Tag Archives: Blizzard Entertainment

Business, Games, Gaming, Mobile, News

Overwatch & Starcraft Mobile games reportedly in the road for development

Blizzard Entertainment’s latest strategic decision has sent waves through the gaming industry: the company has chosen Nexon, the developers behind The Finals, to publish the mobile versions of Overwatch and a new StarCraft game. This partnership could redefine Blizzard’s presence in the mobile gaming market, signaling a significant expansion effort.

Blizzard has been actively engaging with major Korean game companies since late 2024 according to local South Korea press, offering content development rights for StarCraft and regional service rights for Overwatch Mobile in Korea and Japan. Ultimately, Nexon secured the deal, placing them at the forefront of bringing these legendary franchises to mobile platforms. This move aligns with Blizzard’s restructuring efforts and desire to establish a stronger foothold in mobile gaming, an area where they’ve previously had mixed success.

The mobile adaptation of Overwatch, internally referred to as Overwatch 3, is expected to bridge the gap between console and mobile players.

While specific gameplay mechanics remain undisclosed, reports indicate that Blizzard is designing the experience to suit mobile audiences, potentially incorporating elements from popular mobile shooters and MOBAs. Blizzard aims to maintain Overwatch’s signature fast-paced, hero-based combat while ensuring accessibility and engaging progression systems.

Meanwhile, the StarCraft franchise, which has seen minimal updates since 2016, is set for a revival. Details regarding its gameplay and format remain uncertain, but speculation suggests it could be an open-world shooter. This aligns with Blizzard’s previous job listings for an unannounced project, hinting at a fresh approach for the franchise.

Whether Blizzard opts for a traditional RTS or takes an entirely new direction, the new StarCraft game has the potential to reinvigorate the brand for a modern audience.

Nexon’s involvement in Blizzard’s mobile expansion is a key factor in the project’s potential success. Known for free-to-play models like Combat Arms and MapleStory, Nexon has extensive experience in publishing large-scale multiplayer games.

Their expertise in maintaining live-service titles and adapting PC franchises to mobile could ensure that Overwatch Mobile and StarCraft find their place among successful mobile games.

With Blizzard’s ongoing development efforts, the gaming community eagerly awaits further announcements regarding gameplay details, monetization strategies, release dates, and global availability.

If executed properly, these mobile adaptations could introduce Overwatch and StarCraft to a broader audience, solidifying Blizzard’s presence in the mobile gaming market while breathing new life into its beloved franchises.

Games, Gaming, PC

GOG Steps Up to Preserve Warcraft 1 and 2 Amidst Blizzard’s Delisting

In a bold move to ensure the longevity of classic games, GOG has announced its commitment to preserving Warcraft: Orcs & Humans and Warcraft II despite Blizzard’s surprising and UNFORTUNATE decision to delist them from its storefront.

This decision comes just a month after Blizzard released remastered versions of these iconic games on its Battle.net marketplace.

Starting December 13, 2024, the original Warcraft games will no longer be available for purchase on GOG. However, GOG has reassured its customers that the games will remain accessible to those who have already purchased them.

This is part of GOG’s newly launched Preservation Program, which aims to keep classic games compatible with modern systems indefinitely.

We’re incredibly proud of the work we’ve done on Warcraft I and Warcraft II, bringing them back to life after decades of unavailability.

Through our efforts, we’ve introduced several new features to both titles, including multiplayer support over LAN and enhanced graphical options like antialiasing and anisotropic filtering.

-GOG via their official blog.

The company has introduced several enhancements to the games, including multiplayer support over LAN and improved graphical options like antialiasing and anisotropic filtering.

GOG’s Preservation Program ensures that even if a game is delisted, it will continue to receive updates and tech support to maintain compatibility with future systems. This means that fans of the original Warcraft games can rest easy knowing they will still be able to enjoy these classics without any issues.

We want to reveal a new feature to our recently announced Preservation Program. Once a game joins the Program, we pledge to maintain its compatibility even if it gets delisted from the store.

This means that owners of those titles can still expect a seamless experience and tech support for those titles. This also considers potential changes in Windows OS that may impact games’ playability.

For those who haven’t yet snagged the Warcraft I & II Bundle, GOG is offering a discount code MakeWarcraftLiveForever to knock $2 off the regular price of $14.99. This is a fantastic opportunity to own these timeless classics DRM-free and ensure they remain playable for years to come.

I want to personally add that this move by Blizzard Entertainment is as anti-consumer AF as it gets. It’s emblematic of the entire Activision Blizzard mindset where profit is prioritized over genuine gaming experiences and preservation efforts. It’s frustrating to see companies deploying tactics like “compromised” FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) as a convenient marketing ploy rather than addressing the needs and concerns of the gaming community.

This begs the question: why are gamers increasingly skeptical about remasters and remakes? It’s because these efforts often come at the expense of the original versions, eroding the authentic experiences that the gaming community cherishes. Companies should realize that preserving the source material while introducing new versions shows respect for the legacy of these games and the loyalty of their players.

From my part… I was looking for the physical version as part of my retro gaming spending for next year, but if my discount purchase allows me to both contribute and spite Blizzard at the same time, I’m all game!

Games, Gaming, News

The Warcraft 30th anniversary brings more games with remastered treatment

This month was the 30th anniversary of Warcraft as one of the biggest franchises of Blizzard Entertainment and while there was an expectation that we might be seeing a proper 4th game (not counting World of Warcraft), Blizzard has other plans.

With this, Blizzard announced Warcraft I & II: Remastered or the massive update for both Warcraft: Orcs & Humans and Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness and its expansion, Beyond the Dark Portal, released as a stand-alone game.

Expect mastered graphics, updated UI, and modern controls, with both games retaining their original stories and in the case of Warcraft II, it will include both classic and remastered graphics modes, along with the online PvP multiplayer.

And of course, Warcraft III: Reforged

Warcraft 3: Reforged Patch 2.0, which “overhauls the environments and lighting and revamps the user interface”, according to Chan. “In addition, we are uprising all classic Warcraft 3 assets to HD.”

All three titles are available as part of the Warcraft Remastered Battle Chest, which is priced at $39.99.

As for World of Warcraft

Blizzard has announced plans to add player housing to World of Warcraft in its next expansion, Midnight.

Blizzard announced plans to launch World of Warcraft Mists of Pandaria Classic in the summer of 2025 too.