Subscription Doesn’t Have to Be a Barrier of Entry
While PC gamers are most often times willing to pay subscription fees to play an MMO, consoles gamers are usually most hesitant. Games like DC Universe Online thrive on their ability to let players optionally pay money for in-game benefits. It allows players to jump in and out more readily without feeling pinned down by monthly fee.
World of Warcraft has been slowly inching toward the free-to-play model for several years now. It has introduced a cash shop that has grown to include a variety of enticing options for players, including exclusive mounts and more recently a level 90 character boost.
Related: Blizzard Experiments with Free-to-Play
Chances are we’re going to see a free-to-play World of Warcraft sooner rather than later, and that’ll make the game a seriously attractive option for console gamers.
Project Titan Isn’t Coming For a Long, Long Time
Yes, Blizzard is working on a brand-new MMO. No, it’s not going to be out for a very long time.
In 2012 over 600 Blizzard staff members were laid off, several of which were working on Project Titan. In 2013, Blizzard President Mike Morhaime shared that they are pursuing a new vision for the project, and have begun reworking the framework of the game. Consequently, quite a few team members were moved to other projects in the studio. You can probably gather that the game probably won’t be out any time soon given the scope of MMO development.
So what does this have to do with World of Warcraft on consoles? Well, Blizzard has over 4,700 employees, and the money to pay them has to come from somewhere. If World of Warcraft is in decline, and they don’t want to make a routine out of laying off members, they must find a way to make the game sustainable at least until Project Titan is ready to drop. A console version, along with big changes coming in Warlords of Draenor, could be exactly what it needs to surpass the subscription count of Cataclysm and Mists of Pandaria.
Separating the Players
So, World of Warcraft on consoles seems like a serious possibility, but there are some design problems to figure out, the biggest of which is integrating console players into a 10-year old game. Truthfully, I think Blizzard will separate PC and console players. Throwing a new crowd of players into a world filled with blood-thirsty, experienced, and highly-geared individuals probably isn’t the smartest idea.
Also, there’s no way around it, the skillcap for controllers would be a lot lower than with keyboard and mouse, placing the new players at a disadvantage from the get-go. A console move wouldn’t just be about making the game available to a new audience, but making sure they get to experience exactly why World of Warcraft is the most successful MMO in history.
Once again, Blizzard has already developed a way to separate PC and console player with Diablo 3, so it’s nothing unheard of.
Ultimately, I’m excited to see whether or not World of Warcraft comes to consoles. It’s a substantial game, and it pains me that I know so many people who have never been able to play it. While a few of them probably wouldn’t fall in love with it like I have, they should at least be able to experience it first hand and find out for themselves. Blizzard is well aware of this, and that could be the catalyst for one of the world’s biggest games coming to consoles, even if it does seem a few years late.
