Microsoft has ‘let Blizzard be Blizzard’ following its acquisition, studio says | VGC

[Gamernyc78]

Microsoft has ‘let Blizzard be Blizzard’ following its acquisition, studio says | VGC

Microsoft has “let Blizzard be Blizzard,” following the acquisition of the veteran developer according to World of Warcraft’s executive producer.

www.videogameschronicle.com

That’s according to Holly Longdale, executive producer and vice president of World of Warcraft, who discussed what life at Microsoft has been like for the developer during a recent interview with VGC.

“If anything, it’s just been helpful,” Longdale said. “We got time with Helen Chang from Mojang, and we were sharing information, so it’s almost as if we have access to what worked for them. We got to speak to the Elder Scrolls Online team and share what we’re up to and what’s been working, it’s almost like we get a benefit.

“There’s no one asking us to do anything,” she continued. “World of Warcraft is doing very well and they’re very proud of what it’s been able to accomplish, so it’s almost like just let it be, and let it keep being awesome. They’ve been tremendously supportive and it’s like ‘let Blizzard be Blizzard’.”

 

[ethomaz]

What Blizzard exactly?
Because there are some way different from each other thought the years.

Some were good with games.
Others like the actual not.

 

[Gamernyc78]

What Blizzard exactly?
Because there are some way different from each other thought the years.

Some were good with games.
Others like the actual not.

In context it's Blizzard tht works on Warcraft.

 

[ToTTenTranz]

Given Microsoft's history, it sounds like "let X be X" actually means:

We bought you and now you're on your own.
Oh, and stop developing for Playstation. Peace.

 

[Gamernyc78]

Given Microsoft's history, it sounds like "let X be X" actually means:

We bought you and now you're on your own.
Oh, and stop developing for Playstation. Peace.

 

[Evilnemesis8]

In context it's Blizzard tht works on Warcraft.

It makes sense that Holly, their producer, is saying that.
Shadowlands expansion(the one before this) was WoW's lowest point and caused immense damage to the game but they've been able to regain a lot of good will through a complete revamp of how they do things internally and now they have a vision for the future.

The turn around from one expansion to the next is like night and day, which I'm sure was a lot of rethinking everything.


One of their biggest success has been a strict 8 weeks schedule for patches which is the fastest the game has come out with content cadence in their history barring Vanilla all the way back in 2004.
But Microsoft acquisition(and most importantly the whole rotating contract 18 months thing) could really hamper how the WoW team is run and their ability to continue on this good streak. When you making shit up at an insane pace, you need to have those people experienced with doing the work staying exactly where they are. You also need to be able to hire people to fill in roles and know they're not going to leave after 1 expansion.

 

[KvallyX]

How hard would it be for MS to map WoW controls to the controller?

 

[Gods&Monsters]

That fridge is still full of tity milk

 

[Gamernyc78]

That fridge is still full of tity milk

 

[Nhomnhom]

Ironic that now that Blizzard has been completely destroyed they'll be allowed to be themselves. Blizzard being Blizzard now just mean Blizzard being shit.

 

[Gamernyc78]

Ironic that now that Blizzard has been completely destroyed they'll allowed to be themselves. Blizzard being Blizzard now just mean Blizzard being shit.

Exactly, a whole different entity.

 

[Maverick]

Which Blizzard? 90s Blizzard or late 2010s Blizzard?