put into the site. Fortunately for us, the diablofans.com domain name was available and it fit perfectly in line with the intentions of this site, so I registered it and here we are. Diablo3.com will still be active for a few more months so everybody can have a chance to get used to the new Diablofans.com domain. After that, it will simply point to the Blizzard.com homepage... at least until they're ready to use it for something more worthwhile. One of the nice things about the new diablofans.com domain is that it's all-encompassing. Instead of the site just being for people waiting on Diablo 3, it can serve as the main hub for *all* current and future Diablo games. Isn't it nice to know you'll always have a place online you can call home? Hey, even Diablo's demon minions need a place to hang their hats too.
Alright, that's all the news for now. I'm sure all of this news is gonna get the Diablo 3 rumor mill running like a mad banshee... so have fun discussing the announcement with your fellow Diablo fans!
update: Some gaming news sites are reporting that Blizzard "purchased" the diablo3.com domain from me. This is not the case. As I stated in the above post, if it was my intention to make a profit off of the domain, I could've sold it years ago, but I didn't. When Blizzard spoke to me about their interest in the domain, I was happy to give it to them since they had no problems with us moving the site to diablofans.com and will now be working more closely with us in the future. So yeah, I just wanted to clear that up... there is no monetary exchange taking place, I'm simply giving Blizzard the diablo3 domain.
[click here to discuss]
flagship didnt make diablo! blizzard did!!!! it was some people from flagship that were a part of the diablo series.....and as we have seen before blizzard is all about quality and these flagship guys arnt so its completely different
but iam telling you blizzard north is no flagship.....its blizzard north and company rules are different...at blizzard they will not release a bad game.....and flagship had no part in making diablo...they were not even a company when diablo was made
omg flagship did not make any diablos period....ever not diablo 1 not hellfire not d2 not lod...
I agree 100%
They now abide to Namco's rushing whip. I was a Hellgate Beta tester. Let's just say I didn't play the last few extra extended days. It is good for single player no doubt. But as a daily multiplayer ... sorry. No interest. I stick with WoW.
Move your debate here
http://www.diablofans.com/forums/showthread.php?p=198385#post198385
World of Warcraft was in production before 2002. My guess as I have said before is that Blizzard was working on a RPG hack & Slash 3D game to input lot of lore and bosses as a transition for a Diablo MMO.
Let's go back to 2003. Rick Seis took leadership of Blizzard North when the executives left. Rick said they had been working on two unannounced games.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2086499
30 employees had left a month after the executives resigned. This lowered the personnel available. So staff from Game A was moved to focus on Game B. If you check out the trademarks, Diablo II: Salvation was canned in the magic year ... 2003. That looked like a second expansion to Diablo II, which means it was probably going to continue the seemingly unfinished acts after the Worldstone was destroyed. And probably would have given path to the Diablo MMO.
Since there were these massive resign-waves, whatever Blizzard was working on (Game slowed down production. That game has been in the works for over 5 years. So I am really thinking it is a MMO. World of Warcraft took at least 5 years in the making.
But then ... Starcraft 2 started development after Frozen Throne shipped in July 2003. That's also 5 years in development for a non-MMO game. Hmm.
That makes the simultaneous 3D hack'n slash and MMO debatable, specially since team 3 is composed of 40 people.
Yet we gotta consider the novels. The novels are a very integral part to unannounced game development -- Chris Metzen is who cooks this soup. He makes the storyline and supervise the books and the game story.
World of Warcraft quests and NPCs existed only and exclusively in ... books. Caverns of Time: Durnholde with Thrall and Taretha in Durnholde (Warcraft: Lord of the Clans -- based on Warcraft Adventures). Burning Crusade ata'mal crystals and other locations existed in WoW: Rise of the Horde already. The chromatic dragonflight, Rhonin and Krasus (Warcraft: Day of the Dragon). The Sunwell, Anveena, Kalecgos, Jorad Mace, Tyri and Dar'Khan (Warcraft Manga: The Sunwell). The books are the key here to divinate what's up Blizzard's sleeve for the future of the franchise.
Did anyone rise an eyebrow when Trag'Oul the dragon was about to enter Sanctuary and voices stopped him from doing so because the fate of Sanctuary would mark the fate of the other worlds?
Those voices were guardians from those other worlds ... guardians such as Trag'Oul. Doesn't that sound like there are plans for a MMO where at some point Diablo players will continue the heaven vs hell war across other worlds beyond Sanctuary?
Do you remember Rogue Angels and Rogue Demons united to create Sanctuary? And there was a War against the Nephalem. Where did all those Rogue Angels go? Why is there only Inarius in the whole Trilogy? hmm ...
I actually did not rise my eyebrows so much, maybe because I've never thought about it. But now that you mention it...
Anyway, I might add up to your theory by mentioning the sole fact that the whole sinwar Troilogy is MMO material. If you think about it, the story never have a real "main" character, that couldn't been anyone else. It was more "convenience", a "possible" way to solve the unbalance. A random act of nature. If you look at it this way:
In an MMO, the character Uldyssian would be exchanged by loads of players, players that - such as WoW, will have to work together to kill BIG bosses (like lilith, or Mephistos accursed son). The players would be the group that Uldyssian bring along, the (can't seem to remember their names =/), you take the point.
Atleast it struck my mind not long ago.
By the way, I am thinking of starting to write a crosstext, and what an eventual MMO would be accordingly with the books.
And in the end I might add: "You were told the ending, now it is time to know the beginning".
This was my answer and watch closely how identical the Blizzard rep's reply is ... it is a canned PR response I have seen over and over, no offense.
This is what Blizzard rep told Next-Gen.Biz: "Please note that we regularly secure ownership of domain names to safeguard our intellectual properties, as was the case with this. Regarding any plans for a new Diablo game, as much as we’d like to eventually revisit that universe, .......... we don’t have any plans to announce at this time." - May 1, 2008
This is what Blizzard Rep said to DailyTech: Also, we have a very strong connection with the characters and settings of StarCraft, and we do plan to revisit that universe at some point in the future, ........... but we don't have anything new to announce in that regard at present. -- that was said on april 20, 2007
http://www.dailytech.com/new+blizzard+product+announcement+coming+may+19/article5736.htm
And surprise-surpise ... a month later on May 18, 2007 Blizzard announced Starcraft 2 at the Blizzard Worldwide Invitationals.
<<<< Rewind: "Please note that we regularly secure ownership of domain names to safeguard our intellectual properties, as was the case with this. Regarding any plans for a new Diablo game, as much as we’d like to eventually revisit that universe, we don’t have any plans to announce at this time."
Sure ... sure.
LMFAO! ...............
Watch this video, and imagine that the objects are bones, ashes, skulls, etc. Imagine trudging through that and stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ0HNHO5Uik
Mockery donated the domain name to Blizzard Entertainment. There was no money involved in the ownership transference. Mockery will transfer ownership to Blizzard on June.
I've been fascinated by the Havok engine time after time. Just imagine for a second how many mathematical equations had to be used to create those moving objects. Kind of mind-boggling.
That's why it takes so much money to use, and professional employees to apply it to games.