Where is Warcraft 4? This year is the 20th anniversary of WC3, and next year is the 20th Anniversary of World of Warcraft.
Seems like a huge missed opportunity to not have a WC4 (with a bunch of new lore and story for what’s been going on in the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor) right before a rumored full world revamp in the upcoming WoW expansion.
Did you guys not think to do this, or did the suits upstairs hear your pitch and said:
“No, we make mobile games and cash shops with a half baked Diablo game attached now. The most important thing is for Bobby to realize shareholder value from the Microsoft acquisition. Making a good Warcraft 4 would take time, effort, and money. We would rather make a mobile game where people might buy gems in a cash shop while they sit on the toilet for 5 minutes.”
“This is who we are now as a company. We’ll market the nostalgia people have for WC3 and try to manipulate them into spending $0.99 on in-game items while taking a poop. This is our legacy.”
“Please touch the Orc statue on your way into the office.”
Yea, pretty much. Warcraft 3 was possible because of the state of the industry and the passion of the people behind it. That and the fact that Vivendi effectively gave Blizzard free license to do what they wanted. Those days are over – outside of indie studios like Frost Giant and Bonfire, there aren’t really any “Game developers” left in this genre anymore.
I don’t know if the future will change when/if the Microsoft acquisition happens – I have no familiarity with how Microsoft will treat the game, although Halo Infinite seems like it was a good revamp, so that’s a promising start.
That being said, it would be a billion dollar and 10+ year undertaking to develop something like Warcraft 4, so I would not hold my breath.
It’s clear that you’re passionate about the Warcraft series and have high hopes for the franchise’s future, especially considering the significant anniversaries that are approaching. While your enthusiasm for Warcraft 4 and the potential for new lore and stories is commendable, I’d like to address the main issue in order to contribute a more balanced perspective.
The landscape of the gaming industry has shifted significantly since the prime of real-time strategy (RTS) games, and the financial viability of new RTS titles has indeed dwindled in comparison to other genres.
The truth is, the market has evolved, and the preferences of gamers have changed. The RTS genre, while beloved by a dedicated fanbase, doesn’t command the same mass appeal or revenue potential as other genres, such as mobile games or live service models.
Posts like “When will WC4 be released?” may come off as hopeful nostalgia, but it’s essential to acknowledge that the gaming industry operates within the bounds of profitability and market trends. As companies like Blizzard seek sustainable growth and profit, their focus naturally gravitates towards projects that align with current market demands and revenue streams.
Age of Empires 4 was recently released, and as far as I can tell was a success and well received.
Members of the now ex-Blizzard RTS team formed a new company called Frost Giant, and their first game is called Stormgate, an RTS that looks to have strong WC3 and StarCraft vibes.
