So Warcraft 3 Reforged came out, and you might have missed the news, but it’s not doing very well. In fact, I will straight out say it. It’s terrible. Now, I’m speaking from the perspective of somebody who followed the whole debacle but really didn’t play the remake. Unlike many, my relationship with Blizzard ended way back when Diablo III was released. The Auction House is one of the shameful things I despised the most. After Blizzards merge with Activision, things only went downwards. The backlashes with Diablo Immortal and Blitzchung only reaffirmed to me that the company was long gone.
However, some still had faith, due to the release of Overwatch, the announcement of Diablo IV and today’s special guest. Which brings us here. Now, I won’t go on a wild rampage because of the quality of the game. Because I have a few screws left in my head, and I didn’t pre-order this travesty. This will be more an insight into the company and its downfall with this game. The politics surrounding the release of the remake. And it will give me a small opportunity to show just how much I was right about Blizzard being a failure.
Warcraft’s Bygone Time
So where to start? Well, let’s start at the beginning, shall we? It’s 2018, everybody is at BlizzCon. After a few riots following the reveal of Diablo Immortal, and a few rants, the company pulls their ace in the hole. Warcraft 3 Reforged is announced. New and improved graphics, cutscenes, voice-overs, a lot of baloney. The presentation ends, and everybody gasps. A playable teaser where our favorite Warcraft edge-lord Arthas goes insane and purges a city. All is good. The year passes, beta testing comes and goes, and the date is ever so closer. And then, in comes Metacritic.
I think a few seconds of silence are okay for this user score. Nope, honestly, I don’t think they deserve it. That’s how much I have no respect for the studio. Now, from a certain point of view, many would consider the fan-base salty and overexaggerating. However, I view it to be just deserved, for gamers have had enough. This is not just referring to Blizzard. Promises and let downs are a staple of AAA companies and one that plagued the last decade more than ever. Somewhere the line has to be drawn, and it’s here. I consider this not to be a small riot against Blizzard. But anger and a protest against AAA companies which keep letting everybody down, with huge promises and demands, and little result.
Where is the Criticism?
In this particular matter, the BlizzCon showcasing was a lot more than what we got. Sure I haven’t dived my head into it, but that’s because I’m not mad to pre-order anything these days, except books. That’s how far both Blizzard and other AAA studios have fallen from grace. The game is, on the surface, nothing but an overpriced shell that was released way back in 2002.
All the things the old one possessed, this one just copied over, down to the voice-over, which is precisely the same as the original.The cutscenes that were supposed to be this enhanced storytelling, cut short to the same thing we saw, also, way back. Reports of bugs during online play, and even on the menu screen. I mean day 1 patches exist, but this one needs to be a big package if they plan on fixing it. However, my view on the disgrace on this company comes in the form of something much bigger, and not just salty graphics.
Bad Reputation
At the time of writing, Blizzard is still trying to sell its product with the advertisement from BlizzCon. This itself can be considered a lawsuit for false advertising. Now, the company’s response is the actual bane of all this chaos. Warcraft 3 was in 2002 known to be one of the prime sources for custom creations. A feature that led to a ton of wondrous games, and the rise of a particular genre, the MOBA. Yet, greed is much more prominent than actual creativity, and subjugation awaits all those who oppose and express their opinion.
All rights for custom-built games in Warcraft 3 Reforged go entirely to Blizzard, and only they can use it as they see fit. Profiting from ideas that were not their own. A purification of anything original and potentially new, taken by the hands of a greedy publisher, that just sees their community as nothing more than a piggybank.
On top of that, the most prominent controversy comes in the form of refunds. The community took things in their own hands and went public to warn others of the game’s faults and unplayability. Their sales in danger, Blizzard fired back. Not only are refunds implausible, Battle.net doesn’t even recognize that the remake is installed. Even worse, several users were banned from spreading word of the game’s bugs, glitches, and refunds. This is a new low point, one that is arrogant and stubborn, yet tries to impress with something obviously broken. On top of that, the original Warcraft 3 is unplayable due to this new remake, working as an update, which means all those who have it are stuck with it.
What’s Next?
I have no word, except shame. Such blind arrogance and disgrace. From my point of view, I don’t give a damn about Blizzard, but to wrong those who supported you fanatically, is a particular shitty stab. For all I care, Blizzard can just go to hell, but that’s because I have 0 appreciation for it, even before this. The epitome of corporate greed and the toxicity of the industry now completely shifted from Bethesda to Activision/Blizzard. Ah yes, can’t forget Activision was a part of it all. Hard to be excited about anything coming out. For the sake of the fans who still want to give them a chance, get your shit together, Blizzard. A sad fall of a once-great franchise, one that can get even more immoral.
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