Blizzard Entertainment has announced a new project: a survival game. Yet gamers are still waiting for Diablo IV and Overwatch 2.
Last week, the announcement had the effect of a bomb: Microsoft formalized the acquisition of Activision Blizzard for nearly 70 billion dollars, recovering in passing the Blizzard Entertainment studio and its flagship licenses (Diablo, Warcraft , StarCraft). And we did not expect him to formalize a brand new project already.
In a statement released on January 25, Blizzard Entertainment said, ” embark on his new quest “. It will be a ” new survival game for pc and console » structured around a « new universe “. Few details have been shared but the company promises: A place full of heroes yet to be met, stories yet to be told, and adventures yet to be experienced. A vast realm of possibilities, waiting to be explored. Read: the game is just an idea for now.
The problem: we are still waiting Diablo IV and Overwatch 2…
Blizzard Entertainment is bold
It must be admitted that Blizzard Entertainment is not lacking in audacity. We already know that Diablo IV and Overwatch 2, both announced back in 2019 at BlizzCon, won’t be available for a while (they were staggered last november). So much so that we doubt a 2022 launch for this action-oriented RPG and multiplayer shooter. Even the mobile adaptation of Diablo — subtitled immortal –, which Numerama played in 2018, is still not there. Therefore, seeing Blizzard Entertainment embark on the development of an ambitious project is very, very surprising.
It should also be recalled that the studio has not launched anything new since 2016 (Overwatch). In recent years, it has only piled up failed remasters (Warcraft III: Reforged) or more successful (Diablo II: Resurrected), interspersed with extensions for World of Warcraft. There is therefore reason to raise serious doubts about its ability to find a creative breath, after the vast recycling operation having lasted far too long (spoiler: the company is recruiting). It will also be necessary to regain the confidence of the impatient fans.
Finally, let’s not forget that Blizzard Entertainment still has to rebuild its image, after a year 2021 during which several scandals broke out. We can also think that the announcement of this ” survival game is a lever to get back to basics (video games), knowing that the timing seems ideal for the studio. After the acquisition of Microsoft, a window was created and Blizzard Entertainment did not miss the opportunity to rush into it. In short, it is opportunism.