So, you see, Blizzard is in a bit of hot water (still) because of their decision to require the always-on connection — a decision that resulted in many being unable to play the game for the first few days — and they’ve avoided outright addressing it. But now, it seems, they’re willing to clear the air, and let gamers in on their thinking. It’s not going to change any minds, but it does at least shed some light on Blizzard’s perspective.
For President Mike Morhaime, requiring a constant connection was integral to the long-term integrity of the product they were putting out. Diablo 3, much like World of Warcraft or StarCraft 2, is an investment, and Blizzard hoped to keep that investment pure for gamers by keeping cheating to a minimum.
Unfortunately, as we all know, preserving the purity of the experience came at a price: play time. Rather than keep the riff raff out, Blizzard kept everyone out, greeting them with Error 37 for the better part of the midnight launch. Now, strides have been made to keep gamers from advancing too far in the game, but ultimately the legacy of Diablo 3 is tarnished by a decision that Blizzard still refuses to take the blame on.
Things like PvP and co-op are important parts of the Diablo 3 experience, in Morhaime’s mind, but those are ancillary pieces to what is largely a single player adventure. No gamer wants to be told how they should be playing a game, nor should they have to be hindered by something like Internet availability.
By now it’s just something that Diablo 3 players will have to deal with, whether they like it or not. Obviously the hope is that Blizzard’s next project, StarCraft 2 expansion notwithstanding, will feature a smoother launch, and perhaps then the required online connection’s advantages can be seen.
Do you see Blizzard’s side of the argument in regards to Diablo 3’s always-on connection requirement? If the game had launched without a hitch, do you think Blizzard would need to be justifying their decision?
Source: VG 24/7
