Diablo 3 Will be a Blizzard Quality Product

At the end of May we learned that Blizzard's much-anticipated secret project, codenamed Titan, was undergoing major changes. At the time, we didn't know what "major changes" meant, but a recent quote from CEO Mike Morhaime provides some better clarification.

Before we get ahead of ourselves, though, it's important to provide some quick back-story on Titan. While Blizzard was keeping quiet with regards to the title, most assumed it would be the second coming of World of Warcraft. In other words, Titan was being positioned as the next MMORPG to revolutionize the genre.

However, according to Morhaime, Titan has undergone such a radical change that it is "unlikely to be a subscription-based MMORPG."

Here's the full quote below:

"We're in the process of selecting a new direction for the project and re-envisioning what we want the game to be. While we can't talk about the details yet, it is unlikely to be a subscription-based MMORPG."

Unfortunately, beyond this very brief quote, Morhaime wouldn't provide any clarification as to what type of game Titan might end up being.

It's important to note, though, that Morhaime used the term "subscription-based MMORPG" in his quote not just MMORPG. Perhaps Titan was originally envisioned as a true successor to WoW, monthly subscription and all, but now Blizzard has decided that free-to-play is a more viable option. Games like The Old Republic, DC Universe Online, and Tera have all found success in the free-to-play space, but none of them have been able to ensnare the type of rabid fan base that World of Warcraft did all those years ago.

Or maybe Blizzard is headed in a completely different direction with Titan. Maybe they decided that it was better to fill a different niche with Titan than to retread territory they have already conquered. Again, it's going to be hard to top WoW, so maybe Blizzard saw it was in their best interest not to even try.

Either way, the mysterious Titan is likely several years away from release, as most developers who were working on the title have been repositioned onto more immediate projects like Blizzard All-Stars and WoW expansions. And even though Blizzard still seems invested in it, we wouldn't be surprised if Titan became one of those what-if projects, kind of like StarCraft: Ghost.

If Titan is no longer a subscription-based MMO, what would you like it to be? Should Blizzard cut their losses with Titan?

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Source: Joystiq