-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Blizzard Cancels Next-Gen MMO Titan
- Thread starter Deadly Cyclone
- Start date
SatelliteOfLove
Member
They wouldn't want what he's selling. Speaking of which...
After looking at how people (as a whole) react to what those things actually are, and more importantly, what they require from people, I highly doubt it. Players, developers, publishers, media, investors...they all want that precipitous climb in the scale of involvement that WoW had over its first 4 years, the virility, the future it brings.
But then you look at how involvement in MMO mechanics no longer has the acceptibility it once had and something as participatory as player-driven asset-generation, economy, and activiities for as long a haul as four years of growth needs to exist will probably never have that kind of lure now. It's too transient now for too many, effort gets in the way of rewards, less effort, less participation; less participation, less socialization; less socialization, smaller installbase.
At the very least that player-driven sandboxy model could have worked out great, but is now burdened with being The Next Big Thing and the hype cycle begins its merciless grind once more...
Sapphire Dreams
Member
Can't really say I am surprised, the WoW model of MMOs simply doesn't work anymore.
SenjutsuSage
Banned
If their hearts weren't into it, then it makes sense to cancel it and work on something they all actually want to make.
A next gen World of Warcraft would be pretty big if handled right. Then again, maybe that's exactly what Titan was (a codename maybe).
A next gen World of Warcraft would be pretty big if handled right. Then again, maybe that's exactly what Titan was (a codename maybe).
Azzurri
Member
They never said it was a 'Themepark'
Is this the work of something like a cloud -> butt extension?
gabrielbsb
Neo Member
It makes me remember when EA cancelled Ultima X: Odyssey
Saddest day ever
Saddest day ever
Assuming they're telling the truth, I suppose it's better not to release a bad game than it is to release an uninspired one. As far as I'm concerned, they did a pretty god job with what they have out so far. Still, a new MMO would have definitely caught my interest. WoW is a well-designed, mechanically sound game (frankly, the best in the market), but I don't think I'm alone in saying that I'm a bit fatigued with regards to the franchise.
Wolfgunblood Garopa
Member
It's a middling MMO similar to the others. I played for a month, there's not much to it. Certainly nothing that will catch on other than from players looking for that standard MMO experience for a bit, then drop it after a month or two. It's the same story- these average MMOs come out, they don't want to invest too much in infrastructure at launch because they know the player count will nosedive after a month, then it's about holding on for dear life and hope people wait for the actual fun stuff that could be possible if the game can make it.
Everquest Next seems like the only one coming that has a shot.
Freyjadour
Member
For anyone hoping for WoW 2: the interviews seem to indicate no real interest in the MMO space outside of keeping the WoW 1 ship afloat. I'd expect more games like Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm.
I'm not too surprised about this. WoW is still good and I love FFXIV, but people are (rightfuly so) becoming more discerning about what MMOs they play and stay attached to the ones they like. (Myself included).
Unless Titan was set to be something just incredibly good or revolutionary, Blizzard would have found themselves essentially competing with their own game and established money maker. I think they can continue to improve WoW and add on that and focus the resources that would be assigned to making a new MMO to making other games instead.
Unless Titan was set to be something just incredibly good or revolutionary, Blizzard would have found themselves essentially competing with their own game and established money maker. I think they can continue to improve WoW and add on that and focus the resources that would be assigned to making a new MMO to making other games instead.
Sapphire Dreams
Member
It's not that there won't be anymore successful MMOs, just those built to have a subscription to play it, how many games went to F2P because of this ?
And if the declining wow numbers indicate anything, that people are less likely today to pay for a subscription just to play a game.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
They never said much of anything, (hence my desire for off-the-record scuttlebutt).
I'd like to know that myself.
This is really shocking, but I actually respect them quite a bit for it. WoW has definitely become something totally different than it started as, but it certainly isn't bad. Blizzard needs some freshness and something really innovative and in a way I'm glad they still stand behind their own reputation to such a degree they would do this rather than release something mediocre.
It's strange logic but there is something that makes me kind of pleased hearing this rather than this just turning into another piece of high profile vaporware.
It's strange logic but there is something that makes me kind of pleased hearing this rather than this just turning into another piece of high profile vaporware.
Maybe it was shaping up to be not-great and that's why they canceled it. I doubt they destroyed a good thing just to spite you.
TetraGenesis
Member
Whoa.
Did not expect that.
Everquest Next, save us! You're next-gen (current-gen) MMO's only hope!
Did not expect that.
Everquest Next, save us! You're next-gen (current-gen) MMO's only hope!
Mengy
wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
I'd rather see a modern version of Rock N Roll Racing!
But no, my guess is they are going to do something brand new. A game that is smaller in design but huge in scope, something emergent and creative where the players can take the core game and turn it into something larger than itself. And following traditional Blizzard paths to success, they will be taking a game that is fairly new in genre that exists today but molding it with that patented Blizzard polish that will turn a good idea into a huge and fantastic runaway success.
Like they did with Diablo. (action RPG's)
And with Starcraft (twitch strategy games)
And with World of Warcraft. (Everquest and MMO's weren't casual friendly)
And with Hearthstone. (MTG took too long to capitalize on their own market corner)
And soon to do again with Heroes of the Storm. (Dota2 is popular but not casual friendly)
And next up they will do it again with....
http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/4343-Blizzard-Cancels-Titan-Project
Minecraft
If I had to wager a guess, I'm betting that both Minecraft being so incredibly popular EVEN THOUGH it's horribly outdated and inefficient tech wise, and Microsoft buying it recently, has made Blizzard take notice and decide to make a Blizzard Minecraft style game done with a Blizzard modern polish to it. It's a simple game design wise that they can churn out and support fairly easily, it will be online on Bnet only, and it will have persistant online worlds in a modern yet typical Blizzard graphical style engine that allows much more flexibility and possibilities than a Java game is limited to.
Blizzard Minecraft Clone incoming IMHO. Mojang took too long to improve on their own game satisfactorily, and Microsoft will be too late to the punch to keep Blizzard from stealing marketshare from them.
Freyjadour
Member
Nevermind the fact that subscription MMOs are some of the highest money to time entertainment value there is.
In reference to the bolded:
I'm sorry but you just don't know what you're talking about. If anything Final Fantasy has one of the most stable user-bases in the market outside of WoW (maybe even more stable than WoW looking at the recent sub decline). To this day they still have to lock new character creation on some servers, took me two weeks of checking to be able to make a toon on Exodus. They have also done a total of Zero server mergers.
The game is fantastic and has a lot to offer its target audience.
http://www.novacrystallis.com/2014/04/final-fantasy-xiv-passes-the-2-million-subscriber-mark/
Death Metalist
Member
Looking at this now and Square Enix's FF(which is atleast coming out, finally even though I don't care for the series, I feel for the fans), this is disappointing. lol, I would hate to be in the team working on something for 5+ years only then to cancel it but I guess that WoW monies wouldn't make a difference in what I would feel now, would it?
Anyways, maybe they will work on something different or nothing at all. Who knows.
Anyways, maybe they will work on something different or nothing at all. Who knows.
MattPeters
Member
Here's hoping they open the doors on the project and show what they have, and what they were trying to do with it. Doubtful they'll do that though, probably just roll certain features into World of Warcraft over the course of a few years.
ShinMaruku
Member
Not surprising really. When a game passes 5 years and no public viewing, it's be to say it's dead. Personally I think Blizzard peaked and declined with making wow, of course they can make a resurgance but they'd need to have some serious changes in their culture. However for MMO players everything is fine, so Blizzard can keep doing what they do.
I think there's no chance either Activision or Blizzard would be interested in doing something like that, sadly.
Anyways, not really surprising.
Jin
Member
I was going to post this. What a shame. Imagine what the two expansion would've looked it like if the A team stayed.
TharpDaddy
Member
I don't think Heroes of the Storm will take off like Hearthstone did. League of Legends and Dota are both massive. It will probably do well, but I don't see it overtaking either.
Wolfgunblood Garopa
Member
I was there at launch for like a month. It's not the kind of game Titan was aiming to be and what people are looking for in a next gen MMO. It's a fairly typical MMO experience that SE can easily carve a success out of.
I'm referring to WoW killers, or the next big thing that will lure WoW players. I don't think that MMO can be made anymore. Blizzard couldn't salvage one out of years of investment.
SenjutsuSage
Banned
Blizzard should make a console first singleplayer RPG epic.
The Lamonster
Member
IMO anything Blizzard makes is going to be awesome. HOWEVER, asking for something brand new like this means you'll be waiting 10+ years for it.
I'd rather them just keep pumping out content on existing engines for a while.
SneakyStephan
Banned
Noone who plays mobas cares about hots
Why would they want to lose money?
We don't really know what kind of game Titan was aiming to be. Why would they want to release a game to kill WoW? That doesn't make any kind of business sense.
We can speculate all day on whether a WoW killer is possible (I also believe it's unlikely) but my post that you quoted didn't say anything about a WoW killer.
In response to:
People can make MMOs, and FF14:ARR is a great example of that, even if it really is the only one.
...Ignoring that this is extremely detached from what Blizzard is, at the end of the article they basically imply they're going to be doing smaller projects going forward, not bigger.
Polygon said:
Drake
Member
I mean, you gotta hand it Blizzard. They're not joking when they say if something doesn't meet their standards they will not release it.
With that said it's disappointing. I was looking forward to this game (despite not knowing anything about it). Props to Blizzard though. With that said I hope they really try to make a new IP. As much as I love Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo I would like something new.
With that said it's disappointing. I was looking forward to this game (despite not knowing anything about it). Props to Blizzard though. With that said I hope they really try to make a new IP. As much as I love Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo I would like something new.
Mengy
wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
No, but a lot of casuals like me do. People who do not like Dota2 due to it's high level of entry and elitist mechanics. I'm not saying it will dethrone Dota2 or LoL, I doubt anyone thinks that, but there is certainly space in the marketplace for a more casual friendly MOBA that does not exist today.
And I'm betting that if I'm right and Blizzard makes a Minecraft clone next then it won't take the place of Minecraft, but there are an awful lot of Minecraft players who yearn for a more modern and featured version of the game. To date there hasn't been a contender to take those players away from Minecraft, but if someone came along and did it justice, it would be extremely successful.
That's smart. MMOs are a huge time and moneysink that offer no guarantees. Why do that when you can be successful with something small(ish) like a online-focused collectible digital card game?
jim2point0
Banned
Not surprising. MMOs just aren't catching on anymore it seems.
WoW 2 will never happen. They said they do upgrades to the engine every expansion so WoW 2 would... look like current WoW.
Blizzard will probably focus on F2P games now. Smaller scale ones with lots of re-playability. I could see them taking ideas from the Starcraft custom maps selection as there are some really awesome games there.
Blizzard will probably focus on F2P games now. Smaller scale ones with lots of re-playability. I could see them taking ideas from the Starcraft custom maps selection as there are some really awesome games there.
You haven't even played it and feel like the world has ended? :/