Bill Roper leaves Blizzard

Joseph · September 2, 2003, 23:16

This month Computer Gaming World (OCT Issue) has a two page story about Bill Roper leaving Blizzard Games.
The story goes to say that all of his co-founder also left. Erich Schaefer, Max Schaefer, and David Brevik tendered their resignations.
This all happen after upper management at Vivendi said "NO" to Bill Roper request to be more involve with Vivendi Gaming unit.

Question, Will Warcraft now go as Test of Time did after Sid and company left MicroProse?

Ted Striker · September 2, 2003, 23:17

As an aside, NBC is trying to buy Vivendi.

Shi Huangdi · September 2, 2003, 23:20

Good, get Blizzard outside of French control.

Ted Striker · September 2, 2003, 23:23

That will also free up Universal Studios and put it back under US control. USA!

My question is, Vivendi was originally a sewage company and that is a large part of their business. So what is NBC going to do with a French sewage company? I'd sell it as soon as possible.

Boris Godunov · September 2, 2003, 23:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
Good, get Blizzard outside of French control.

Yeah, those French sure have mucked it up...I mean, jeez, it's only perhaps the best-quality computer game company out there...

Ted Striker · September 2, 2003, 23:28

Well the latest action seems to have messed it up to the point of putting it out of business.

Boris Godunov · September 2, 2003, 23:33

Frankly, I'm more concerned that our vital utilities are owned by foreign entities. I mean, doesn't it give anyone else the heebie-jeebies that foreign companies can own our electric companies? Seems like a massive conflict to our national interest!

Inverse Icarus · September 3, 2003, 02:18

Quote:

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
Frankly, I'm more concerned that our vital utilities are owned by foreign entities. I mean, doesn't it give anyone else the heebie-jeebies that foreign companies can own our electric companies? Seems like a massive conflict to our national interest!

Dis · September 3, 2003, 02:19

Is there going to be a Diablo3 or not?

I can care less about the other games.

Inverse Icarus · September 3, 2003, 02:21

blizzard will probably make it, but it won't be the same people.

think civ2 -> call to poop.

Shi Huangdi · September 3, 2003, 02:25

Quote:

Originally posted by Boris Godunov

Yeah, those French sure have mucked it up...I mean, jeez, it's only perhaps the best-quality computer game company out there...

Blizzard is the perhaps the best-quality computer game company out there largely because it has not interfered at all with the operations in Califronia, many Blizzard employees don't know who the Vivendi CEO is.

As far as French mismanagement, well if it is their "NO" that is driving Bill Roper from Blizzard...

nato · September 3, 2003, 03:25

I really hope that this somehow means that the people who made Warcraft 3 will not be the people making Starcraft 2. As an RTS I found wc3 a really major disappointment.

FrustratedPoet · September 3, 2003, 06:43

This is old news.

Bill and a few of his ex-Blizz freinds have set up another company. They've hinted at making a Diablo-esque game (Blizz own the license to the Diablo name, though), but things are still very much up in the air.

lord of the mark · September 3, 2003, 13:40

Quote:

Originally posted by Boris Godunov

Yeah, those French sure have mucked it up...I mean, jeez, it's only perhaps the best-quality computer game company out there...

BTW, congrats Boris on your royal status.

Anyone want to take this thread to "other games"?

St Leo · September 3, 2003, 22:44

Oh, no. Blizzard is multiplying. Now, there'll be two bad game companies instead of one.

Nubclear · September 3, 2003, 22:51

will Blizzard go the way of Firaxis after......

Sharpe · September 3, 2003, 23:39

Quote:

Bill and a few of his ex-Blizz freinds have set up another company. They've hinted at making a Diablo-esque game (Blizz own the license to the Diablo name, though), but things are still very much up in the air.

The irony of Roper and friends doing a Diabloesque game for their new company is that they were supposedly NOT interested in doing Diablo 3 quite yet (or at all) - wanted to try something different supposedly IIRC from another article.

And yet their best chance of making their new company successful is to do something similar to their previous hits.

Urban Ranger · September 4, 2003, 00:55

Shades of id and ION Storm...