Players Lack Patience, According to Blizzard CEO
Blizzard executive acknowledges challenges faced by the company and highlights the importance of understanding player expectations and preferences in a rapidly evolving gaming industry
Article Key Points
Blizzard President Mike Ybarra believes players lack patience, wanting new content constantly, making it challenging—but not impossible—to maintain quality standards.
Constant content leads to the expansion of teams and effective monetization, according to Ybarra. Additionally, Ybarra, who previously transitioned from Microsoft to Blizzard, expressed uncertainty about the impact of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard on the developer going forward.
Blizzard President, Mike Ybarra, believes that players' lack of patience presents challenges for maintaining quality standards, although not impossible. Ybarra shared this perspective during a discussion about the company's future after Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
As is common with developers focused on eSports and live-service games, Blizzard has encountered heightened demand for consistent content from their fanbase. While this isn't the only factor influencing player expectations, the level of public scrutiny for Blizzard's projects continues to rise in line with their success. This means that even highly acclaimed and massively popular titles like Diablo 4 are frequently targeted for criticism by the most dedicated fans.
Reflecting on this state of affairs in a recent interview with The Verge, Ybarra expressed his opinion that gamers lack patience. He stated, "They want new stuff every day, every hour," and emphasized how the World of Warcraft maker is striving to meet those demands "while upholding the Blizzard quality standards." However, continuously producing content requires a significant team, which underscores the importance of sensible monetization, according to the executive.
Monetization itself presents challenges, and the Blizzard President emphasizes the importance of considering the end user experience. To ensure a positive experience, Ybarra wants players to have a positive feeling when spending money with Blizzard, regardless of the amount. Although the company has primarily focused on live-service offerings, it is willing to explore more traditional publishing models and welcomes pitches for new IPs from its teams. Regarding existing franchises, the Blizzard President recently assured fans that the wait for Diablo 5 will be shorter than the one for Diablo 4.
Players have high expectations and desire constant updates. We strive to meet their demands while maintaining the quality standards of Blizzard.
When asked about the potential changes to Blizzard and its future output due to the Microsoft acquisition, the executive openly admitted that he is uncertain. While the $68.7 billion transaction was finalized in October, Ybarra disclosed that he has not yet had discussions with Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer regarding the next steps.
This acquisition puts Ybarra, an industry veteran, in a unique position, as he left Microsoft to join Blizzard in late 2019, only to find himself once again working under the tech giant's leadership four years later. However, this doesn't mean that the executive lacks optimism about the future. He recently appeared at the 2023 BlizzCon in early November and described the event as the beginning of an exciting "new era" for Blizzard.
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z netizen, I have mixed feelings about Blizzard's CEO's statement that players lack patience. On the one hand, I understand that players want new content regularly, especially for games they love. On the other hand, I think it's important for developers to take their time and make sure that new content is high quality. I've seen too many games that have been rushed out the door and ended up being buggy and disappointing.
I think Blizzard is right to focus on monetization, but I hope they don't do it in a way that alienates players. I'm willing to pay for new content, but I don't want to feel like I'm being nickel-and-dimed.
Overall, I think Blizzard is on the right track. They have a lot of talented developers, and they're making some great games. I'm excited to see what they do next.
