14 DAY TRIAL // A report that cites sources inside Blizzard published by Develop suggests that video game developer Blizzard is currently actively working on a new MMO project that will use the free-to-play business model.
The source claims that the studio is aiming to expand the business models it uses in order to make sure that it captures as much of the MMO player base as possible, which has recently powered a big rise in the numbers of players who support freemium games.
Paul Sams, the chief operations officer working at Blizzard, has talked about the free-to-play model at the 2011 edition of the BlizzCon event, stating, “It certainly is possible, if we find ourselves in that circumstance, or if we come up with a game where we think that’s the right business model, the most appropriate for players to experience it.”
He added, “We don’t have any opposition to the concept, it’s just that at this point we haven’t decided to make a game where that is the model. But that doesn’t mean that we won’t.”
Recently Blizzard has made its core game, World of Warcraft, essentially free-to-play up to level 20, allowing any interested gamer to see what the game has to offer.
Some fans also speculate that, after the launch of the new Mists of Pandaria expansion, all the game but the latest content will become free-to-play and accessible to all.
A leaked launch schedule from the Chinese subsidiary of Blizzard also talked about an entirely new MMO project, called Titan, which is under development and might be using a free structure, with microtransactions used to generate revenue.
The game has been confirmed as being worked on by Blizzard, but the company has not offered any real details on mechanics and on game themes.
Blizzard is at the moment also working on Diablo III and the Heart of the Swarm expansion for Starcraft II.