Blizzard: StarCraft MMO would be difficult

By Oli Welsh Published 26 August, 2008

Pearce pours cold water on speculation.

Speaking at the Leipzig Games Convention, Blizzard co-founder Frank Pearce distanced himself from speculation that the company is working on a StarCraft MMO, calling such a prospect "difficult", "overwhelming" and "scary".

"We've made it very difficult for ourselves and it's an overwhelming thought," Pearce told VideoGamer.com.

"I've been there at Blizzard since we started on World of Warcraft and it's been a very long and arduous journey. And to think about taking that journey again with the StarCraft franchise is a little scary."

Blizzard is known to be working on a "next-gen MMO", and rumours have persisted since before World of Warcraft was released that the company would attempt the same feat with its StarCraft science-fiction universe.

But Pearce's comments suggest that Blizzard isn't looking to repeat the WOW formula with its next MMO game, due to the work involved.

"And so to look at StarCraft and say, well we could make an MMO out of that," Pearce continued, "Well yeah, but how many years would we have to invest in it to create the quantity of content and the quality of experience that would be required to meet just the minimum standard that's set by the games that are out there right now?"

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About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (26) Latest comment 3 years ago

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  • zuljin #1 4 years ago

    I'd actually be interested! I like the idea of a first person shooter mmo...

  • Der_tolle_Emil #2 4 years ago

    I really love StarCraft but I doubt it's a good universe for a MMO like WoW. The Warcraft universe offers much more freedom I think. Warcraft was always more spell heavy and Warcraft III was also a nice step in a more diverse universe with neutral creeps for example. I don't think that there is already enough StarCraft content that could really be used.

  • Zanuah #3 4 years ago

    They're probably just uprezzing WoW, to "next-gen" standards...

  • UncleLou #4 4 years ago

    "Well yeah, but how many years would we have to invest in it to create the quantity of content and the quality of experience that would be required to meet just the minimum standard that's set by the games that are out there right now?"


    Sure, but what's the difference if it's Starcraft or something else.

    I am absolutely convinced they're doing exactly this. A Diablo MMO doesn't make much sense. A new IP would be too much of a risk. And WoW2? I doubt it.

  • naffers #5 4 years ago

    from what hes saying it sounds like they want to release another MMO with as little work as possible and hope to reap the rewards.

  • Pirotic #6 4 years ago

    Well they started on WoW the same time they started on WCIII. So I wouldn't be surprised to discover they started WoS the same time as SCII. When a formula works, why deviate from it.

  • TitusCrow #7 4 years ago

    wow will be replaced by wow2 thats the mmo they speak of.. and who wont buy it i ask you i know i will :(

  • zuljin #8 4 years ago

    @UncleLou
    "I am absolutely convinced they're doing exactly this. A Diablo MMO doesn't make much sense."

    Why not? Surely it makes much more sense than Starcraft MMO? I mean all the RPG elements and such are already there.

  • Rack #9 4 years ago

    This is a bizarre thing to say. We don't want to do a Starcraft MMO because people would expect it to be good?

  • orakio #10 4 years ago

    rock n roll racing MMO!

  • legendmir #11 4 years ago

    yeah it is kind of weird.. hes basically saying .. we cant be bothered!

  • UncleLou #12 4 years ago

    "@UncleLou
    "I am absolutely convinced they're doing exactly this. A Diablo MMO doesn't make much sense."

    Why not? Surely it makes much more sense than Starcraft MMO? I mean all the RPG elements and such are already there."

    Because it would essentially be the same thing as WoW, and Diablo 3 will already be an RPG with a strong focus on multiplayer - which means they'd have two fantasy MMORPGs and a further fantasy multiplayer game on the market at one point. I find that very unlikely, especially as they'll want to lure people in with their next MMO that will want something entirely new after years of WoW.

    Doesn't matter that Diablo already has the RPG elements I would think, they had to start from scratch for an MMORPG, anyhow - and Starcraft is a better starting point, with the different races and all.
    Edited by 1 at 26/08/08 @ 12:01

  • dolphan #13 4 years ago

    Blackthorne MMO!

    In fact, screw that - LOST VIKINGS MMO!

  • Nithron #14 4 years ago

    Difficult in that you couldn't just reskin World of Warcraft, which is what basically every other MMO developer around right now is doing.

  • Wyrm #15 4 years ago

    If they're working on a WoW sequel, it won't be out for a very long time. With talk of further expansions and graphical overhauls, it will be around for a long time to come. Probably get Warcraft 4 first.

  • Lemming81 #16 4 years ago

    Who cares? A 40k MMO is in the concept stage atm, and Stargate Worlds looks to be shaping up nicely. Not to mention the rumoured KOTOR MMO and the soon to be released Star Trek Online.

    Bound to be a gold one in there somewhere and we can finally leave the elves and shit behind.

  • Gurrah #17 4 years ago

    Did you ever think about next-gen meaning a WoW port for consoles? I think it's the most likely answer, WoW has such a huge playerbase on the PC market, why should they redistribute those players between two MMOs, it doesn't make sense. Breaking in on the console market on the other hand would be a smart move, as there are no MMOs for consoles.

  • actionfitz #18 4 years ago

    "Well yeah, but how many years would we have to invest in it to create the quantity of content and the quality of experience that would be required to meet just the minimum standard that's set by the games that are out there right now?"

    - and therein lies the dilema for anyone making an mmo at the moment to compete with WoW :/

  • ZuluHero #19 4 years ago

    "Well yeah, but how many years would we have to invest in it to create the quantity of content and the quality of experience that would be required to meet just the minimum standard that's set by the games that are out there right now?"

    well it's your own faults - you SET the benchmark after all. Oh the irony! ;)

  • ZuluHero #20 4 years ago

    "...as there are no MMOs for consoles."

    oh really? Think harder ;)

  • Ged42 #21 4 years ago

    I think if they ever did a MMO Starcraft it would be better as a Planetside style online tactical shooter, with maybe some basic RPG elements, rather than just a WoW clone.

    "Collect 100 Zergling noses to get the Codpiece of Massiveness+1"

  • Lemming81 #22 4 years ago

    /\ /\ /\

    I'd totally ninja that codpiece.

  • UncleLou #23 4 years ago

    Did you ever think about next-gen meaning a WoW port for consoles? I think it's the most likely answer

    Unikely, they need something for >10 million subscribers on the PC they have at the moment, who will need a replacement for WoW at one point. Maybe they are also developing a console MMO, or it's multiplatform, but not planning the release of a new PC MMO in a couple of years or so would be utter madness. Their playerbase will not play WoW forever, and they need something new at that point.

    That said, maybe you're right that they release a WoW console port (aren't they planning a graphical update anyhow) to test the waters there alongside or a bit prior to their "next--gen" MMO, I just can't imagine that's the big project they have in the works - especially as I'd suspect console gamers and WoW subscribers already overlap significantly.
    Edited by 2 at 26/08/08 @ 20:37

  • NegativeZero #24 4 years ago

    Yes, a Starcraft MMO in the style of WoW would be extremely difficult to get working. Which is why they're not doing that. I'm pretty sure that we'll see Starcraft Online appear at some point, and it will most likely be a game more in the vein of Planetside. There's no way you could shoehorn Starcraft into the WoW mould without producing an incredibly compromised product, and Blizzard would never release something like that.

    Additionally if it's a more action game-oriented Starcraft game, then it might explain why they quietly axed Starcraft Ghost just when it was beginning to look like they had something interesting.

  • Skywise #25 4 years ago

    Only 100? Maybe they aren't following the WoW template so close then :-)

  • Lamont #26 3 years ago

    Uhhh, they are already working on a "next gen mmo". Doesn't that game presumbably have to meet the current standards? It's starcraft. It's not like Blizzard has exactly had any original ideas to begin with.