If you’re Blizzard, you probably like where you are right now in the gaming industry. Of course things could be better, as you are still just the fifth largest gaming company in terms of revenue. But things ARE already better, if you include revenue from King Entertainment – makers of the infamous Candy Crush series of games – which Blizzard acquired last year. In that case it is the second largest gaming company in the world in terms of revenue. They already have it good. But they’re hesitant to make the jump to virtual reality (VR) while everybody seems to be doing just that.
Blizzard is turning 25 this week, and its resume includes the world’s most popular MMORPG in World of Warcraft, the world’s largest mobile card collectible game in Hearthstone, and it will have its first movie based on the Warcraft universe coming out this year. Everything is peachy. But all three of its top executives have made a unified statement that the company will not be getting into VR anytime soon, although they admit that they are “watching” the technology intently.
“Everybody’s talking about VR and wearing funny helmets,” Blizzard senior vice president Chris Metzen said. “Culturally, we’re interested, and we’re watching. How rad would it be to run around in World of Warcraft and see it 1-to-1? That does appear to be the next horizon. But we’re kind of watching. It’s possible that other companies will take more tentative steps and plant their flags. I don’t think we’re quite ready to conquer all that yet.”
On mobile, however, all three were also agreed that they will continue to strengthen their presence in that market – and the acquisition of King Entertainment was just the beginning. “I feel like there’s still a big opportunity in mobile beyond just casual games,” president and co-founder Michael Morhaime said. Who knows, you might just be seeing Starcraft and other big Blizzard trademarks on mobile soon.
VIA: Venture Beat
