“Compelling stories. Intense multiplayer. Endless replayability. Qualities that made Starcraft, Warcraft III, and Diablo II the titans of their day.” So says Blizzard in their latest job posting for a Senior Software Engineer, claiming that they are planning to “restore [these games] to glory.” An important goal, in an age where computers are getting so ahead of themselves that they’re struggling to actually run older programs.
In an era where the still-titanic company has been taking great pains to move toward completely different venues in game design, such as Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm, this is some great news for people who look back fondly (and hopefully) at Blizzard’s legacy.
And with World of Warcraft‘s subscriber count plummeting to the 5.5 million mark, it’s possible we might finally be seeing precedence for a turnaround.
Even over a decade after the release of these three classics Blizzard is looking to refurbish, each has its own dedicated, online community. Diablo II still has its own competitive ladder seasons. Warcraft III‘s map editor, the very same that popularized DotA and MOBAs in general, is still a source of original content as one of the greatest modding tools we’ve yet to see in gaming history. And, of course, Starcraft remains was the original e-sport, when the very idea was something that people balked at.
These are the games that kindled Blizzard’s spark, and while this job posting is only a small step in the right direction for the industry giant, it’s a sign that they care, and that they’re at least willing to do some small service to the games that made them what they are.
We can hope, then, that Blizzard can continue to do right by the countless fans its contemporary games have cultivated while at the same time taking steps toward winning back the old, who have been craving classic Blizzard goodness for much too long.
