What the fans want from BlizzCon 2010
In this installment of WoW.com's guest writer program, we welcome a handful of authors to share their thoughts on what is a rumored BlizzCon 2010 this October.
BlizzCon has become one of the premier gaming events each year, attracting folks of every different walk of life from every corner of the globe. In 2009 Chris Metzen stood on stage and to thunderous fire announced World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. The expectations set for future BlizzCon are nothing less than spectacular; reading some of the well thought out opinions, you can see what your fellow WoWers want to see at BlizzCon 2010...
Darcy Zalewski (Better known to some as Syrana)
I went to BlizzCon in 2009 for the first time and saw a lot of great stuff. Since I've experienced it once, now I have some things I'd like to request -- nay, demand -- to see this year. I want to see someone in a Pandaren Monk costume and I want them to go all out with it. I also want to see some updates regarding the Warcraft movie. Then there's the next-gen MMO Blizzard is working on. I hope they'll show some concept art and maybe a demo of this. Lastly, I want Mountain Dew in the vending machines. The only Dew available was at the end of a long concession line (the machines gave Pepsi no matter what button you pushed!). The developer panels taunted me with their untouched bottles of sweet nectar.
Scott Carson
What I would really like to see at BlizzCon 2010 is a dungeons and raids panel dealing with the design philosophy of the dungeons of Cataclysm or of the design teams "favorite" dungeons of all time (dependant on the timing of BlizzCon and the release of Cataclysm). We got a look at the "how" of dungeon and raid design in 2009, but a panel going into the "why" would be interesting. It could be run with a panel of designers showing a fly-through, giving commentary and pointing out features and elements that make the individual dungeons stand out from the pack. To one-up this, they could have some of the team play through a dungeon, live, while the panel delivers a "director's commentary," perhaps with Ghostcrawler playing a retribution paladin.
William Gray
With Blizzard requiring all players to 'upgrade' their accounts to Battle.net they have provided themselves with an excellent tool in the tricky task of herding WoW players to whatever their next MMO project is. When they make their next project public, which may very well be at BlizzCon 2010, I'm interested in seeing what their strategy is for making the transition between WoW and the future of Blizzard's financial success. Will they be able to stay atop the MMO market or will they lose their audience to a rival company?
T.J. Luckman
Two words. New MMO. Is MMO a word? It's actually an acronym, so maybe I should say it's four words, but that's less dramatic. Regardless, I'm really hoping we get some news on the new project they've got in the works at Blizzard. It's not related to any of their other properties, so I'm dying to know more about it. Is it something that could draw me away from WoW? Is it something more serious or more light than Warcraft is? Will there be ponies? We've already got a lot to look forward to with Starcraft II and Cataclysm in 2010, and Diablo III in the not too distant future, but we know almost nothing about this new MMO. Blizzard needs to drop some information on this and get us all salivating over their next big thing.
El-ad David Amir
What do I want? More of the same. Let's be honest here. Blizzard's main strength is polish. They take the acceptable, the tested, the mundane, and upgrade it to the next level, thus creating a brand new industry standard for others to aspire to. Since 2005, BlizzCon has more or less followed an exact formula: New game announcement; public play of upcoming titles; tough Q&As, answering some difficult questions from players regarding the world's most popular titles; and, of course, the goody bag. No tricks, no shenanigans, just high quality sessions that form a dialog between the company and us, the fans. The formula works, and I want the formula to stay.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it. Nothing will be the same. In WoW.com's Guide to Cataclysm you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion. From Goblins and Worgens to Mastery and Guild changes, it's all there for your cataclysmic enjoyment.
