I'm not certain that Blizzard has any other choice. Blizzard have a choice but to take this route. I don't know that there's a different way to WOW WOTLK Classic Gold go for Blizzard. We strongly believe that the team leadership has to be convinced and have an idea for an idea that they believe could be great. It's an extremely bottom up approach to things.
Blizzard doesn't have a tradition of Mike Morhaime, or me or any other person on the top of the chain declaring, "Hey, Blizzard should begin to create, invent type of game." It's not how Blizzard operates. It's a group of developers who really are passionate about an idea or specific genre are given the time to come up with ideas and then iterate and then deliver something we believe is excellent. That's really how it's always beendone, and it's still how it's going today.
I'm trying to figure out an approach to this without blaming Activision. So, my question is how do you know if the business realities of the present and your relationship to your parent firm, Activision, such that, you can continue to run your business in that manner? Are you able to say that Blizzard in a position of autonomy to declare, "We don't think this's a good idea, so we're going kill it, and then we're going have to go back to our design board ... there's a chance that you'll not get another game from us in five, ten years, or whatever it may be? If so, are you currently in the position in which you are able to do that?
There were several questions that I asked me when Mike stated, "Hey, you should take a look at this opportunity." There was a handful of questions I had for him and a handful of questions I asked Bobby [Kotick, CEO of Activisionas well as others working at Activision Blizzard. The issue you're discussing is something that is important to know about what it takes to be a Blizzard, both from an engineer's perspective, and, more importantly an individual and a fan perspective.
Here's the thing I will declare. Here we are and we are about to have the World of Warcraft League Finals that was created with the help of some of the employees at Activision Blizzard, and the goal they have for it is exactly the same as the one that we have that is to see our games viewed and used by millions of players all over the world.
I believe that there are many methods of thinking about the best way to achieve that goal, but our goals are remarkably similar and quite aligned to them.
From a fan from a fan's perspective is, if the moment that it's clear that World of Warcraft League can't keep the interest it requires, will Activision abruptly shift its focus to WOW WOTLK Classic Gold "Well you've got give us the next thing immediately," and that's where the clash of ideas could be triggered, like,"Well we're working in a way where you might never see an additional World of Warcraft for another 10 years." Are you in a position to control the outcome of your game and will not be told how to make your games, or be required to create them in a different manner to satisfy demands.
