Blizzard has been forced to pay attention to the community and common sense.
Real ID is no longer mandatory.
[quote]Hello everyone,
I'd like to take some time to speak with all of you regarding our desire to make the Blizzard forums a better place for players to discuss our games. We've been constantly monitoring the feedback you've given us, as well as internally discussing your concerns about the use of real names on our forums. As a result of those discussions, we've decided at this time that real names will not be required for posting on official Blizzard forums.
It's important to note that we still remain committed to improving our forums. Our efforts are driven 100% by the desire to find ways to make our community areas more welcoming for players and encourage more constructive conversations about our games. We will still move forward with new forum features such as conversation threading, the ability to rate posts up or down, improved search functionality, and more. However, when we launch the new StarCraft II forums that include these new features, you will be posting by your StarCraft II Battle.net character name + character code, not your real name. The upgraded World of Warcraft forums with these new features will launch close to the release of Cataclysm, and also will not require your real name.
I want to make sure it's clear that our plans for the forums are completely separate from our plans for the optional in-game Real ID system now live with World of Warcraft and launching soon with StarCraft II. We believe that the powerful communications functionality enabled by Real ID, such as cross-game and cross-realm chat, make Battle.net a great place for players to stay connected to real-life friends and family while playing Blizzard games. And of course, you'll still be able to keep your relationships at the anonymous, character level if you so choose when you communicate with other players in game. Over time, we will continue to evolve Real ID on Battle.net to add new and exciting functionality within our games for players who decide to use the feature.
In closing, I want to point out that our connection with our community has always been and will always be extremely important to us. We strongly believe that Every Voice Matters ([url]http://eu.blizzard.com/en-gb/company/about/mission.html[/url]), and we feel fortunate to have a community that cares so passionately about our games. We will always appreciate the feedback and support of our players, which has been a key to Blizzard's success from the beginning.
Mike Morhaime
CEO & Cofounder
Blizzard Entertainment [/quote]
[url]http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=13816839821&sid=1&pageNo=1[/url]
Fuck yes! Blizzard still rules! At least for now.
Edit: After coming down from my feeling of euphoria, I have to talk about a few unpleasant things. Real-ID ain't dead. Whilst it's not a bad thing in of itself, so long as it's voluntary who you disclose to, it may well be a harbringer of worse to come. The shitstorm has likely held off anything too dangerous for now. But what might happen next? It could be an extremely effective dataminer for one thing. And they are not above that sort of thing. That I am aware of. Their skill in game design is the sole reason I hold them in high regard. Their company policies can be worrying.
There are no white hats in the gaming industry, outside of Stardock and VALVe, that I am aware of well. There's not too many black hats either, Bobby Kotick's activision is the one that comes to mind (don't rag on at me about the title of the thread, I already know) EA are a 40kish shade of grey (the sole reason I buy from them is the good games they have, Mass Effect for example). Everyone else is a varying shade of grey. Blizzard is gettting darker. And there is a fair chance that the current state of affairs with activision may not last. There's a good chance of them throwing over grappling lines and hauling in such a tasty meal, so to speak. Not to mention the assholery of the current Blizzard CEOs being a problem in future. LAN comes to mind; although I have heard rumours a post-release patch that may restore it.
I just hope Legacy of the Void is out before things start really going down the tubes.
Well, that's a relief.
On another Blizzard related subject, when d'you think we'll get Diablo 3 released? I mean, we've already seen plenty, and BlizzCon's probably gonna reveal more info, maybe even the fifth and final class. Also, is the Diablo 2 thread still up?
I've got Diablo on the mind ever since I reinstalled my Lord of Destruction copy. Been trying Druid this time around, quite similar to Necro.
[QUOTE=Jeep-Eep;23232291]
Fuck yes! Blizzard still rules! At least for now.[/QUOTE]
I still don't forgive Blizzard after they shutdown some guys working on a [url=http://exophase.com/ds/blizzard-pulls-the-plug-on-starlite-ds-homebrew-project-3126.htm]homebrew project[/url] for Starcraft on Nintendo DS :colbert:
[quote]
Mike Morhaime
CEO & Cofounder
Blizzard Entertainment
[/quote]
that is not Bobby Kotick
[QUOTE=NovembrDobby;23232393]that is not Bobby Kotick[/QUOTE]
In order for him to make that news, Kotick must have backed down.
[quote] I still don't forgive Blizzard after they shutdown some guys working on a homebrew project for Starcraft on Nintendo DS [/quote]
Most companies would do that, I'm afraid. Simply how it is. They're still grey hats. But they aren't black hats now.
Damn it from the front page I thought it was going to be about Kotick backing down from his position at Activision. :saddowns:
Yeah, but we can hope.
I'm still mad at them for making Starcraft 2 $60
Looks like we have a tie for "Greatest Humanitarian Act From Bobby Kotick" between this, and the one time he didn't kick his old neighbor lady's dog.
[QUOTE=Dr.C;23232674]I'm still mad at them for making Starcraft 2 $60[/QUOTE]
+ all of the "expansions"/addons.
:geno:
[QUOTE=Dr.C;23232674]I'm still mad at them for making Starcraft 2 $60[/QUOTE]
more like $180
[QUOTE=Kalibos;23232768]more like $180[/QUOTE]
Well, you know Kotick.
"Fuck the players, how can we make more money?"
30 campaign missions for 60 bucks? I'm okay with that. I play games for single player anyway.
Damn
Kotick will get the idea in his head overnight 'Hey, make real names mandatory, but an extra $5 a month with your subscription makes it optional!
Either way I don't give a shit, even if I played any of Blizzard's games
[QUOTE=Kalibos;23232768]more like $180[/QUOTE]
Eh, it could be worse, each of the three games is supposed to be as long as the entirety of the original. And you get all three races in multiplayer no matter which one you buy.
[QUOTE=TheTalon;23232873]Damn
Kotick will get the idea in his head overnight 'Hey, make real names mandatory, but an extra $5 a month with your subscription makes it optional!
Either way I don't give a shit, even if I played any of Blizzard's games[/QUOTE]
You think the real-id shitstorm was bad? The one that would unleash would be at least on par with this one.
Why is everyone mentioning Kotick? He has no real power in Blizzard.
[QUOTE=Badal;23233142]Why is everyone mentioning Kotick? He has no real power in Blizzard.[/QUOTE]
He's a smug bastard.
[quote]Why is everyone mentioning Kotick? He has no real power in Blizzard. [/quote]
Where the devil do you think that idea came from? He doesn't have that much effect on gameplay design as I recall, but activision and thus him, has great effect on battle.net and anything else to do with multiplayer. And from what I've heard, though they are only rumours, is that the Real-ID shift was wholely activision's creature and that Blizz employees liked it as much as the community.
[QUOTE=Jeep-Eep;23232291]Blizzard still rules! At least for now.[/QUOTE]
You seem to be the victim of [url=http://twitter.com/BlizzardPR/status/18133067190]this[/url].
Also, I'm glad they took this decision
[QUOTE=Jeep-Eep;23233384]Where the devil do you think that idea came from? He doesn't have that much effect on gameplay design as I recall, but activision and thus him, has great effect on battle.net and anything else to do with multiplayer. And from what I've heard, though they are only rumours, is that the Real-ID shift was wholely activision's creature and that Blizz employees liked it as much as the community.[/QUOTE]
No you're wrong
[quote=Wikipedia]Activision and Blizzard Entertainment still exist as separate entities.[9] The holding company does not publish games under its central name and instead uses its subsidiaries to publish games, similar to how Vivendi Games operated before the merger.[10] The merger makes Activision parent company of Vivendi Games former divisions. While Blizzard retained its autonomy and corporate leadership, other Vivendi Games divisions were not so fortunate.[/quote]
[quote]You seem to be the victim of this.
Also, I'm glad they took this decision [/quote]
I'm still aware of the other shit they've got up to in the past. I was some degree of high spirits after they backed down, that's all.
[quote]No you're wrong[/quote]
Kotick might well have leaned on or colluded with the blizzard heads to do this. It would seem the sort of thing he'd do quite happily. Edit: And I've heard the rank and file, though they are not allowed to say it openly, didn't like it at all.
[QUOTE=Dr.C;23232674]I'm still mad at them for making Starcraft 2 $60[/QUOTE]
Well look on the bright side.
At least we're going to get something that's going to have a friggen awesome SP compared to a half arsed 5 hour campaign.
Plus incredible modding capability and support.
[QUOTE=Dr.C;23232674]I'm still mad at them for making Starcraft 2 $60[/QUOTE]
Oh cry me a river. short of actually stealing it, there are 1000s of places that sell it for half that price. LEGAL of course.
[QUOTE=Legolas;23232459]Damn it from the front page I thought it was going to be about Kotick backing down from his position at Activision. :saddowns:[/QUOTE]
:frown: same...
[QUOTE=Jeep-Eep;23233751]I'm still aware of the other shit they've got up to in the past. I was some degree of high spirits after they backed down, that's all.
Kotick might well have leaned on or colluded with the blizzard heads to do this. It would seem the sort of thing he'd do quite happily. Edit: And I've heard the rank and file, though they are not allowed to say it openly, didn't like it at all.[/QUOTE]
It doesn't matter if he did or not they do not have to listen to him at all.
[URL]http://www.wow.com/2009/04/12/activision-blizzard-is-not-blizzard/[/URL]
That's a link with a interview from a former Blizzard employee. Blizzard still publishes their own games. In fact Blizzard's parent publisher Vivendi now owns the majority share of Activision Blizzard at 52 percent.
Edit:
There is also a great post on that article that explains this well.
[Quote=Random Poster]
Though this article is correct, it doesn't exactly stress what is happening. Vivendi is the marketing company, or rather publisher as you call it. Blizzard and Activision or video game making companies under this marketing company. Vivendi says "Hey, you guys both make video games, we'll merge you so you can benefit eachother". Like you said, Activision isn't making any shots over at Blizzard. BUT, Vivendi is still. They were and always will. They front this money, they want it back. A good way to find out what Vivendi is, go to their website. They are the financial company to other big companies everyone knows. Activision, Blizzard, Universal, Maroc telecom, and some other companies that I never heard of and probably aren't in the U.S. They didn't merge Universal and Blizzard, cause they make different stuff. Activision and Blizzard make the same type of products. Yet, I would put money that Universal will be making the Warcraft movie that we've heard so little about.[/Quote]
[QUOTE=ashxu;23232387]I still don't forgive Blizzard after they shutdown some guys working on a [url=http://exophase.com/ds/blizzard-pulls-the-plug-on-starlite-ds-homebrew-project-3126.htm]homebrew project[/url] for Starcraft on Nintendo DS :colbert:[/QUOTE]
Well, they're still selling Starcraft, so I guess it makes sense for them to pull the plug.
Still, I was disappointed as well.
[QUOTE=Kalibos;23232768]more like $180[/QUOTE]
If each expansion truly delivers as much content as the original as they said they will then I have no problem with this at all.
[quote]It doesn't matter if he did or not they do not have to listen to him at all.
[url]http://www.wow.com/2009/04/12/activi...-not-blizzard/[/url]
That's a link with a interview from a former Blizzard employee. Blizzard still publishes their own games. In fact Blizzard's parent publisher Vivendi now owns the majority share of Activision Blizzard at 52 percent.
Edit:
There is also a great post on that article that explains this well.[/quote]
Wouldn't be surprised if they had talked however, I concede the point. But how long will this proportion of stock holding last? One has to wonder.
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