Blizzard VP of Game Design Rob Pardo has confirmed hints from earlier this month that action-RPG Diablo III won't see a 2010 release - but that WoW: Cataclysm and StarCraft II aren't to blame.
Earlier this month, we learned that the highly-anticipated slash-and-loot Diablo III wasn't in Blizzard's forecast for 2010 alongside World of Warcraft: Cataclysm and the first part of StarCraft II. Speaking with Techland, Blizzard's Rob Pardo confirmed that it was safe to say that D3 wouldn't be in our hands next year.
"We always announce all of our games too early," admitted Pardo, and he has a point: Diablo III was announced July 2008, whereas StarCraft II was unveiled in May 2007 and still isn't out. "We realize that and go, 'You know what? Next time we're not going to do that.' And then we always fail at that. But I'd rather fail at that than fail at making the game great."
While some miffed Diablo fans may want to blame Cataclysm and SC2 for the game's late release (at least a decade after the last Diablo game, 2001's Diablo II: Lord of Destruction), Pardo explained that each game - as well as the company's unannounced MMOG project - had its own, entirely separate design team. "We just have a different process and approach than a lot of other studios, and it makes it a very difficult process for us to predict street dates when we're multiple years out."
Nor is Blizzard bound to fiscal calendars for its releases, said Pardo, even after its parent company Vivendi merged its game division with the infamously profit-minded Activision (under the helm of Gamer Public Enemy No.1, Bobby Kotick). "[W]e know that our fanbase is not going to hold us to a fiscal calendar. With Burning Crusade, we missed Christmas by about three weeks. We could've shoved it out the door, but we decided we didn't need to get it into stores for Christmas. We just needed it to be great and our playerbase is going to buy it whenever it hits the shelves."
Who knows when Diablo III will be out? Not us, and not Blizzard. But if the levels I'd played at the past two BlizzCon events are any indication, it'll be f*ckin' awesome whenever it finally sees the light of day.
The full interview is over at Techland. For other incidences of Rob Pardo being surprisingly candid about what goes on behind the scenes of the notoriously secretive Blizzard, why not check out our WoW five-year anniversary interview?
I don't understand how it takes 10+ years to make a game. I have played both Diablo's, which is amazing since I'm not much of a PC gamer, and though I have been thoroughly impressed by both, one has to wonder what kind of work week the dev team has. 50 developers working 40 hours a week with 7 weeks of vacation time for 10 years still adds up to about 900,000 hours of development.
The last game that has taken more than 10 years to be released was Duke Nukem, and even though I don't see Blizzard going the way of 3D Realms, it's time for them to get their shit together and release a game. Without WoW, I don't see how they could expect to turn a profit releasing a $60 game. My greatest fear is Blizzard might say "screw it" after this one because of that.
Well lets hope for 2012 then. That sounds like a good year if that the case, because the Cubs might be able to actually play baseball that year as well. YAY! 2012!!! Oh, and the world will end, so lets make it one GIANT party full of Diablo, and baseball, and that end of the world thing...
paypuh: I don't understand how it takes 10+ years to make a game. I have played both Diablo's, which is amazing since I'm not much of a PC gamer, and though I have been thoroughly impressed by both, one has to wonder what kind of work week the dev team has. 50 developers working 40 hours a week with 7 weeks of vacation time for 10 years still adds up to about 900,000 hours of development.
The last game that has taken more than 10 years to be released was Duke Nukem, and even though I don't see Blizzard going the way of 3D Realms, it's time for them to get their shit together and release a game. Without WoW, I don't see how they could expect to turn a profit releasing a $60 game. My greatest fear is Blizzard might say "screw it" after this one because of that.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but where did it say that the Diablo team has been working since LoD was finished?
It's all too possible that their work on D3 started much later than that and it's been only a scant few years rather than almost a decade.
Oh, my goodness! The earth is round, the sky is blue and Mario is a Nintendo franchise! Also, Blizzard games take ages to be created! ZOMG!
In all seriousness, who actually believed that the game would be ready for the next year? Especially considering that Starcraft II has yet to be released...
paypuh: I don't understand how it takes 10+ years to make a game. I have played both Diablo's, which is amazing since I'm not much of a PC gamer, and though I have been thoroughly impressed by both, one has to wonder what kind of work week the dev team has. 50 developers working 40 hours a week with 7 weeks of vacation time for 10 years still adds up to about 900,000 hours of development.
The last game that has taken more than 10 years to be released was Duke Nukem, and even though I don't see Blizzard going the way of 3D Realms, it's time for them to get their shit together and release a game. Without WoW, I don't see how they could expect to turn a profit releasing a $60 game. My greatest fear is Blizzard might say "screw it" after this one because of that.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but where did it say that the Diablo team has been working since LoD was finished?
It's all too possible that their work on D3 started much later than that and it's been only a scant few years rather than almost a decade.
They've been working since not too long after that - it's just that the game has gone through multiple revisions before they found something they wanted to go with.
why does this come as a shock to anyone? they do this ALL the time, they always say "oh we're making this game but it won't come out for a few years" and then people are shocked it takes several years for the game to come out
paypuh: I don't understand how it takes 10+ years to make a game. I have played both Diablo's, which is amazing since I'm not much of a PC gamer, and though I have been thoroughly impressed by both, one has to wonder what kind of work week the dev team has. 50 developers working 40 hours a week with 7 weeks of vacation time for 10 years still adds up to about 900,000 hours of development.
The last game that has taken more than 10 years to be released was Duke Nukem, and even though I don't see Blizzard going the way of 3D Realms, it's time for them to get their shit together and release a game. Without WoW, I don't see how they could expect to turn a profit releasing a $60 game. My greatest fear is Blizzard might say "screw it" after this one because of that.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but where did it say that the Diablo team has been working since LoD was finished?
It's all too possible that their work on D3 started much later than that and it's been only a scant few years rather than almost a decade.
Okay, so they may not have been working non-stop for 10 years, but if it's true each game has it's own dev team (which I'm sure consists of more than just 50 people too), it shouldn't be taking this long. It was originally annouced in 2008, which leads me to believe they had at least 3 years of development already into it. Adding on another 2 would make it 5.
I'm sure not a lot of people are with me on this gripe, but someone's gotta have something to bitch about (it just wouldn't feel right otherwise), and I guess it's going to be me about this.
paypuh: I don't understand how it takes 10+ years to make a game. I have played both Diablo's, which is amazing since I'm not much of a PC gamer, and though I have been thoroughly impressed by both, one has to wonder what kind of work week the dev team has. 50 developers working 40 hours a week with 7 weeks of vacation time for 10 years still adds up to about 900,000 hours of development.
The last game that has taken more than 10 years to be released was Duke Nukem, and even though I don't see Blizzard going the way of 3D Realms, it's time for them to get their shit together and release a game. Without WoW, I don't see how they could expect to turn a profit releasing a $60 game. My greatest fear is Blizzard might say "screw it" after this one because of that.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but where did it say that the Diablo team has been working since LoD was finished?
It's all too possible that their work on D3 started much later than that and it's been only a scant few years rather than almost a decade.
Okay, so they may not have been working non-stop for 10 years, but if it's true each game has it's own dev team (which I'm sure consists of more than just 50 people too), it shouldn't be taking this long.
I'm sure not a lot of people are with me on this gripe, but someone's gotta have something to bitch about (it just wouldn't feel right otherwise), and I guess it's going to be me about this.
What can I say? Blizzard (and Bioware, as a sidenote) have earned major karma points with me over the years where every game I've played from them has been nothing less than an exceptional experience.
If it takes them another four years to make D3 every bit as good as I know they can make it, so be it. If fanboying over Blizzard has taught me one thing in life, it's that patience is a virtue with them \o/
Amnestic: What can I say? Blizzard (and Bioware, as a sidenote) have earned major karma points with me over the years where every game I've played from them has been nothing less than an exceptional experience.
If it takes them another four years to make D3 every bit as good as I know they can make it, so be it. If fanboying over Blizzard has taught me one thing in life, it's that patience is a virtue with them \o/
Well, I guess I am getting into the right profession then if release schedules don't need to be adhered to in the world of video games. I was raised by a father who worked in the TV biz, and when he had a deadline to meet, he had to make it or he'd get fired. Seeing as he has several Emmys to show for it, quantity over quality isn't something he believed in either.
Amnestic: What can I say? Blizzard (and Bioware, as a sidenote) have earned major karma points with me over the years where every game I've played from them has been nothing less than an exceptional experience.
If it takes them another four years to make D3 every bit as good as I know they can make it, so be it. If fanboying over Blizzard has taught me one thing in life, it's that patience is a virtue with them \o/
Well, I guess I am getting into the right profession then if release schedules don't need to be adhered to in the world of video games. I was raised by a father who worked in the TV biz, and when he had a deadline to meet, he had to make it or he'd get fired. Seeing as he has several Emmys to show for it, quantity over quality isn't something he believed in either.
Deadlines don't need to be adhered to assuming you self-publish everything and have enough income to support yourself anyway :P KotOR2 is a perfect example of a game that was pushed out of the door to meet a release date.
Amnestic: What can I say? Blizzard (and Bioware, as a sidenote) have earned major karma points with me over the years where every game I've played from them has been nothing less than an exceptional experience.
If it takes them another four years to make D3 every bit as good as I know they can make it, so be it. If fanboying over Blizzard has taught me one thing in life, it's that patience is a virtue with them \o/
Well, I guess I am getting into the right profession then if release schedules don't need to be adhered to in the world of video games. I was raised by a father who worked in the TV biz, and when he had a deadline to meet, he had to make it or he'd get fired. Seeing as he has several Emmys to show for it, quantity over quality isn't something he believed in either.
Deadlines don't need to be adhered to assuming you self-publish everything and have enough income to support yourself anyway :P KotOR2 is a perfect example of a game that was pushed out of the door to meet a release date.
The point I'm trying to make is I'm all about quality over quantity too, but I'd like there to be some proof of work ethic. Perhaps I'm the progammers worst nightmare. If I ever became a manager, the whip would crack so loud, my employees would be using Miracle Ear till the game was done and done right. I guess I'm old school, probably why I like to work, even in the bullshit menial jobs I had when I was 14-18.
Amnestic: What can I say? Blizzard (and Bioware, as a sidenote) have earned major karma points with me over the years where every game I've played from them has been nothing less than an exceptional experience.
If it takes them another four years to make D3 every bit as good as I know they can make it, so be it. If fanboying over Blizzard has taught me one thing in life, it's that patience is a virtue with them \o/
Well, I guess I am getting into the right profession then if release schedules don't need to be adhered to in the world of video games. I was raised by a father who worked in the TV biz, and when he had a deadline to meet, he had to make it or he'd get fired. Seeing as he has several Emmys to show for it, quantity over quality isn't something he believed in either.
Deadlines don't need to be adhered to assuming you self-publish everything and have enough income to support yourself anyway :P KotOR2 is a perfect example of a game that was pushed out of the door to meet a release date.
The point I'm trying to make is I'm all about quality over quantity too, but I'd like there to be some proof of work ethic. Perhaps I'm the progammers worst nightmare. If I ever became a manager, the whip would crack so loud, my employees would be using Miracle Ear till the game was done and done right. I guess I'm old school, probably why I like to work, even in the bullshit menial jobs I had when I was 14-18.
But the production of a TV show - which is a serial - and the production of a game are two entirely different things. With a TV show, if you have a bad episode, it's just a bad episode, maybe next week will be better. With a game, if the game is bad, the game is bad forever. That is THE product.
CantFaketheFunk: But the production of a TV show - which is a serial - and the production of a game are two entirely different things. With a TV show, if you have a bad episode, it's just a bad episode, maybe next week will be better. With a game, if the game is bad, the game is bad forever. That is THE product.
But my father won most of his Emmys doing documentary-type shows, which is essentially the same thing. They are only released every so often. He got out of the weekly show routine 15 years ago, where he still won Emmys (and Tellys).
I doubt it'll be out for a few more years. Blizzard still needs to release Starcraft 2. And Starcraft 2 is going to be released in 3 parts. But it's ok. Diablo 3 probably won't be that much different than Diablo 2. Hopefully they've gotten rid of that "you can't change your skills" BS.
oppp7: I doubt it'll be out for a few more years. Blizzard still needs to release Starcraft 2. And Starcraft 2 is going to be released in 3 parts. But it's ok. Diablo 3 probably won't be that much different than Diablo 2. Hopefully they've gotten rid of that "you can't change your skills" BS.
There will be respeccing in D3 ;)
My bet is that D3 will come out in between the second and third SC2 installments. Just a gut feeling; I've been wrong before.
CantFaketheFunk: But the production of a TV show - which is a serial - and the production of a game are two entirely different things. With a TV show, if you have a bad episode, it's just a bad episode, maybe next week will be better. With a game, if the game is bad, the game is bad forever. That is THE product.
But my father won most of his Emmys doing documentary-type shows, which is essentially the same thing. They are only released every so often. He got out of the weekly show routine 15 years ago, where he still won Emmys (and Tellys).
CantFaketheFunk: But the production of a TV show - which is a serial - and the production of a game are two entirely different things. With a TV show, if you have a bad episode, it's just a bad episode, maybe next week will be better. With a game, if the game is bad, the game is bad forever. That is THE product.
But my father won most of his Emmys doing documentary-type shows, which is essentially the same thing. They are only released every so often. He got out of the weekly show routine 15 years ago, where he still won Emmys (and Tellys).
Shut up.
I think I'll leave it at that.
*edit* Realised, too little words.
That's too bad, but frankly i've never had D1 or D2, so it doesn't effect me too much.
But, if it takes longer to make it right, then I think we should wait, same thing with HL2:E3
Well, that's a major bummer. I'm growing to have a serious love/hate relationship with Blizzard (those bastards). At least they mentioned how they're fucking us over with the whole Starcraft thing early enough that we can get used to the idea of being poor.
But yeah,
"We just needed it to be great and our playerbase is going to buy it whenever it hits the shelves." ... pretty much equates to "We've got them by the balls anyway so what's another few weeks?"
I don't think Blizzard are delaying the game, they're just not seeing an endpoint to development in 2010. Fair enough. Over the years, they're it's ready when it's ready" has given gamers WC 1-3, Diablo 1 & 2, SC and WoW.
That's a pretty solid track record to stand on, and I'm more then ready to wait for D3 because when it does drop, you can pretty much be assured that it will be spectacular and be the action-rpg game that all others will be compared to.
Besides, I'll be trying to find time to score new loot in WoW:Cataclysm while I wait. :-p (don't play RTS' myself, so not concerned about SC).
Im sorry but you can not tell me that WoW isn't getting priority over this game. Let's see they announced D3 back in 08 meaning they had probably been working on it since 07 or even 06. Now in the time it's taken them to get this far with D3 they will have put out THREE full expansions for WoW by the time D3 is released. Any once of which is likely equal to the size of D3 if not larger. Add on top of that the WoW content patches for each one and you've probably got 2 or 3 times the amount of content in those alone. Now it seems if they would be putting half the effort into D3 as they are into WoW it would of been release with a damn expansion by now.
I wouldn't be suprised if Blizzard saw Torchlight and went "oh crap... this game is better than what we've been doing with Diablo III, shit, we need some more development time guys..."
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Blizzard's Pardo Confirms: No Diablo III in 2010
Blizzard VP of Game Design Rob Pardo has confirmed hints from earlier this month that action-RPG Diablo III won't see a 2010 release - but that WoW: Cataclysm and StarCraft II aren't to blame.
Earlier this month, we learned that the highly-anticipated slash-and-loot Diablo III wasn't in Blizzard's forecast for 2010 alongside World of Warcraft: Cataclysm and the first part of StarCraft II. Speaking with Techland, Blizzard's Rob Pardo confirmed that it was safe to say that D3 wouldn't be in our hands next year.
"We always announce all of our games too early," admitted Pardo, and he has a point: Diablo III was announced July 2008, whereas StarCraft II was unveiled in May 2007 and still isn't out. "We realize that and go, 'You know what? Next time we're not going to do that.' And then we always fail at that. But I'd rather fail at that than fail at making the game great."
While some miffed Diablo fans may want to blame Cataclysm and SC2 for the game's late release (at least a decade after the last Diablo game, 2001's Diablo II: Lord of Destruction), Pardo explained that each game - as well as the company's unannounced MMOG project - had its own, entirely separate design team. "We just have a different process and approach than a lot of other studios, and it makes it a very difficult process for us to predict street dates when we're multiple years out."
Nor is Blizzard bound to fiscal calendars for its releases, said Pardo, even after its parent company Vivendi merged its game division with the infamously profit-minded Activision (under the helm of Gamer Public Enemy No.1, Bobby Kotick). "[W]e know that our fanbase is not going to hold us to a fiscal calendar. With Burning Crusade, we missed Christmas by about three weeks. We could've shoved it out the door, but we decided we didn't need to get it into stores for Christmas. We just needed it to be great and our playerbase is going to buy it whenever it hits the shelves."
Who knows when Diablo III will be out? Not us, and not Blizzard. But if the levels I'd played at the past two BlizzCon events are any indication, it'll be f*ckin' awesome whenever it finally sees the light of day.
The full interview is over at Techland. For other incidences of Rob Pardo being surprisingly candid about what goes on behind the scenes of the notoriously secretive Blizzard, why not check out our WoW five-year anniversary interview?
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