Microsoft buys Activision Blizzard
https://news.microsoft.com/2022/01/18/microsoft-to-acquire-activision-blizzard-to-bring-the-joy-and-community-of-gaming-to-everyone-across-every-device/
Lots of promises things won't change with Activision Blizzard, but MS has reneged on promises made before. Each time with a "FU! You trusted us".
One less "independent" source for games after this. ::sad::
Lots of promises things won't change with Activision Blizzard, but MS has reneged on promises made before. Each time with a "FU! You trusted us".
One less "independent" source for games after this. ::sad::
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explains why they milked re-releasing diablo 2 for every nickel they could a short time ago instead of going for D4.
D2 was remastered to work with modern gaming PC setups. Including widescreen support.
StarCraft got the same makeover several years ago, WarCraft II a couple of years ago.
I know StarCraft is immensely popular in S Korea with competitive game tournaments. Maybe D2 is similar.
The timing of the buyout and the rush to redo D2 could be coincidental, but corporate buyouts aren't done overnight. This was planned and worked on a while ago.
I expect any new/remastered game being done after this acquisition will be subscription based, like World of WarCraft. The notion of paying once to play a video game at home is so old school.
The price of games will be going higher as well.
StarCraft got the same makeover several years ago, WarCraft II a couple of years ago.
I know StarCraft is immensely popular in S Korea with competitive game tournaments. Maybe D2 is similar.
The timing of the buyout and the rush to redo D2 could be coincidental, but corporate buyouts aren't done overnight. This was planned and worked on a while ago.
I expect any new/remastered game being done after this acquisition will be subscription based, like World of WarCraft. The notion of paying once to play a video game at home is so old school.
The price of games will be going higher as well.
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people love a free game with crap to buy for a dollar here and a dollar there; I know people who have spent thousands of dollars on a game over a decade or so with the microtrans model. One of the most interesting is 'warframe' -- the non cosmetic stuff you get from the microtrans is totally available for free, and most of it with only a reasonable bit of effort, rather than an unpossible no-can-do grind (it has one or two of those, but the bulk no). And yet people spend and spend and spend on that game as if it were only available for cash and only for a limited time to boot. Its a fascinating study in human nature and gamer psyche.
the "buy once and done --NOT!" model is still very popular as well. Most of THOSE games sell expansions for about as much as the game cost originally. The civilization series does that, they release about 1/10th of the game on purpose, then add 10% one expansion at a time, bringing the total cost to hundreds of dollars over a few years.
Subscriptions are a lot less common, but still a valid model. Most of those games ALSO have the microtrans stuff. Cryptic studios embraces both equally, and their fans shovel money there way in alarming amounts.
D2 was remastered to work with modern gaming PC setups. Including widescreen support.
- I get the rationale, but they got to sell at full game prices by doing a graphics update and recompile. I am sure the graphics was a lot of work to redo, but less work than making D4 would have been. Which is fine, but ... in hinsight you can see they rushed it and conjecture as to the why...
All of this is fairly standard yet amazing good business. It all works, and they all have money pouring in. And I am as guilty as the next guy in supporting them.
the "buy once and done --NOT!" model is still very popular as well. Most of THOSE games sell expansions for about as much as the game cost originally. The civilization series does that, they release about 1/10th of the game on purpose, then add 10% one expansion at a time, bringing the total cost to hundreds of dollars over a few years.
Subscriptions are a lot less common, but still a valid model. Most of those games ALSO have the microtrans stuff. Cryptic studios embraces both equally, and their fans shovel money there way in alarming amounts.
D2 was remastered to work with modern gaming PC setups. Including widescreen support.
- I get the rationale, but they got to sell at full game prices by doing a graphics update and recompile. I am sure the graphics was a lot of work to redo, but less work than making D4 would have been. Which is fine, but ... in hinsight you can see they rushed it and conjecture as to the why...
All of this is fairly standard yet amazing good business. It all works, and they all have money pouring in. And I am as guilty as the next guy in supporting them.
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Even with D2 (D2: Lord of Destruction), StarCraft (SC: Broodwars) and WarCraft II (W2: Beyond the Dark Portal) there was a bit of expansion fever, though not as bad as some game series. The Sims franchise comes to mind, as well as the games you mentioned.
Another set of remasters that ended being highly controversial with gamers because of new content that was added, as well as core game changes, nearly destroying the original game experience. Baldur's Gate/Baldur's Gate II/Icewind Dale.
As with the original CD based D2 BG/BG2/IWD had fan created widescreen mods that worked well with the original games.
The BG/BGII/IWD remasters actually added major bugs to the games, while adding a minor bit of flash with moderate upgrade of graphics.
I'm not one of them, I avoid those types of games. A seriously limited, very fixed income, and a decided lack of interest in what game companies create these days makes it easy to not get all excited about new games or remasters.
The Sims (3 & 4) franchise is close IMO to the worst of the multi-tier marketing strategy of video games, deliberately crippled without paying for expansions up the wazoo, plus extra content to "enhance the game experience."
The Civilization series along with Tropico reveal the accountants are the real game designers.
I enjoyed playing the original versions of StarCraft and WarCraft II (with expansions) to consider buying the remastered versions. At a not half-bad (discounted) pricing. Full price as they want now, not a chance.
Seeing what Activision Blizzard wanted for D2 Reforged, plus the system requirements needed, no way! With a widescreen mod I can (and do) still play my original CD based D2 + LOD expansion.
Another set of remasters that ended being highly controversial with gamers because of new content that was added, as well as core game changes, nearly destroying the original game experience. Baldur's Gate/Baldur's Gate II/Icewind Dale.
As with the original CD based D2 BG/BG2/IWD had fan created widescreen mods that worked well with the original games.
The BG/BGII/IWD remasters actually added major bugs to the games, while adding a minor bit of flash with moderate upgrade of graphics.
| people love a free game with crap to buy for a dollar here and a dollar there |
I'm not one of them, I avoid those types of games. A seriously limited, very fixed income, and a decided lack of interest in what game companies create these days makes it easy to not get all excited about new games or remasters.
The Sims (3 & 4) franchise is close IMO to the worst of the multi-tier marketing strategy of video games, deliberately crippled without paying for expansions up the wazoo, plus extra content to "enhance the game experience."
The Civilization series along with Tropico reveal the accountants are the real game designers.
I enjoyed playing the original versions of StarCraft and WarCraft II (with expansions) to consider buying the remastered versions. At a not half-bad (discounted) pricing. Full price as they want now, not a chance.
Seeing what Activision Blizzard wanted for D2 Reforged, plus the system requirements needed, no way! With a widescreen mod I can (and do) still play my original CD based D2 + LOD expansion.
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