Blizzard Surprised by Reaction to Online-Only Diablo 3

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Tony2077

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Volkov said:
Crono1973 said:
Always Online DRM is ok when Blizzard uses it, apparently.
It's not OK when they use it either. I was considering buying Diablo III, but now - no way in hell.
well the people that bought sc2 say otherwise. maybe not all of them but meh
 

Guilherme Zoldan

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Its amazing to see some people jumping to the defense of a company that cares nothing about them and is implementing a customer-screwing system. Did people do that same thing in defense of Ultimate MvC3?
 

TheDooD

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Tumedus said:
TheDooD said:
Its not really adding anything its just if servers crash, my online is being a *****, or im traveling I should be able to play the game I spent 60$ for. It's not gonna be a niche market when week 1 of D3's release blizzard's servers crash. Leaving millions unable to play and extremely pissed off.
It all depends on what assets are being stored server side versus client side. To make an offline mode they need to make sure that all those assets are on the disk and that the client knows how to look for them there. They also have to code the mechanic to choose a mode. Maybe not a huge undertaking but still man-hours spent.

And I get that you will be annoyed if you lose connection but, again, its no different than an MMO. A big name MMO has the same $60 box cost. Anymore, thanks in large part to Blizzard, the leveling content of these titles is entirely soloable (SWTOR being a notable example). But they don't have offline modes either.
I don't play MMO's I don't care for'em I originally got into Diablo 1 & 2 When I didn't have access to online play so I loved the single player. Man hours in Blizzard terms don't really count when it takes a decade for the next game to come out some extra won't kill them to make sure people are able to play when lady luck isn't on their side.

Traun said:
My friend you lack the foresight, nay, the vision of the future. How can you say "F the community" when Zynga build an empire on this. Soon every company will have it's own social network. EA Social, Blizzard Social, Activision Social, Square-Enix social where you will post on your walls what loot you've got and share the experience. And when you share the experience you receive Friend points which unlock special "fan" bonuses, like items.
And mods, who would use mods when you can buy perfectly good DLC. There will be anything for any budget, from 0.99$ skins to 19.99$ mission - even better, if you convince your friends to buy some you get extra friend points.
And privacy, my friend, nay, MY COMRADE, we are all united in our SOCIAL NETWORK, what privacy? What do you have to hide from your dearest and closest kin on this earth - your online friends.
And you obviously don't know how fun it is to buy stuff off the Auction House, together, with your dearest friends.
Yeah you must be trolling. Zynga doesn't have the most positive shine on the gaming world either. Making everything Social basically gets rid of the personal user experience. I don't want every weapon I pick up and battle recorded. I careless about "Fan" bonuses with are basically if you kissed their ass enough you get free shit. Mods are still more logical then spending money on something I make not like. I really don't want to be begging or "whoring" myself to get friend points. Privacy is a major thing Facebook is a prime example of why this shouldn't happen. Then why in the hell are you charging you "dearest" friends to buy gear when you should be able to give them what they want and or need.




Captcha: Cited Offender
 

commasplice

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Nesco Nomen said:
Didnt I say entitlements seeking?


What's the rationale and where did "you" deserve the respect you guys are asking?

FU Bobby Kottick ?
Blizzard is out to rob us ?
Cliche consusmer zombies metaphores in a post above?

For a game that's not in a beta yet?

Or the better service. Better then what?

Single + Multi + Arena + PVP + thousands of items spread among randomly generated quests and levels

WHAT BETTER SERVICE are u asking for whinos?
lol u trollan

Seriously, just because some people think Kotick should fuck himself doesn't mean that the dissenters don't deserve respect. Put simply, the consumers pay this company's bills. THAT is why they should respect us.
 

Joseph Alexander

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heres what i see in the heads of blizz PR department:
always online for single player> be shocked at backlash> make offline single-player> fans will think we actually listen to them.

hey I'm not bashing them, hell its fucking genius, but its not rocket surgery.
granted PC gamers(or console gamers for that matter) don't seem to be a capable lot compared to gamers who just game.
 

Tony2077

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Joseph Alexander said:
heres what i see in the heads of blizz PR department:
always online for single player> be shocked at backlash> make offline single-player> fans will think we actually listen to them.

hey I'm not bashing them, hell its fucking genius, but its not rocket surgery.
granted PC gamers(or console gamers for that matter) don't seem to be a capable lot compared to gamers who just game.
you know it'll be funny as hell if they did that and since we don't a have release date there is a slim slim chance.
 

Volkov

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tony2077 said:
Volkov said:
Crono1973 said:
Always Online DRM is ok when Blizzard uses it, apparently.
It's not OK when they use it either. I was considering buying Diablo III, but now - no way in hell.
well the people that bought sc2 say otherwise. maybe not all of them but meh
I did buy SC2, but for FUCK'S SAKES I AM SO NOT HAPPY ABOUT LACK OF LAN!!! If Blizzard wasn't the only company serious about competitive RTSs that are fun to play AND to watch (and they ARE the only company that fits that description, most for the "fun to watch" clause), I think this decision would hurt them. As it stands, it's a way to make product worse that doesn't make a difference due to them being a monopoly.

But in hack and slash RPGs they are far from a monopoly. They actually have competition. And so I am not going to buy Diablo III.

Most people still will of course, because you are right - people are so attached to the brand that they are really paying for the brand, and not for the quality (and the fact that Blizzard has tons of liquid capital and can financially support long-term development helps with quality as well). But still, at least for me, and from what I understand, a lot of my friends, this type of DRM => instant no sell.

When Civ IV no-DRM collection was released, I instantly bought it. Because I want to support that type of business decisions, but also because it was a good game. Few companies have rich enough investors to both support long development necessary for this high quality AND at the same time allow a publication without DRM. Maybe eventually the investors will learn that DRM can be bad. But probably not. :(
 

Tony2077

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Volkov said:
tony2077 said:
Volkov said:
Crono1973 said:
Always Online DRM is ok when Blizzard uses it, apparently.
It's not OK when they use it either. I was considering buying Diablo III, but now - no way in hell.
well the people that bought sc2 say otherwise. maybe not all of them but meh
I did buy SC2, but for FUCK'S SAKES I AM SO NOT HAPPY ABOUT LACK OF LAN!!! If Blizzard wasn't the only company serious about competitive RTSs that are fun to play AND to watch (and they ARE the only company that fits that description, most for the "fun to watch" clause), I think this decision would hurt them. As it stands, it's a way to make product worse that doesn't make a difference due to them being a monopoly.

But in hack and slash RPGs they are far from a monopoly. They actually have competition. And so I am not going to buy Diablo III.

Most people still will of course, because you are right - people are so attached to the brand that they are really paying for the brand, and not for the quality (and the fact that Blizzard has tons of liquid capital and can financially support long-term development helps with quality as well). But still, at least for me, and from what I understand, a lot of my friends, this type of DRM => instant no sell.

When Civ IV no-DRM collection was released, I instantly bought it. Because I want to support that type of business decisions, but also because it was a good game. Few companies have rich enough investors to both support long development necessary for this high quality AND at the same time allow a publication without DRM. Maybe eventually the investors will learn that DRM can be bad. But probably not. :(
buying stuff like this doesn't help and i bet some of the people here will buy it anyway and i'm talking about the ones that say they won't since there anonymous on here so they can say what ever the hell they want and still buy it
 

Volkov

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tony2077 said:
Volkov said:
tony2077 said:
Volkov said:
Crono1973 said:
Always Online DRM is ok when Blizzard uses it, apparently.
It's not OK when they use it either. I was considering buying Diablo III, but now - no way in hell.
well the people that bought sc2 say otherwise. maybe not all of them but meh
I did buy SC2, but for FUCK'S SAKES I AM SO NOT HAPPY ABOUT LACK OF LAN!!! If Blizzard wasn't the only company serious about competitive RTSs that are fun to play AND to watch (and they ARE the only company that fits that description, most for the "fun to watch" clause), I think this decision would hurt them. As it stands, it's a way to make product worse that doesn't make a difference due to them being a monopoly.

But in hack and slash RPGs they are far from a monopoly. They actually have competition. And so I am not going to buy Diablo III.

Most people still will of course, because you are right - people are so attached to the brand that they are really paying for the brand, and not for the quality (and the fact that Blizzard has tons of liquid capital and can financially support long-term development helps with quality as well). But still, at least for me, and from what I understand, a lot of my friends, this type of DRM => instant no sell.

When Civ IV no-DRM collection was released, I instantly bought it. Because I want to support that type of business decisions, but also because it was a good game. Few companies have rich enough investors to both support long development necessary for this high quality AND at the same time allow a publication without DRM. Maybe eventually the investors will learn that DRM can be bad. But probably not. :(
buying stuff like this doesn't help and i bet some of the people here will buy it anyway and i'm talking about the ones that say they won't since there anonymous on here so they can say what ever the hell they want and still buy it
That was pretty shitty English, but yes, you are also right - pledges like this on the Internet (or in person in front of a Blizzard employee's face) make absolutely zero difference. A measurable drop in the actual vs predicted sales - that would make some difference, I think. But you are right, there won't be one, for reasons outlined in my post above.
 

ntw3001

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I guess Blizzard are the only people in the world who didn't predict this reaction. They thought that because people are willing to remain online for an exclusively multiplayer game, they'll be happy to do the same for something single-player? I guess it's all for the sake of the real money auction house, which, completely obviously, not many players actually want. There are the loud complainers, the vast majority who don't care, and... who? The people who actually wanted the AH and would be unhappy for it to be absent? I'd guess they're probably the smallest group by far.
 

Tony2077

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Volkov said:
tony2077 said:
Volkov said:
tony2077 said:
Volkov said:
Crono1973 said:
Always Online DRM is ok when Blizzard uses it, apparently.
It's not OK when they use it either. I was considering buying Diablo III, but now - no way in hell.
well the people that bought sc2 say otherwise. maybe not all of them but meh
I did buy SC2, but for FUCK'S SAKES I AM SO NOT HAPPY ABOUT LACK OF LAN!!! If Blizzard wasn't the only company serious about competitive RTSs that are fun to play AND to watch (and they ARE the only company that fits that description, most for the "fun to watch" clause), I think this decision would hurt them. As it stands, it's a way to make product worse that doesn't make a difference due to them being a monopoly.

But in hack and slash RPGs they are far from a monopoly. They actually have competition. And so I am not going to buy Diablo III.

Most people still will of course, because you are right - people are so attached to the brand that they are really paying for the brand, and not for the quality (and the fact that Blizzard has tons of liquid capital and can financially support long-term development helps with quality as well). But still, at least for me, and from what I understand, a lot of my friends, this type of DRM => instant no sell.

When Civ IV no-DRM collection was released, I instantly bought it. Because I want to support that type of business decisions, but also because it was a good game. Few companies have rich enough investors to both support long development necessary for this high quality AND at the same time allow a publication without DRM. Maybe eventually the investors will learn that DRM can be bad. But probably not. :(
buying stuff like this doesn't help and i bet some of the people here will buy it anyway and i'm talking about the ones that say they won't since there anonymous on here so they can say what ever the hell they want and still buy it
That was pretty shitty English, but yes, you are also right - pledges like this on the Internet (or in person in front of a Blizzard employee's face) make absolutely zero difference. A measurable drop in the actual vs predicted sales - that would make some difference, I think. But you are right, there won't be one, for reasons outlined in my post above.
well i don't care enough to fix my English
 

Trishbot

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You know, my internet sucks. I'm one of those people where, with four roommates, we can spread our bandwidth too thin and lose connection frequently.

And I travel a lot with my laptop to locations (like my grandmother's house) where wireless isn't available.

So, screw this "always-on" stuff. "Way of the future". Fine, let this have online components. But have the decency to give those that don't want to deal with this BS the option of playing the game the way WE want to play it; offline and single-player.

Idiots. Seriously. Screw big-companies thinking they speak for "the future" and telling me what's best for me.
 

Rouzeki

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OK, I HAVE to say something About this, because it'll just hurt me if i don't scream!

When I heard this, for the first time in years, I wasn't angry, or anything of the sort. I was STUNNED TO NEAR-TEARS.

Blizzard. I gave you all the credit a young fan could. since my birth I've been playing your games, and talking a big game about you, despite the recent years involving WoW. SC and Diablo II are how I kept contact with my father, and I treasure those games like memories of days gone by. But WHY does it seem like, once again, (this time with SCII) that ill have to boycott my own childhood memories in the hope something changes?

this. is. simple. REMOVE single player, and you lose buyers. and I'm past the point now of wanting to explain to people that the internet is NOT up to code as much as they would have you believe. I know for a fact that besides simply dodgy signals, a good portion of america alone still doesn't have sturdy broadband. Not that it'll matter to the populace, though. It's Diablo III, right? they'll buy it, and play it, And not care. and to the people who say "well, its like an MMO now"? there is NO REASON, why Diablo III should be always online when Diablo 1 and II already knew how to separate out multi-player from single player. Why is it Blizzard (and now that I think of it, MOST older companies these days) forgetting things they ALREADY DID years prior?

This... just hurts a part of me. I'm gonna go play Katamari now. thank goodness for the raw bliss that music creates.
 

Canadamus Prime

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tony2077 said:
canadamus_prime said:
tony2077 said:
canadamus_prime said:
tony2077 said:
canadamus_prime said:
It's simply a matter that many gamers, including myself, don't want to have to connect to the Internet to play a single player game, or rather don't want to have to invoke our Internet connection to play a single player game. And I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one whose not really interested in the multiplayer. Having a constant connection to the Internet is fine if you're playing an MMO or playing some other form of online multiplayer game, but when playing single player one expects that the Internet is not required. Even with High Speed Internet where the connection is always present, one still doesn't expect it to be required for a single player experience. It's the principle of the thing.
unless your like me and have it on all the time streaming email its just easier to leave it on
Perhaps you missed the last part of my post where I said "Even with High Speed Internet where the connection is always present, one still doesn't expect it to be required for a single player experience. It's the principle of the thing."
just looks like a lame excuse to complain to me
I'm not complaining. I'm expressing my feelings regarding the issue. I am allowed to do that aren't I?
I wasn't planning on saying anything more about it until you quoted me because I know it wouldn't make Blizzard change their plans. I was planning on making Blizzard painfully aware of how I felt about this by not buying the game however.
not like they'll lose enough to make them give a shit about you people so your stance is pointless. blizzard still has decades ahead of them so not like this will do anything and now where the hell is the release date
Yeah, I know. But trying to rally people to my cause would be equally as futile so whatever.
Edit: Besides, it's just not that big a deal to me.
 

robert01

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Jul 22, 2011
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tony2077 said:
Volkov said:
Crono1973 said:
Always Online DRM is ok when Blizzard uses it, apparently.
It's not OK when they use it either. I was considering buying Diablo III, but now - no way in hell.
well the people that bought sc2 say otherwise. maybe not all of them but meh
Starcraft 2 still has an offline mode. I know this I have used it. I wasn't going to purchase Diablo III anyways but this does lay down the groundwork for future releases from them. I do not support games that I cannot play when my internet is down/their servers are down. MMOs you expect stuff like that to happen. Diablo III is not an MMO.
 

Traun

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Nesco Nomen said:
What's the rationale and where did "you" deserve the respect you guys are asking?
I am a paying customer, it is a basic principle in most businesses to treat the customer with respect.

Nesco Nomen said:
Or the better service. Better then what?

Single + Multi + Arena + PVP + thousands of items spread among randomly generated quests and levels

WHAT BETTER SERVICE are u asking for whinos?
A stable one for starters. There are a lot of people here that make good points...
 

loc978

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I'm not surprised in the least that Blizzard execs are that disconnected from their old 90s fanbase. They've alienated most of us pretty thoroughly anyway.
 

Braedan

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"We've been doing online gameplay for 15 years now... and with World of WarCraft and our roots in Battle.net and now with Diablo 3, it really is just the nature of how things are going, the nature of the industry."

He says that as if he's some god, or Lord who decides the fate of gaming, rather than US who decide the fate of gaming with out wallets. I will no longer be purchasing D3.

"just the nature of how things are going"? That sounds like we should just bend over and accept things when we don't like them, instead of not purchasing their product.