Jump to content
FORUMS
Sign in to follow this  
Stan

Gamespot Interview with J. Allen Brack

Recommended Posts

VRfXxEf.jpg

Gamespot talked to Blizzard's President J. Allen Brack about WoW Classic, mobile titles, porting WoW to consoles, and Activision. Here are the highlights.

Interview Highlights

  • Announcing WoW Classic at BlizzCon and the game being released has been a peak career experience for J. Allen Brack.
  • Despite the recent layoffs, Blizzard is a values-driven and values-led company, and they make all their big strategic decisions through that lense. They still prioritize gameplay first and focus on delivering great player experiences and focus on the community.
  • Blizzard did a poor job at communicating the announcement of Diablo: Immortal. The key thing that was lost is that they are a PC developer first.
  • Mobile doesn't have to be a lesser-quality experience, and they think it's possible to make Blizzard-quality games on various platforms, which is why they ported Diablo to all both Xbox and PlayStation along with the Switch.
  • They had a candid look at themselves, post-BlizzCon, to digest the fan reaction.
  • Hearthstone is the only mobile game they've done so far, and it took them quite a while to figure out how they were going to find the Blizzard way of making a good mobile game.
  • Blizzard doesn't have a history of having Mike Morhaime or someone else at the top saying, "Hey, Blizzard should go make, insert type of game." Instead, a team of developers who are passionate about a particular idea or genre are given the space to create and iterate and deliver something that they think it's excellent.
  • In a question about the influence of Activision on the company, J. Allen Brack responded that Overwatch League Finals had been created in conjunction with some people at Activision Blizzard and the desire that they have is the same as the desire they have, which is to have their games exposed to and played by millions of players around the world and while both companies have different ways to think about how to achieve that goal, their goals are very aligned with them.
  • The fact that a developer was put in charge of the company after Mike and the fact they promoted Ray Gresko to be the chief development officer speaks to not only what Blizzard values are but is also an indication that Activision Blizzard understands what's important to Blizzard.
  • They've talked about porting WoW over to consoles, but the game has been built for a keyboard type experience from a UI standpoint. The controls would be also bad due to classes having more than 50 abilities at level 60.

Click here to read the full Gamespot interview.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

There were a lot of people saying (possibly correctly) that all the pruning being done to classes was to make it easy to port it in the future.   That obviously hasn't gone well though, as rotations for classes are almost automated in many cases and there's a distinct lack compared to previously.      I could tank mythic raids on my prot paladin by pushing 6 buttons if I really had to, and the only one I wouldn't simply use on cooldown is my taunt.  

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Am i the only one that I would like to see WoW, or parts of the game, ported to Consoles?

I'm a PC player, but growing up, makes me wanna play from the comfort of my sofa

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 minute ago, K1ngMrglMrgl said:

Am i the only one that I would like to see WoW, or parts of the game, ported to Consoles?

I'm a PC player, but growing up, makes me wanna play from the comfort of my sofa

It is possible, given that someone is levelling purely from their phone in Classic, I can see it possible to play wow on console. Would I want it though? No I don't think so... Sofa play would be ace, but there's so many abilities and extras that to be able to do it on 14 or so buttons would require so much pruning it's not worth it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 minutes ago, Bobbis said:

It is possible, given that someone is levelling purely from their phone in Classic, I can see it possible to play wow on console. Would I want it though? No I don't think so... Sofa play would be ace, but there's so many abilities and extras that to be able to do it on 14 or so buttons would require so much pruning it's not worth it.

Indeed mate. But i would love to see in example, the pet battles to be ported on phone or even at consoles.

Or some mini games that we play at WQ

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 minute ago, K1ngMrglMrgl said:

Indeed mate. But i would love to see in example, the pet battles to be ported on phone or even at consoles.

Or some mini games that we play at WQ

And go full circle? Pet battles is just Pokemon, and the mini games in WQ, simple memory game, Bejewelled, draw a shape, simple programming commands (make loh go), and F*** TURTLES? 

If they were added to the companion app so that we could complete said WQ's on the app by playing them, sure, otherwise, just search your app store my dude.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
53 minutes ago, K1ngMrglMrgl said:

Am i the only one that I would like to see WoW, or parts of the game, ported to Consoles?

I'm a PC player, but growing up, makes me wanna play from the comfort of my sofa

I never ever EVER understood this. You can just as much play your PC on the sofa as you could a console, wireless keyboards and mice are a thing, as are controllers and mods that let you play on them. I've been playing from a sofa chair for like 10 years now and it's 1239213x better than any gamer chair and table combo. And especially for WoW where even if you had to buy a second PC cos your work/main one has to be at your desk, the game can work on a new PC you buy specifically for the couch that doesn't cost more than a console.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, CaperfinWoW said:

I hope they DON'T consider porting wow to consoles... 

I mean, it sounds like they considered it but decided naw, it wouldn't work.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, Starym said:

I've been playing from a sofa chair for like 10 years now and it's 1239213x better than any gamer chair and table combo. 

I can't stand comfy chairs while at the computer. I used to have a swivel chair, but I got rid of it in favor of a plain old wooden chair like you might have around a table. 

A sofa would be weird

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
5 hours ago, Halock said:

I can't stand comfy chairs while at the computer. I used to have a swivel chair, but I got rid of it in favor of a plain old wooden chair like you might have around a table. 

A sofa would be weird

Yeah, just when you feel the pain of suffering in a wooden chair for hours and hours, you can call yourself a passionate gamer!

/sarcasm off

for real, try an ergonomic alternative. For your back's sake ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
10 hours ago, Bobbis said:

And go full circle? Pet battles is just Pokemon, and the mini games in WQ, simple memory game, Bejewelled, draw a shape, simple programming commands (make loh go), and F*** TURTLES? 

If they were added to the companion app so that we could complete said WQ's on the app by playing them, sure, otherwise, just search your app store my dude.

I'm not playing any games outside the Blizzard IP so adding them to the companion app, it would be great

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
10 hours ago, Starym said:

I never ever EVER understood this. You can just as much play your PC on the sofa as you could a console, wireless keyboards and mice are a thing, as are controllers and mods that let you play on them. I've been playing from a sofa chair for like 10 years now and it's 1239213x better than any gamer chair and table combo. And especially for WoW where even if you had to buy a second PC cos your work/main one has to be at your desk, the game can work on a new PC you buy specifically for the couch that doesn't cost more than a console.

As i stated before i am a PC player and i'm playing Blizzard games exclusively. I bought an Xbox One S to use it as a media player and because of my addiction to Blizzard games i bought D3. It was really a great experience that i could play while i was laying at the sofa. 
Indeed, there are mods and stuff to make the PC games to be playd like the console. But i'm a lazy dog to do all the stuff, so i prefer to buy OverWatch i.e. two times-CE edition for PC and retail version for Xbox- than modify them.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think a single player adventure (with a pvp multiplayer) set in the WoW universe is more likely to appear on consoles. 

Warcraft: Rise of Zappy Boi, coming to Nintendo Switch 2.

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Also, in all seriousness I'm really surprised a game like Heroes of the Storm wasn't ripe for a console port. Every time I play a MOBA, I think about using a controller.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
10 minutes ago, durdyenglish said:

Also, in all seriousness I'm really surprised a game like Heroes of the Storm wasn't ripe for a console port. Every time I play a MOBA, I think about using a controller.

surprising that it hasnt gone mobile either, honestly.  

Console is a shuo-in. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
17 hours ago, Lawrenz said:

Yeah, just when you feel the pain of suffering in a wooden chair for hours and hours, you can call yourself a passionate gamer!

Yeah but that's the thing -- I find the wooden chair more comfortable. I flop every which way in a comfortable chair until I'm no longer comfortable. But a nice, straight, wooden chair? I sit straight. Ish. 

Which is, ergonomically, also okay. Ish. So long as I keep an eye on it. 

(I will accept being the most passionate gamer though. You amateurs with your comfy chairs. Get on my level. ?)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 10/3/2019 at 3:03 PM, K1ngMrglMrgl said:

Am i the only one that I would like to see WoW, or parts of the game, ported to Consoles?

I'm a PC player, but growing up, makes me wanna play from the comfort of my sofa

you can do that very easily in this day and age thanks to wireless keyboards and mice

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 10/5/2019 at 10:02 AM, GBeast said:

you can do that very easily in this day and age thanks to wireless keyboards and mice

It's not the same mate. Have you played D3 on consoles?? Way better than PC

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 10/3/2019 at 10:23 PM, CaperfinWoW said:

I hope they DON'T consider porting wow to consoles... 

To be fair, what issue would it be if they did? I'm not going to play it on console anyway, so why would I even care? If you are afraid to lose player numbers on PC because of that, there are multiple solutions to it. One is to let them play with PC players, though it would suck for them, especially in PvP. So no Issue for us there. Or, the best solution, we lose what some refer to as 'plebs' to console. All in all, it would not affect us at all. Afraid they use to much resources on console port? Most likely not an issue, since they will hire more people to do so, and it wouldn't affect future content release. I'd say they would get more money from it, thus giving us more content. 

'Milking the cow' doesn't really makes sense to say either, if that's a thought. For one, they are a company, and like everyone else, it's about money in and money out. And as said above, it doesn't affect PC at all. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
Sign in to follow this  

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

  • Similar Content

    • By Staff
      Blizzard games like World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, and Overwatch 2 might soon make a comeback in China, thanks to Blizzard reportedly teaming up again with NetEase.
      The news comes from Core Esports, which suggests Blizzard's game services could be back by the end of March or the beginning of April.
      After 14 years of partnership, Blizzard and NetEase hit a rough patch in 2022, leading to failed negotiations. Consequently, when the licensing agreement concluded on January 23, 2023, Blizzard's game services were suspended across mainland China.
      For more details, you can check out the article in Chinese or find an English translation by Amy Chen on esports.gg.
    • By Staff
      IMAGE CREDIT: DAVID PAUL MORRIS/BLOOMBERG 
      According to WSJ, Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard, has floated the idea of buying TikTok to potential partners.
      Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has reportedly shown interest in purchasing TikTok, as legislation in the U.S. threatens to ban or force the sale of the popular app over national security concerns.
      Kotick is said to be seeking partners for the potential acquisition, discussing the opportunity with notable figures including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The move comes amid growing scrutiny over TikTok's data privacy practices and its ties to China, with U.S. lawmakers pushing for decisive action.
      You can read the whole news piece over at WSJ.
      Bobby Kotick left his position at Activision Blizzard in December 2023 after Microsoft finalized its purchase of the company. Post-acquisition, he reportedly received over $375 million, as detailed by Forbes.
      Source: WSJ 
    • By Stan
      With Johanna Faires recently taking on the role of the new President at Blizzard, let's delve into the history of Blizzard Presidents from 1991 up to the present.
      Allen Adham served as President from 1991 to 1998. Mike Morhaime held the position of President and CEO from 1998 to 2018. J. Allen Brack assumed the role of President between 2018 and 2021. In 2021, Jen O'neal was named Co-Leader of Blizzard alongside Mike Ybarra. However, she chose to leave the company after just three months. Following her departure, Mike Ybarra took over as President until a few weeks ago when he also announced his departure from the company on January 25, 2024. Johanna Faires was appointed as Blizzard's President on January 29, 2024.
      We've come across a Reddit post where someone alleges to have worked at Blizzard during Mike Morhaime's tenure as President, continuing through Ybarra's leadership. We can't vouch for the accuracy of their statement, but here's what they had to share with the community.
      Source: Reddit
    • By Staff
      Blizzard Entertainment has named Johanna Faires as its new president, taking over from Mike Ybarra, who left the company last week.
      Before this role, Faires served as the General Manager of the Call of Duty franchise at Activision. She previously spent 12 years working at the NFL.
      “It is important to note that Call of Duty’s way of waking up in the morning to deliver for players can often differ from the stunning games in Blizzard’s realm: each with different gameplay experiences, communities that surround them, and requisite models of success,”
      "I’ve discussed this with the Blizzard leadership team and I’m walking into this role with sensitivity to those dynamics, and deep respect for Blizzard, as we begin to explore taking our universes to even higher heights.”
      This leadership change follows the announcement by Phil Spencer, the Head of Xbox, and Matt Booty, the President of Game Studios, about massive layoffs across Activision Blizzard and Xbox.
      Faires will start on February 5 and she will hold a town hall shortly afterward at the Blizzard campus in Irvine, California.
      Johanna sent the following mail to Blizzard employees this morning:
      (Source)
      Dear Blizzard,
      Though my official first day with you all is February 5, I want to let you know immediately that it is an honor to join you next week in this new capacity. I do so humbly and in awe of all that Blizzard has stood for and delivered to the world for over thirty years. Today also brings some mixed emotions. The loss of talented teammates in recent days is hard to hold side-by-side with the immense excitement I feel about joining Blizzard – and building on the momentum you’ve created for Blizzard’s next chapter.
      I want to thank Matt for the introduction, bring some further clarity to today’s announcement, and share more about how I see our future together at Blizzard. I understand this is a lot to take in. The news of my appointment may no doubt bring up a range of reactions, questions, even concerns.
      Activision, Blizzard, and King are decidedly different companies with distinct games, cultures, and communities. It is important to note that Call of Duty’s way of waking up in the morning to deliver for players can often differ from the stunning games in Blizzard’s realm: each with different gameplay experiences, communities that surround them, and requisite models of success. I’ve discussed this with the Blizzard leadership team and I’m walking into this role with sensitivity to those dynamics, and deep respect for Blizzard, as we begin to explore taking our universes to even higher heights.
      I am committed to doing everything I can to help Blizzard thrive, with care and consideration for you and for our games, each unique and special in their own right. I’m optimistic about our ability to serve our current and future player communities, and to further amplify the shared passion for greatness, polish, and creative mastery that is a hallmark of Blizzard’s approach to game-making.
      Next week, I will be in Irvine and I am eager to connect with as many of you as possible. I will be scheduling informal (and totally optional) meet-and-greets, where I want to hear more from people across the organization. Those of you who cannot make it to those gatherings or aren’t located in Irvine, please feel free to email me. We are also planning a town hall meeting to be held in the near future.
      A few personal facts about me: my #1 job in life is raising two amazing boys. In addition to parenthood, a typical week for me includes finding time for daily yoga and prayer, and of course, playing video games (big Diablo IV fan over here!). Throughout, the joy I find in games – and working with those who make them – only deepens.
      I remain inspired by Blizzard’s iconic legacy, and the transformative role gaming has played in my life and in the lives of others. I cannot wait to get going – to listen, to learn, to empower, and to collaborate with all of you on our bold and bright future together. Together, may we forge many legendary days ahead.
      Johanna
      For more details, check out the full article on Bloomberg.
    • By Staff
      In the wake of Microsoft's decision to lay off nearly 1,900 employees from its Activision Blizzard and Xbox divisions, there's growing speculation about a strategic shift in customer support for ABK games. Jez Corden, the Managing Editor at Windows Central, has shed light on this development through a series of tweets.
      Corden's tweets reveal that Microsoft is considering a major restructure in its customer support approach. According to his sources, the tech giant is contemplating outsourcing the majority of its internal customer support roles for ABK games to third-party companies based overseas. This move, Corden notes, marks a significant change for ABK, which was previously known for its robust in-house customer support team.
      Placeholder for tweet 1750587911249236224 Additionally, Corden pointed out that Microsoft has also begun dismantling several departments, notably those responsible for the distribution of Xbox games in physical retail stores. However, he emphasizes that this doesn't necessarily signal Microsoft's withdrawal from the physical gaming market.
      Placeholder for tweet 1750590022842278391 Placeholder for tweet 1750596402093216146 The restructuring appears to have wider implications across the company, as Corden reports a substantial reduction in community manager roles. This development could potentially impact the level of community engagement and support for Xbox games.
      Placeholder for tweet 1750594627088904334
×
×
  • Create New...