5th Blizzard game to be developed

[Nadia]

http://www.starcraftwire.net/blog/comme ... ks-update/

The job openings mentioned in this newspost is indeed a brand-new game that has not been mentioned before.

1. This brand-new game is not a World of Warcraft expansion, and it is not related to the Next-Gen MMO.

2. In the present, the brand-new game is using the World of Warcraft engine merely for testing purposes.

3. The Client Software Engineer job opening is to hire the person that will have the responsibility to develop an engine from scratch for this game. This new engine will be built depending on the skill and interest of the person hired for this position.

Whether this game is based on the three major franchises (Warcraft, Starcraft or Diablo) or a new IP, that remains unknown.

[Nadia]

would make a new topic but its really just blizzard fanfare

Rob Pardo confirmed at the GDC 2009 that Blizzard Entertainment and Microsoft are talking about the Xbox 360 successor
http://www.incgamers.com/News/15691/Bli ... utNextXbox

While he wouldn't give away any information on what the discussions have been about, he confirmed Blizzard are actively talking to the Xbox giant.

Pardo did, however, say he believes controls are a big problem when it comes to porting games over to the consoles.

"There are so many games like we make at Blizzard that we don't take to consoles because they don't support the input device and you end up with crappy ports. That's why RTS games never do well on consoles," he said. "If I was them, I'd be sitting around trying to figure out what's a cool new input device that supports all types of new kinds of games."

Historically, MMOs haven't been a big thing on consoles, with Final Fantasy XI the only real one to speak of - but WoW has done spectacularly on PC. With Blizzard in continuing talks with Microsoft, we think it's safe to assume Microsoft want them in on the ground floor, and want Blizzard's input on how to make an MMO on consoles.

If Pardo's comments are indicative of what he's been talking to Microsoft about, the next Xbox - which is presumably in the design stage already, considering these discussions - will perhaps have an unusual controller that can cope with both MMOs and RTS games.

All speculation, of course.

[Nadia]

in other news (and not the 5th game)

Blizzcon 2010
http://www.geekosystem.com/new-blizzard-mmo/

Rob Pardo [Executive VP of Game Design] says next Blizzard MMO likely not to be announced until 2012 or later.