World of Warcraft could be getting its own mobile game and it will likely be styled after Pokémon Go. The MMORPG was originally released back in 2004 and has retained a loyal fanbase ever since. Part of the game’s success stems from the allure of new expansion packs, with old players returning to see the new content. It looks as though World of Warcraft will go beyond expansion packs and is planning on adding a mobile game to the mix.
Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft may not boast the same level of players as it once did, yet the game remains as influential as it ever was. Blizzard’s ability to retain such a strong player base considering the growth of competition the game has encountered since it first launched. Despite the monthly payment in order to play, fans continue to enjoy the universe Blizzard has created. The game’s most recent expansion pack, the Battle for Azeroth garnered so much interest from fans that the game briefly topped Fortnite as Twitch’s most popular game.
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There may soon be a new game for fans to try. Kotaku recently reported that Blizzard is interested in a mobile game for World of Warcraft. The decision stems from the popularity of Pokémon Go and other mobile games among Blizzard employees. It doesn’t hurt that Cory Stockton, a former World of Warcraft lead designer, is a big fan of Pokémon.
This would not be the only mobile game in development by Blizzard. Diablo is getting a mobile game as well, called Diablo Immortals, which was revealed during Blizzcon 2018. To say fans were disappointed would be an understatement. The announcement was met with heavy criticism on social media with fans saying that Blizzard no longer understood its fanbase. The company made matters worse when they began deleting negative comments on YouTube. Despite the negative response, Blizzard is going ahead with their plans to expand into mobile gaming.
Blizzard is far from the only company to face criticism for going in a different direction than fans anticipated. Command & Conquer Rivals faced a similar response for the decision to turn a classic game mobile. But the decision to create mobile games for Diablo and World of Warcraft may not be such a bad idea, at least in terms of appeasing shareholders. Should either of the mobile games succeed financially, players should expect more games on the way from Blizzard, fan criticism notwithstanding.
