Hmm, very interesting idea. I guess the idea is to attempt to stop from losing their WoW subscription players to Diablo, it'll probably work. Though, with the cost of Monthly Subscriptions, 4 months = the cost of Diablo. So, if you don't play for longer than 4 months of the year, you're better off just buying the game and not paying for WoW when you're not playing. Though, if you were going to keep playing anyways, this is a pretty sweet deal, it's basically a free game to sign a "one year contract" with WoW.

I think the idea is more along the lines of a gradual phase out of WoW and a switch to Diablo III. A few here, a few there, in 5 or 6 years they may have succeeded in transplanting the whole fanbase. At which point they can begin plans to move onward to the next one.

Although both games are made by Blizzard and are based around an RPG fantasy world, I wonder how much overlap the WoW universe fan base will have with the Diablo universe fan base.

I doubt that very much for a few reasons. First, Diablo III isn't a subscription based game, why phase out 7 million * 15$ a month? Second, even if it WAS a Subscription based game, unless WoW is becoming unprofitable (Hint: It's not) why stop running it? Especially if you have players still paying for both. Third, Diablo 3 is NOT an MMO. Playing online on battlenet is nothing like playing an MMO, so while these are both RPGs competing for your time, there are far too many differences for it to be a smart move to "phase out" WoW. Diablo III will NOT in any way be able to take WoWs place.

Agreed.



Seems like this comment is spam!

While Diablo may not be a direct competitor, gamers usually only have so much money. With some seriously stiff competition coming in the coming months in the MMO World (Old Republic anyone), along with their soon to be mega hit, Diablo 3, gamers are going to have both their money and their attention seriously divided. This, coming after the second straight quarter of losing subscribers (
With one full year of subscription, many gamers will still have the urge to return to WoW long after they played through the main bits of Diablo. I think it's a smart move to strengthen their coffers for the next year while they build more content for WoW to maintain their revenue stream.

Whoops, I guess the comment system doesn't like urls. where that lone bracket with all that space was supposed to be a link to an article about how they've lost subscribers for their second straight quarter. While they're still mighty, two quarters of substantial losses is concerning.

Now the real question is... How will that affect SWTOR Sales? My prediction, Wow players will play SWTOR but also pay the year subscription plan. When they ever feel like star wars isn't their thing, if the two games are too similar or if their mood change daily, they'll switch to WOW for a couple of days then go to SWTOR for the other.
And the cycle will go on for a year...

I think SWTOR will help disgruntled WoW players finally find a game they can settle on but it will not be a game for the "hardcore WoWers". As a 5-6 year past player of WoW and having had 2 beta weekends with SWTOR I can tell they are a completely different style of MMO.

Best way to describe it;

WoW = Apple
SWTOR = Android

I've also been in two Beta Weekends (Maybe same ones as you!) and I agree mostly, but I think it depends how well the end game plays. I imagine you didn't make it to max level in the 1 weekend you had. ^^ If the end game is boring, or lacking content for the different types of players, people aren't as likely to stick with TOR.

How much is a year pass?

Buddy of mine is at Blizzcon right now, sent me a text saying Diablo 3 was "fat girl chasing an ice cream truck, almost reaching it, tripping on her untied shoes because she couldn't reach them to tie and landing on her fat face epic".

I for one just want ice cream now.

Can't tell if that means Diablo 3 is the fat girl, so is an epic fail

Or if Diablo 3 is the entire scene and so is epically good

Keep in mind this deal is not a up front payment. All you are doing is signing a contract with blizzard saying you will keep your wow account active for the next 12 months and they will hand you the game for free.

Also

This deal comes with a beta pass key for the next wow expansion and the mount stated above.

Also if you buy the CE of diablo 3 they will credit you 4 months of game time in wow that will count towards your 12 month contract. If your like me who plays MMO's heavily and even with KOTOR coming soon you tend to have the pocket money to afford two of them usually. Its a more a matter of splitting time with real life that gets you.

So basic math here. If you go with the 6 month wow plan which is 11.99 a month x 12 that is 14388 dollars for one year of wow time. Now minus 59.99 = 83.89 after you factor in Diablo 3's normal cost.

This is a stupid good deal for anyone who plans on keeping there wow account for the next year.