I don’t know about that @teh_ninjaneer.
On the one hand, I absolutely agree that we will not see a Wowcraft clone. That is to say, a subscription model, hardcore raiding, heavy time commitment, PC RPG.
On the other hand, those epic long-arch games are what build a universe and I think that’s what Blizzard is doing.
I bought ATVI based on one thing: the universe approach.
In 5 years, I believe we will see Blizzard approach IP like Marvel. When they commit to a project, they’ll be asking “what is the opportunity across all channels?”
What does that look like? Maybe it’s toys, collectables? It’s certainly looks like it will be games and probably even feature films. Rides? Theme parks? Events, competitions?
In this respect, I think anchor games are important. Playable universes like World of Warcraft where immersive character storylines develop. To a certain extent that is Diablo-esque games as well but in my opinion to a lesser degree.