wraggster
February 23rd, 2012, 23:15
World of Warcraft developer to continue experimenting with monetisation models
Blizzard Entertainment is the next major games studio to embrace free-to-play and will apply the model in an upcoming, as yet unannounced game, Develop understands.
Following some eight years of success with its trailblazing MMO World of Warcraft, it is said that the California studio will expand business opportunities and create both subscription and freemium titles.
A Develop source connected to the matter did not provide further details on Blizzard’s free-to-play game project. The studio is widely known to be working on the so-called ‘Project Titan’, and is finalising the Diablo 3 for launch, though it has capacity for multiple projects.
A Blizzard spokesperson has declined to comment.
The move could be seen as a distinct change of strategy for Blizzard, given Warcraft’s millions of paying users. However, despite a dramatic loss in WoW subscribers over the past year, Blizzard has stabilised its user numbers with aggressive marketing operations and – crucially – free-to-play deals.
http://www.develop-online.net/news/39915/New-Blizzard-game-to-be-free-to-play
Blizzard Entertainment is the next major games studio to embrace free-to-play and will apply the model in an upcoming, as yet unannounced game, Develop understands.
Following some eight years of success with its trailblazing MMO World of Warcraft, it is said that the California studio will expand business opportunities and create both subscription and freemium titles.
A Develop source connected to the matter did not provide further details on Blizzard’s free-to-play game project. The studio is widely known to be working on the so-called ‘Project Titan’, and is finalising the Diablo 3 for launch, though it has capacity for multiple projects.
A Blizzard spokesperson has declined to comment.
The move could be seen as a distinct change of strategy for Blizzard, given Warcraft’s millions of paying users. However, despite a dramatic loss in WoW subscribers over the past year, Blizzard has stabilised its user numbers with aggressive marketing operations and – crucially – free-to-play deals.
http://www.develop-online.net/news/39915/New-Blizzard-game-to-be-free-to-play