"In the computer gaming world, Blizzard Entertainment is a juggernaut. The division of Activision Blizzard is responsible for some of the world's bestselling PC games, including World of Warcraft and StarCraft. But the company hasn't released a game for home consoles in more than a decade.
That could change any day.
Blizzard has nothing against controllers, joysticks or living rooms, said Paul Sams, Blizzard's chief operating officer, at last month's annual BlizzCon event in Anaheim. Financial details are what's holding up the company's long-overdue return to the console market.
To release an Xbox, Playstation or Wii game, game producers are required to pay a licensing fee to system manufacturers. It's a big reason why Microsoft and Sony can sell their hardware at a loss.
The simple economics goes: The manufacturers profit on game sales, even if they lose money on the hardware needed to play the games. They might lose money on each console, but the longer term prospect of selling more and more games should make back that loss (and then some).
"The value is the game," Sams agrees. But he doesn't like the business model. "I don't like the idea of paying a console manufacturer a fee. That concept pisses me off."
But the community aspect of consoles is compelling Blizzard to go beyond the all-too-familiar flicker of the bedroom computer monitor. "Because the living room is a place where more people can be around, there's a lot of reasons why it's appealing," Sams said.
In order to get there, however, Blizzard appears to be holding out for a console maker to cut a deal. "They do it all the time," Sams said. True, manufacturers will ...
... sometimes give bags of money in exchange for exclusive rights to high-profile game franchises.
Where might Blizzard go? As it prepares to launch its revamped online gaming network, called Battle.net, the company doesn't have much need for Microsoft's Xbox Live infrastructure or Nintendo's WiFi Connection.
Blizzard has a cozy history with Nintendo, having made games for the Super Nintendo and StarCraft 64 for the successor to the SNES. The Wii's remote control would be well-suited to the developer's flagship real-time strategy games.
Blizzard is shopping around Diablo III to consoles. "We are in ongoing talks with Microsoft and Sony," Sams said. "I think they desire to see us on their platforms."
A near-finished game called StarCraft: Ghost was the closest Blizzard has come to releasing a console game in years. Due to the loss of a key person on the outsourced development team, "it wasn't turning out the way we wanted," Sams said. So, Blizzard scrapped the project. That crucial developer, Ray Gresko, now leads work on Diablo III.
"I think that a lot of other companies would not have hesitated in publishing it," Sams said about the game based on its sci-fi franchise. "We weren't willing to put out a game that was not at the level of Blizzard polish quality that customers have come to expect."
As the battle between Microsoft and Sony becomes more aggressive, with both companies recently slashing the prices of their systems in advance of the holiday season, it may not be long before one plops the right deal down on Blizzard's table. -Mark Milian"
Yeah most of those guys are long gone.....new IP's are most probable....or possibly spin offs of there main franchises...like ghost was gonna be
Example DIII Control Layout for PS3/Xbox360:
Primary Attack/Open Object - X / A (PS3 / Xbox 360)
Secondary Attack - Square / X
Spell Hot-keys (4) - Right/Left Triggers and Bumpers
Directional Movement - Left Toggle (only one needed for 3rd person isometric view)
Aim/Select - Right Toggle (specify spell/attack direction/in-menu select)
Inventory - Circle / B
Show Items (on ground) - Triangle / Y (press once to activate 'Item pickup mode')
(^this will allow one to see all available loot on the ground - like holding alt used to - one then uses the Right Toggle to highlight and item and hits X/A to pickup)
Party Screen - Select
Skill Tree - D-pad Down
Character Stats - D-pad Right
Quests - D-pad Up
Spare Hot-Key - D-pad Left (potion/tp/whatever)
Anything Else - Start (would pause game)
To specify skill/attack placement simply open the skill tree, use the right toggle to highlight the desired skill, push in the right toggle to select then hit the desired Button/Hot-key to place. To abort hit Circle / B since it isn't an available attack.
To change weapons/armor/runes/ect. open the inventory screen and use the right toggle to highlight desired object. While highlight push in the right toggle to select and then repeat for the desired allocation. This system would work much more efficiently with the 'bag' style inventory. When one selects a rune it will automatically bring the user to the skill tree where one may select the skill to be affected.
Only one menu/stat screen will be open at a time to allow the player to still interact with the game environment. This shouldn't create any problems except if one wishes to see the effects of skills/items on ones base character stats. This can be resolved easily by showing in one way or another any stats that are directly affected.
Hitting the Start button will pause the game (like ESC) and will also allow the user to see/use any of the menu screens (quasi-Fable II).
Player to Player Chat will have to be voice only and since most people who pay for online gaming with their consoles already own a headset it shouldn't be a problem.
There is no need for a Map On/Off if the map is stationary in an upper corner of the game screen - full map view can be available through the start button.
It would most definitely attract more players to the game, indeed. But seriously, not many people own a PS3/XBOX360 and don't own a computer. At that point it's merely a choice of preference: PC or Console.
Also, the PS3 can be turned into a Quasi Computer, which definitely increases the chance of it being released there.
I'd be amazed if they could come up with something fresh. They've covered sci-fi and fantasy (and slightly horror and/or dark fantasy). All that's left is modern stuff, and that's never interesting to me, unfortunately. Although I guess if they did it right, my opinion might change.
Dunno. There's so many what-if's that it's hard to say anything with any credulity.
I don't see why the PC version would have to be dumbed down, though. They could just as easily make it great. It depends on how badly they want to captivate console and PC audiences, I guess.
Well... A console is usually more affordable than a good gaming PC (unless you're a builder, which most people, realistically, are not), which is why most people get in to consoles, first. Most people with PC's have, well, "crappy" ones that they just use for internet browsing, music, videos, IMing, and so on. Whereas anyone who has a console would be able to play it, not everyone with a PC can play it, because most PC's are general-purpose ones and most people do not have a more recent PC, especially because of the downturn in the economy.
Dunno
This is my biggest fear and im sure a lot of other ppl feel the same way after seeing how many other pc franchises have been dumbed down for the consoles the last few years but its not blizzards style to do that but if theres more money to be made in doing that then its possible they will do it
Yeah we pretty much will just have to wait and see.....and since this is blizzard were talking about were probably gonna be waiting a long long time lololol
Well, of course Diablo III and Starcraft II are in there, but still
But seriously it's great news for people who want to play Blizz games but don't have the money to afford the best comp there is ^_^!. Blizz will be able to conquer more unsuspecting souls, mouahahahahaha they're soooo evil :evil:.
you cant name a single blizzard game even upcoming ones we dont know the system reqs for that needs the best computer there is...lol u barely need a video card to run most blizz games atm
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
EDIT: What in the world is this? The date stamp on my post is 'Today, 12:04 AM' while all the posts above were apparently posted afterward, from 12:55 AM to 03:24 AM. Surreal.
/end topic
Thumbs down on D3 on consoles. Unless...
They change the interface and controls to be utilized by the PS3 and 360 while the PC version remains untouched.
As long as they make it in a "PC first" mentality.
thats so true....just look at games like bioshock(dumbed down system shock), and the elder scrolls series.....I doubt blizzard will dumb there games down but we can only wait to see
Secondly, I don't see what would be wrong with D3 being on a consol. If anything I think the controls would be easier for a hack and slash game. 1-6 keys on your keyboard do not flow near as well as th le a,b,x,y rt, lt, configuration on a controller. you could button mash different skills so much easier on a controller. There is not much else needed for D3. Left analog to move and right Analog to move a selection arrow Start but for character menu. Select button for skill menu. Plus you would still have rb,lb for anything else. Diablo is not a very keyboard sensitive game. I just don't see why some people are so adiment about no diablo for console. I could see Starcraft that is relian on a quick mouse having a problem but not diablo.