Jump to content
FORUMS
Sign in to follow this  
Staff

Mike Ybbara on Blizzard's Approach to Meeting Player Demands

Recommended Posts

Sn-mka-obrazovky-2023-11-11-o-11-21-52.j

PC Gamer had the chance to talk to Blizzard President Mike Ybarra who said Blizzard's job is to satisfy impatient players who want "new stuff every day, every hour".

Interview Highlights

  • Blizzard is now adapting to the Microsoft Era under the umbrella of Xbox and Phil Spencer. The focus remains on maintaining their live service model.
  • Blizzard President Mike Ybarra emphasized the challenge of satisfying players who demant constant new content. He acknowledged the high expectations of players for new updates and experiences on a nearly continuous basis.
  • The live service model is expected to continue with their upcoming unannounced survival game.
  • Ybarra stressed out the difficulty of delivering new content on regular basis while ensuring fair and satisfying monetization strategies to players.
  • Ybarra didn't rule out the possibility of Blizzard exploring shorter, non-live service games.
  • Ybarra is yet to have discussions with Phil Spencer about the future direction under the new ownership.

You can read the full interview here.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

By this, I think he means FOMO-chasing whales. I, and many other struggle to keep up with current content, and I think I play a LOT.  I used to do what I could to get a powerful as I could (within my playstyle) and then enjoy the rest of the time with achievements, mount runs or just flying around taking screenshots, or hanging out with guidies in the cities, just messing around.  Now, once I'm done doing "current content," I'm too tired, and rather than staying on to hang out for too long, I usually log out.  I used to just spend time relaxing while herbing (for an hour or more), or doing stupid, fun stuff (like hanging out with friends/guildies, as Alliance, at the Pleasure Palace in Azshara, for no real reason than to just check it out).  Now, I mostly just do weekly stuff and then whatever dungeons are beneficial, though I do look forward to new STORY QUESTS, it's nice when they are in bite-size chunks.  BUT really, I don't do too much else.

I would rather have less, but high quality, long-lasting content, rather than a WHOLE BUNCH of ones that will become obsolete in three months (or less) that there are very few people doing them.  I liked it when players, at least those with imagination, were able to create their own fun, and had time to do it.  This would create less stress for all-but-the-the-most-impatient players, and also, allow the devs more time to create things and hopefully, also be less stressed out.

Edited by Sarabandethemage

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

In wow, I just want the m+ season and the normal + heroic raid. With that, I’m happy to sit on the sidelines and watch them release new content patches and areas and quest lines and secrets etc for all the other people, stuff that keeps the game alive.


They’re doing an awesome job, and it gets better all the time.

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Content-chasers ruin games IMO. It is nice to have options and new content on a reliable basis, but trying to appease the people who constantly complain about getting "new", is futile and pointless. Make the content high-quality by deepening the story lines, creating raid and dungeon encounters that can't be "cheesed" and completed with a blitz of damage, make PvP more intuitive and less its own entity and more a part of the overall game. Just a few quick ideas that can be expanded upon.

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
20 hours ago, TheRagingwolf said:

Content-chasers ruin games IMO. It is nice to have options and new content on a reliable basis, but trying to appease the people who constantly complain about getting "new", is futile and pointless. Make the content high-quality by deepening the story lines, creating raid and dungeon encounters that can't be "cheesed" and completed with a blitz of damage, make PvP more intuitive and less its own entity and more a part of the overall game. Just a few quick ideas that can be expanded upon.

 

Yeah you can't spend 25 hours a day playing a game and expect there to always be something new to do.

  • Thanks 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
17 hours ago, Prophet001 said:

Yeah you can't spend 25 hours a day playing a game and expect there to always be something new to do.

Haha this perspective is needed!

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
Sign in to follow this  

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

  • Similar Content

    • By Staff
      Gamescom is back in August this year, and Blizzard have announced they will be present at the Xbox booth! 
      The event starts on August 21st and runs until the 25th, with War Within, the next WoW expansion, releasing a day after that (or right in the middle of the show on the 23rd for those with early access), so we might get some exciting news on it at the show. Then there's Vessel of Hatred, the new Diablo 4 expansion, as we should get some new info on it as well, with its October 8th release date also looming. The press release also mentions Diablo Immortal and Overwatch 2 will be involved.
      Xbox also announced this year they will have their biggest booth at the event yet, with the Activision Blizzard merger certainly helping with that! 
      And here's the full press release.
      gamescom
      Blizzard Entertainment® is thrilled to confirm their presence at this year’s gamescom, returning to Cologne in celebration of two of their hottest launches of 2024: World of Warcraft®: The War Within™ and Diablo IV®: Vessel of Hatred™.

      This year’s show promises to bring even more excitement, as Blizzard Entertainment will have a robust footprint alongside other Xbox Game Studios in the Xbox booth, as they come together to celebrate upcoming games and connect with the community in Europe and around the world.

      “We are incredibly excited to bring Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch to our European community at gamescom,” said Johanna Faries, President of Blizzard Entertainment. “It’s wonderful to be able to travel to Cologne alongside some of our talented developers so that we can gather with players and celebrate the special connections that continue to be forged within our universes together.”
       
      World of Warcraft will be celebrating the launch of The War Within, the first entry in the ambitious Worldsoul Saga. With the global launch set for August 26 - one day after gamescom - it’s the perfect opportunity for the community to celebrate together. Players with the Epic Edition or physical Collector’s Edition of The War Within can play when early access goes live on August 23rd.
       
      Diablo will also be in full force at the event, bringing the world of Sanctuary to gamescom with Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred and Diablo Immortal.
      
      Overwatch 2 will have a joint stand with Porsche, highlighting their new collaboration featuring a life-sized D.Va statue modeled after the new all-electric Macan and inviting fans to enter a real-life rendition of an iconic Overwatch 2 map.
    • By Staff
      Some great news for Chinese players, as Blizzard have signed a new agreement with NetEase, and players will be returning to their games as early as summer 2024! 
      Most Blizzard games were suspended in January of 2023, with players losing access to their characters and being unable to play World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Warcraft III: Reforged, Overwatch, the StarCraft series, Diablo III, and Heroes of the Storm, due to an expired licensing agreement. Luckily, a new deal has now been made!
      A lot of WoW players decided to re-roll brand new characters on Taiwanese and Korean servers after the old deal stopped. Their old character data is saved, however, but it will be from back before patch 10.1, so it's going to be a tough decision on how to proceed for them. Perhaps Blizzard can come up with a solution to merge the accounts?
      Here's the full press release:
      (Source)
      BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT AND NETEASE RENEW AGREEMENT TO BRING BELOVED TITLES BACK TO CHINA; MICROSOFT GAMING, NETEASE ENTER BROADER COLLABORATION
      Blizzard titles to return to mainland China beginning summer 2024

      Microsoft Gaming and NetEase deepen their relationship, with a strategic partnership based on their shared desire to bring new gaming experiences to players across platforms and markets
      IRVINE, Calif., REDMOND, Wash., AND HANGZHOU, Zhejiang [April 9 PT, April 10 CT] / -- Beloved video game titles from Blizzard Entertainment that captivated millions of players in China will return to the market sequentially, beginning this summer, under a renewed publishing deal Blizzard Entertainment, Microsoft Gaming, and NetEase (NASDAQ: NTES and HKEX: 9999) announced today.
      After continuing discussions over the past year, both Blizzard Entertainment and NetEase are thrilled to align on a path forward to once again support players in mainland China and are proud to reaffirm their commitment to delivering exceptional gaming experiences. 
      The renewed publishing agreement will encompass games Chinese players had access to under the previous agreement: World of Warcraft®, Hearthstone®, and other titles in the Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft® universes. Building upon more than 15 years of past collaboration, Blizzard and NetEase are working diligently on relaunch plans, with further details to be shared at a later date.
      Separately, Microsoft Gaming and NetEase have also entered into an agreement to explore bringing new NetEase titles to Xbox consoles and other platforms. 
      “We at Blizzard are thrilled to reestablish our partnership with NetEase and to work together, with deep appreciation for the collaboration between our teams, to deliver legendary gaming experiences to players in China,” said Johanna Faries, President of Blizzard Entertainment. “We are immensely grateful for the passion the Chinese community has shown for Blizzard games throughout the years, and we are focused on bringing our universes back to players with excellence and dedication.” 
      “Celebrating our collaborations, we are thrilled to embark on the next chapter, built on trust and mutual respect, to serve our users in this unique community that we’ve built together.” said William Ding, Chief Executive Officer and Director, NetEase. “Our commitment to providing more exhilarating and creative entertainment experience remains unwavering, and we are excited to see positive synergies fostered to encourage and empower collaborations to bring the joy of gaming to a broad community.” 
      “Blizzard and NetEase have done incredible work to renew our commitment to players – Blizzard’s universes have been part of players’ lives in the region for many years. Returning Blizzard’s legendary games to players in China while exploring ways to bring more new titles to Xbox demonstrates our commitment to bringing more games to more players around the world,” said Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming.
      About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
      Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.
      About Microsoft
      Microsoft (NASDAQ “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
      About NetEase, Inc.
      NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES and HKEX: 9999, "NetEase") is a leading internet and game services provider centered around premium content. With extensive offerings across its expanding gaming ecosystem, the Company develops and operates some of the most popular and longest running mobile and PC games available in China and globally.
      Powered by one of the largest in-house game R&D teams focused on mobile, PC and console, NetEase creates superior gaming experiences, inspires players, and passionately delivers value for its thriving community worldwide. By infusing play with culture, and education with technology, NetEase transforms gaming into a meaningful vehicle to build a more entertaining and enlightened world.
      Beyond games, NetEase service offerings include its majority-controlled subsidiaries Youdao (NYSE: DAO), an intelligent learning company with industry-leading technology, and Cloud Music (HKEX: 9899), a well-known online music platform featuring a vibrant content community, as well as Yanxuan, NetEase's private label consumer lifestyle brand. For more information, please visit: http://ir.netease.com/.
    • By Staff
      As the Microsoft-Activision deal closes, Bobby Kotick will only stay on as CEO through the end of the year and leave on January 1, 2024.
      Placeholder for tweet 1712818483442987422 Based on the value of his shares, Robert Kotick will leave with around $400 million and if Microsoft/Xbox wants to get rid of Kotick, he will also receive a minimum payout of $250 million.

      Image courtesy of Dexterto.
    • By Staff
      According to WSJ, Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard, has floated the idea of buying TikTok to potential partners.
      Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has reportedly shown interest in purchasing TikTok, as legislation in the U.S. threatens to ban or force the sale of the popular app over national security concerns.
      Kotick is said to be seeking partners for the potential acquisition, discussing the opportunity with notable figures including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The move comes amid growing scrutiny over TikTok's data privacy practices and its ties to China, with U.S. lawmakers pushing for decisive action.
      You can read the whole news piece over at WSJ.
      Bobby Kotick left his position at Activision Blizzard in December 2023 after Microsoft finalized its purchase of the company. Post-acquisition, he reportedly received over $375 million, as detailed by Forbes.
      Source: WSJ 
    • By Staff
      Blizzard games like World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, and Overwatch 2 might soon make a comeback in China, thanks to Blizzard reportedly teaming up again with NetEase.
      The news comes from Core Esports, which suggests Blizzard's game services could be back by the end of March or the beginning of April.
      After 14 years of partnership, Blizzard and NetEase hit a rough patch in 2022, leading to failed negotiations. Consequently, when the licensing agreement concluded on January 23, 2023, Blizzard's game services were suspended across mainland China.
      For more details, you can check out the article in Chinese or find an English translation by Amy Chen on esports.gg.
×
×
  • Create New...