Rumor: My Thoughts on the Next Gen MMO

Posted 30th Jun 2009 03:38 PM by Medievaldragon

What does Next-Gen MMO means? Anyone knows? I have looked online and there doesn’t seem to be a formal definition of what it entails. The only way I can learn what a Next-Gen MMO entails is comparing it with other games out there in development that use the same term. For example, Square Enix is working on a Next-Gen MMO. Final Fantasy XI team confirmed development on a new MMORPG for consoles and Windows Vista. This has been the self-definition I had thought all this time it could mean.

Knowing the bits I know of, my gut tells me the Next-Gen MMO might be StarCraft Ghost Online on PC/Consoles. Starcraft: Ghost was postponed, not cancelled—at a juncture where PS2 and XBox were to be displaced by PS3 and Xbox 360.

Microsoft unveiled XNA on March 14, 2006. A week later, on March 22, Blizzard announced development on StarCraft: Ghost had been postponed indefinitely.

Blizzard Quote:

Blizzard Entertainment(R) Focuses Console-Development Plans on Next-Gen Platforms IRVINE, Calif.—March 24, 2006

Blizzard Entertainment Inc. today announced plans to focus the company’s console-development efforts on the next generation of console platforms. As part of this shift in focus, Blizzard(R) will indefinitely postpone production on StarCraft: Ghost(TM) while evaluating opportunities for utilizing the additional power of the new and upcoming console systems.

“Like many in the industry, we’ve been impressed with the potential of the new consoles, and we’re looking forward to exploring that potential further,” stated Mike Morhaime, president and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “In addition to allowing us to determine the best course for StarCraft: Ghost, this review period will help us lay the groundwork for our future console games.”

In the months ahead, Blizzard will further evaluate the next-gen console technology and determine the best plan of action for offering a StarCraft(R) console-gaming experience that meets the company’s expectations and those of its players. Further specifics on plans for StarCraft: Ghost and Blizzard’s future console games, as well as platform and release information, will be revealed at a later date.

On June 28, 2007—Rob Pardo said he hoped one day to return to Starcraft: Ghost.

On August 27, 2007—Rob Pardo hinted StarCraft: Ghost was not dead during an interview with GameDaily.biz.

On September 6, 2007—At the AGDC 2007, Mike Morhaime explains why StarCraft: Ghost was postponed.

On February 7, 2008, at the 2008 D.I.C.E., Blizzard presented a list of games the developers tackled and ultimately got cancelled. Games we didn’t even find out existed or were in development at the time. StarCraft: Ghost however eluded the list and was not present in the list of cancelled games.

Could it be StarCraft: Ghost is the Next-Gen MMO? Surely things look to be that way.

StarCraft Ghost: Academy (Tokyopop) and StarCraft Ghost: Spectres (Pocket Books) are scheduled for release on 2010. Leord told me yesterday that during his visit at the Blizzard Entertainment’s Headquarter last week it was said by a developer that Michael Liberty and Nova would be part of the StarCraft II single player.

It’s amazing how the manga and the books are so intertwined lorewise with the game and even between each of the printed format books. Just a few days ago, the Tokyopop editor revealed that the Dominion Senator’s telepath child from StarCraft: Frontline Vol. 3 War-Torn will also be a cast member in the StarCraft Ghost: Academy (Tokyopop).

I might be wrong all over again, but when I have a hunch, I go for it. A few years back, on March 19, 2005, I reported Dustin Browder had joined Blizzard Entertainment, and I posted my hunch ... that Dustin had been hired to work on StarCraft II. Dustin was hired on March 14, 2005.

I also had the hunch Diablo III would be announced at the 2007 Blizzard Worldwide Invitationals. I’m not infallible, but my gut tells me StarCraft Ghost might be the Next-Gen MMO. And if true, it might be announced at 2009 BlizzCon. Hold your tomatoes until then, in case I phail miserably.

Note: I keep scratching my head at a comment from someone (I will keep anonymous) who told me a few months ago, with an interesting remark, the following: “2010 is the year of the Ghost”.

Filed under: Blizzard Games News, Starcraft: Ghost News

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Mikeztarp

08:13 PM

If memory serves, one of the two unannounced games is a new IP, but I can’t remember if it’s the MMO or the other one. If it’s the latter, I’m with you on SCG being the “next-gen MMO”, altough it might not be called Ghost.

Hawki

09:10 PM

I’m pretty certain the MMO is a new IP. Resource management is a factor in the other unannounced game, which I’m guessing is Warcraft IV, which is known to exist, just not officially announced. And as for “year of the Ghost,” I can only assume that it’s referring to ‘Spectres’ and ‘Ghost Academy.’

Medievaldragon

10:18 PM

Hawki, check this out.

Game # 1: WoW xpac
Game # 2: Starcraft II
Game # 3: Diablo III
Game # 4: Next-Gen MMO
Game # 5: New IP Unannounced Game

It has not been stated there are two new IP games. Only the fifth was acknowledged to be a new IP.—read the references:

http://www.blizzplanet.com/blog/comments/fifth_blizzard_game_in_the_works_update/

Hawki

10:51 PM

Taken from http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=16903519279&pageNo=2&sid=1#20

“Games take years to develop from concept to release. Diablo III was in the works for years before being announced. StarCraft II was announced two years ago and isn’t even in Beta yet.

We have nothing to advertise for the new MMO because it’s a shell of a game thus far. We’ve already stated it’ll be a brand new franchise, which means the lore, art, and game play are being developed entirely from scratch. It’s an overwhelming process, but a process through which we excel. Our track record supports this.”

So yeah, I’m guessing the MMO is a new IP.

Reading the references you pointed out-perhaps I’m missing something, but the only indication I get of the fifth game being a new IP is that “it’s a brand new game which has not been mentioned before.” Since Warcraft IV was ‘‘announced’ by way of a slip-up, that leaves it open in my mind. Other possibilities are still open I guess.

Medievaldragon

11:03 PM

That quote doesn’t specify it is talking about the Next-Gen MMO. It’s referring to the new IP which is currently running on the World of Warcraft engine until they hire a software engineer to build a new engine from scratch.

The Next-Gen MMO hasn’t been specified to be a new IP.

PsiSeveredHead">PsiSeveredHead

11:18 PM

Why should we assume Blizzard is working on more than one MMO?

Evoker">Evoker

02:24 AM

Hmm, people you just don’t have information on the subject, which is no excuse in the time of Internet. So this - http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3174216 is the confirmation about that the new MMO is a new IP (there are more recent news about this, but you can search it alone).

http://www.diii.net/blog/comments/fifth-blizzard-game-in-the-works-update/ - this is the real deal. So the fifth game is not based on the new MMO, an more interesting it is not mentioned before (this expel StarCraft: Ghost). So WTF is this game?! And if it is not Ghost, then this should be sixth game, not fifth!

Medievaldragon

02:44 AM

Evoker: http://www.diii.net/blog/comments/fifth-blizzard-game-in-the-works-update/ - this is the real deal.

I posted that article linked. ^_^
All that info came from someone I unofficially contacted directly from Blizzard. Unofficially as in it was not a Public Relations representative. The person didn’t contact me. I knew the contact info.

Lon-ami">Lon-ami

11:09 AM

Ah, Medievaldragon, you Blizzard secret agent xDDD.

I think that the new MMO and the new IP mustn’t be the same game.

What I think, too, is that Blackhawk/Blackthorne will return as a shooter.

For the MMO, I would love it to be a futuristic shooting MMO. Be careful, MMO doesn’t mean MMORPG, it could mean a shooting game with 64 players per team or something like that.

Which I would love. Blizzard making Counter Strike or Star Wars Battlefront-like games?

Would be way better than the original ideas. Better, way better.

Also, I think that South Seas was the code-name for WotLK… :S

Finally, I don’t think that, currently, StarCraft franchise fits for a MMO game of any type. They lack the “troop numbers”.

Of course, that could change with StarCraft 2.

Who knows… for me, only fate for a shooter remains. Blizzard map editors are the best ever, and I would drool for months if a FPS game gets one of those editors.

Eldorian">Eldorian

11:28 AM

Paul Sam’s revealed in an interview to Kotaku in November that the new MMO would be an all new franchise: http://kotaku.com/5085312/

Also I remember WoW Community Manager Zaryhm saying the new MMO would be an all new franchise as well - I quote:

“Games take years to develop from concept to release. Diablo III was in the works for years before being announced. StarCraft II was announced two years ago and isn�t even in Beta yet.

We have nothing to advertise for the new MMO because it�s a shell of a game thus far. We�ve already stated it�ll be a brand new franchise, which means the lore, art, and game play are being developed entirely from scratch. It�s an overwhelming process, but a process through which we excel. Our track record supports this.”

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