blizzard Chris Metzen Unveils Warchief Gaming Tabletop Game Company

[Stan 5,252]

Chris Metzen left Blizzard in 2016 after 22 years at the company. After recuperating from the burnout at Blizzard, Metzen announced Warchief Gaming, a tabletop game company that he founded with Mike Gilmartin.

The company won't produce video games, though, as they strive to revive offline tabletop games. Chris Metzen revealed to VentureBeat that he didn't want to return to a big game company and be a giant corporate officer, and he's genuinely excited by the simplicity of tabletop games.

Quote

“The basis of our friendship and having done this club over the last couple of years, to me it felt like a very safe foundation,” Metzen said. “There was no version of me going back to some big game company. There was no version of me going back to Blizzard. As much as I love it, and I truly do, I don’t have that in me anymore. I don’t want to be a giant corporate officer. I don’t want to direct giant teams anymore. Maybe one day, but I’m not that guy today.”

“This doesn’t demand hundreds of people. It just demands the right people,” Metzen said. “I’m excited by that, by the simplicity of that. Making richer creative relationships that way, that run a little deeper, that aren’t so frenetic in the way that the pace of making video games can be.”

Chris Metzen

You can read the full interview over at VentureBeat.

[Steveson 193]

Tabletop gaming company with "War" in it?
*Smurf chanting intensifies*

[Guest]

Since I am a "gamer" (sorry, I don't use the term "tabletop") this is welcoming news. Best of luck to the folks and their company!

[CharlesF 7]

"strive to revive offline tabletop games" - last five years or so has seen huge growth in tabletop war games. So, unless they have a cure for COVID-19, then this isn't going to be an effort at "revive." Maybe contribute to an already very healthy industry.

Even with COVID, GW's stock price continues to climb @ $145 as I write this - it was $9 five years ago. Revive simply isn't the correct term here, it makes it sound like it's a dying genre when that is very far from the truth.

[Arcling 898]

"Unveils tabletop company"? This company has been around since 2018, as their site says. They only announced plans to make their own tabletop game, but their company has been around for a while.

[Aernath 173]

1 hour ago, Arcling said:

"Unveils tabletop company"? This company has been around since 2018, as their site says. They only announced plans to make their own tabletop game, but their company has been around for a while.

Don't shoot the messenger, it's VentureBeat's original title ? 

 

Edited October 28, 2020 by Aernath
Link added

[Morcalivan 86]

3 hours ago, CharlesF said:

"strive to revive offline tabletop games" - last five years or so has seen huge growth in tabletop war games. So, unless they have a cure for COVID-19, then this isn't going to be an effort at "revive." Maybe contribute to an already very healthy industry.

Even with COVID, GW's stock price continues to climb @ $145 as I write this - it was $9 five years ago. Revive simply isn't the correct term here, it makes it sound like it's a dying genre when that is very far from the truth.

All true. I love Kill Team. Just hate putting the models together. Also, nothing is painted, and might never be, but a good playing experience with he Skirmish game. Can't say the same for the larger traditional war games though. Who wants to watch others play for 15-30 minutes before you can take your turn? Chess is less annoying than that.