New MMO is officialy a NEW franchise.

[sandwich_bird]

From World of Warcraft community manager Zarhym

We have nothing to advertise for the new MMO because it's a shell of a game thus far. We've already stated it'll be a brand new franchise, which means the lore, art, and game play are being developed entirely from scratch. It's an overwhelming process, but a process through which we excel. Our track record supports this.

Sources: http://www.planetdiablo.com/

[Eligor]

Praise the gods they're not going to butcher StarCraft or Diablo, hell, they could even create a universe and storyline that would work well in an MMO context.

[sandwich_bird]

That's what they'll do. I wonder what it will be about though. I'll take a wild guest and say it will be cartoony and set in the renaissance. They already have 2 middle age game and a futuristic game so the universe need to be set in a new era. Maybe in a WW2 kind of thing. Also, would it be a MMORPG? I'd take another guess and say they will try to go MMOFPS. Though if they go MMOFPS it wouldn't be in the renaissance... hmmm

[Eligor]

That's what they'll do. I wonder what it will be about though. I'll take a wild guest and say it will be cartoony and set in the renaissance. They already have 2 middle age game and a futuristic game so the universe need to be set in a new era. Maybe in a WW2 kind of thing. Also, would it be a MMORPG? I'd take another guess and say they will try to go MMOFPS. Though if they go MMOFPS it wouldn't be in the renaissance... hmmm

Set in the Renaissance? An MMOFPF = Mass Multiplayer Online First Person Fencing? That would sure be innovative...

Seriously tho', it should be a steampunk game. I think they even said they wanted to make one for quite some time. There are not enough steampunk games out there as it is, and it would fit the Blizz art-style very well.

[sandwich_bird]

Seriously tho', it should be a steampunk game. I think they even said they wanted to make one for quite some time. There are not enough steampunk games out there as it is, and it would fit the Blizz art-style very well.

hmmmmm indeed that would be possible. What kind of MMO though? Still a MMORPG? Probably I suppose. Though I wonder why they didn't just say it would be a mmorpg and not just a mmo.

[Eligor]

A hybrid of RPG and FPS would be nice.

[RainbowToeSocks]

Im pretty sure they said it had nothing to do with warcraft/starcraft/diablo like... at least fifty years ago.

Get with the times kids

[Edfishy]

Like I said in the World of StarCraft topic:

Definitely something along the lines of a PlanetSide / Global Agenda mix would be hot. PlanetSide would be my preference.

Which btw, why doesn't SOE just make PlanetSide free? Get some word-of-mouth going, build the community back up, and make a sequel.

Rumor has it right now that Blizzard's next MMO will be an all-new IP (intellectual property), having no connections to their previous franchises. I'd be willing to bet it'll be an MMO FPS, seeing as how:

• The MMO FPS is a very untapped market.
  
  
• Call of Duty 4 and Call of Duty 5 have made a killing in sales.
  
  
• Blizzard has been making a lot of mention towards consoles, and has spoken in the past about cross PC/Console servers.

I just don't know about another MMO RPG on the market. Even a steampunked one.

[Caine]

hmm looking forward to see who they will rip-off now

[Praetor_Ixab]

FPS just doesn't seem like Blizzard's style... which is why I'm hoping they do make it a MMOFPS. gives them some better range with their games. also, I could see something zombie-esque, or possibly history based, like Ancient Egypt or Feudal Japan.