Blizzard Entertainment
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Blizzard Entertainment® (often shortened to "Blizzard" or "Blizz" by players) is a video game developer & publisher that is responsible for the Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo franchises. The company originally concentrated primarily on the creation of game ports for other studios before beginning development of their own program with the development of games like Rock n' Roll Racing & The Lost Vikings.
In July 2008, Blizzard's parent company, Vivendi, merged their Vivendi Games subsidiary with Activision to create a new holding company called Activision Blizzard.[1] [2] Five years later, in July 2013, Vivendi sold off most of its shares in Activision Blizzard, which now exists as an independent company.[3]
Published games and products
Non-franchise games
| Company | Title | Release date | Platform(s) | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| as Silicon & Synapse | RPM Racing | 1991 | SNES | Racing video game |
| The Lost Vikings | 1992 | Amiga, Amiga CD32, GBA, MS-DOS, Genesis, SNES | Side-scrolling video game | |
| Rock N' Roll Racing | June 4, 1993 | SNES, Genesis, GBA | Racing video game | |
| as Blizzard Entertainment | Blackthorne | 1994 | SNES, Sega 32X, MS-DOS, GBA, Mac OS, Windows (2013) | Platform game |
| The Death and Return of Superman | 1995 | SNES, Genesis | Side-scrolling video game | |
| Justice League Task Force | 1995 | Genesis, SNES | Versus fighting game | |
| The Lost Vikings 2 | February 27, 1997 | SNES, Saturn, PlayStation, Windows | Side-scrolling video game | |
| Heroes of the Storm | June 2, 2015 | Windows, Mac OS | Team Brawler | |
| Overwatch | May 24, 2016 | Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Playstation 4 | Team-based multiplayer shooter |
Franchises
| Universe | Title | Release date | Platform(s) | Genre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warcraft universe | Warcraft: Orcs & Humans | 1994 | MS-DOS, Mac OS, PC-98 | Real-time strategy | Port/remake (TBA)[4][5] |
| Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness | 1995 | MS-DOS, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows | Real-time strategy | Port/remake (TBA)[4][5] | |
| Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal | April 30, 1996 | Mac OS, MS-DOS, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Microsoft Windows | Real-time strategy | ||
| Warcraft II: The Dark Saga | August 31, 1997 | Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn | Real-time strategy | ||
| Warcraft II: Battle.net Edition | September 30, 1999 | MS-DOS, Mac OS, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Microsoft Windows | Real-time strategy | ||
| Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos | July 3, 2002 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, and Mac OS X | Real-time strategy | Port/remake (TBA)[4][5] | |
| Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne | July 1, 2003 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, and Mac OS X | Real-time strategy | ||
| World of Warcraft | November 24, 2004 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, (Linux via Wine or Cedega) | MMORPG | ||
| World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade | January 16, 2007 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, (Linux via Wine or Cedega) | Expansion pack | ||
| World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King | November 13, 2008 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X | Expansion pack | ||
| World of Warcraft: Cataclysm | December 7, 2010 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X | Expansion pack | ||
| World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria | September 25, 2012 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X | Expansion pack | ||
| Hearthstone | March 11, 2014 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iPad, Android, iPhone (current) | CCG | ||
| Hearthstone: Curse of Naxxramas | July 22, 2014 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iPad, Android, iPhone (current) | Adventure pack | ||
| World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor | November 13, 2014 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X | Expansion pack | ||
| Hearthstone: Goblins vs Gnomes | December 8, 2014 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iPad, Android, iPhone (current) | Expansion pack | ||
| Hearthstone: Blackrock Mountain | April 2, 2015 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iPad, Android, iPhone (current) | Adventure pack | ||
| Hearthstone: The Grand Tournament | August, 2015 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iPad, Android, iPhone (current) | CCG Expansion pack | ||
| The League of Explorers | November 12, 2015 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iPad, Android, iPhone (current) | Adventure pack | ||
| Hearthstone: Whispers of the Old Gods | 2016 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iPad, Android, iPhone (current) | CCG Expansion pack | ||
| Hearthstone: One Night in Karazhan | 11 August, 2016 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iPad, Android, iPhone (current) | CCG Expansion pack | ||
| World of Warcraft: Legion | 30 August, 2016 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X | Expansion pack | ||
| Hearthstone: Mean Streets of Gadgetzan | 1 December, 2016 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iPad, Android, iPhone (current) | CCG Expansion pack | ||
| Hearthstone: Journey to Un'Goro | 6 April, 2017 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iPad, Android, iPhone (current) | CCG Expansion pack | ||
| Hearthstone: Knights of the Frozen Throne | 10 August, 2017 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iPad, Android, iPhone (current) | CCG Expansion pack | ||
| Untitled Warcraft mobile game[6] | TBA | Mobile platforms | TBA | ||
| World of Warcraft seventh expansion | TBA[7] | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X | Expansion pack | ||
| World of Warcraft eighth expansion | TBA[7] | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X | Expansion pack | ||
| StarCraft universe | StarCraft | March 31, 1998 | Windows, Mac OS | Real-time strategy | |
| StarCraft: Insurrection | July 31, 1998 | Windows, Mac OS | Expansion pack | Blizzard did not make this expansion, but it was authorized.This one did not require the official Brood war expansion pack. | |
| StarCraft: Brood War | November 30, 1998 | Windows, Mac OS | Expansion pack | ||
| StarCraft: Retribution | 1998 | Windows, Mac OS | Expansion pack | Blizzard did not make this expansion, but it was authorized. Requires Brood War expansion pack. | |
| StarCraft 64 | 2000 | Nintendo 64 | Real-time strategy | ||
| StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty | July 27, 2010 | Microsoft Windows, OS X | Real-time strategy | ||
| StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm | March 12, 2013 | Microsoft Windows, OS X | Expansion pack | ||
| StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void | November 10, 2015 | Microsoft Windows, OS X | Expansion pack | ||
| StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops | March 29, 2016 | Microsoft Windows, OS X | Mission packs | ||
| StarCraft: Remastered | 14 August, 2017 | Microsoft Windows, OS X | Real-time strategy | ||
| Diablo universe | Diablo | December 31, 1996 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, PlayStation (1998) | Action role-playing, hack and slash, dark fantasy | |
| Diablo: Hellfire | November 24, 1997 | Microsoft Windows | Expansion pack | Blizzard did not make this expansion, but it was authorized. | |
| Diablo II | June 29, 2000 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Mac OS X | Action role-playing, hack and slash | ||
| Diablo II: Lords of Destruction | June 27, 2001 | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Mac OS X | Expansion pack | ||
| Diablo III | May 15, 2012 | Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlaySation 3/4 and Xbox 360/One (2013) | Action role-playing, hack and slash | ||
| Diablo III: Reaper of Souls | March 25, 2014 | Microsoft Windows, OS X | Expansion pack | ||
| Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition | August 19, 2014 | PlaySation 3/4, Xbox 360/One | |||
| Untitled Diablo game | TBA[8] |
Other
- Related pen-and-paper RPG materials
- Warcraft: The Board Game (Published: 2003)
- Expansion Set (Published: 2004)
- World of Warcraft: The Board Game (Published: 2005)
- Shadow of War (Published: 2006)
- BlizzCon Epic Armor Pack (Published: 2007)
- The Burning Crusade (Published: September 2007)
- Scion of Darkness (Canceled: 2008)
- Warcraft: The Board Game (Published: 2003)
- Related to StarCraft
- Arcade Workshop (Published: 2014)
Rumored games
Note: Blizzard has confirmed that they are NOT working on a StarCraft or Diablo MMORPG.[9]
- Diablo IV[10]
- StarCraft III[11]
- Untitled first-person game (TBA)[12]
- Warcraft IV[13][14][11]
- World of Warcraft 2[15]
Unreleased/Canceled games
- Bloodlines (concepts later used for StarCraft)
- Crixa (2D shooter)[16]
- Denizen[17]
- Diablo II: Salvation (trademark patented in 2001)
- Diablo III: The King in the North (canceled second expansion for Diablo III)
- Diablo Junior (intended for the Gameboy Color, scrapped due to production costs)[18]
- Diablo MMO (dropped concept)
- Games People Play (crossword puzzles, boggle, and other word games)[19]
- Nomad (Canceled in favor of World of Warcraft)[19]
- Pax Imperia II (rights sold to THQ, later released as Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain)[20]
- Raiko[17]
- Ronin[21]
- Shattered Nations (canceled in favor of StarCraft)[17]
- Starblo (ARPG in a sci-fi setting)[22]
- Titan was the project name for a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) that was being developed as a new IP. In September 2014, Blizzard co-founder and CEO, Mike Morhaime, confirmed with Polygon that the project had been canceled.[23]
- Untitled pirate-themed ARPG (canceled after 1 year of development)[24]
- Untitled project by Mike Booth (abandoned by June, 2015)[25]
- Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans (Canceled on May 22, 1998)
- Starcraft: Ghost (indefinitely postponed on March 24, 2006)[26]
Applications
- Blizzard Forums
- Battle.net Agent
- Battle.net Desktop App
- System Survey
- Blizzard File Switcher
- Battle.net Launcher
- Blizzard Error
- Battle.net Mobile Authenticator
- World of Warcraft Mobile Armory
- Blizzard WCS
- BlizzCon Guide
- WoW Legion Companion
- Blizzard AR Viewer
References
- ^ http://www.activisionblizzard.com/pressReleases/pr120207.php
- ^ Rob Purchese 2008-06-30. Eurogamer: Blizzard Worldwide Invertational. Retrieved on 2008-01-07.
- ^ Elsa Keslassy 2013-07-26. Vivendi Sells Majority Stake in Activision Blizzard for $8.2 Billion. Retrieved on 2014-05-07.
- ^ a b c Kyle Hilliard 2013-11-10. Blizzard Working On Bringing Warcraft & Warcraft II To Modern PCs. Gameinformer. Retrieved on 2014-01-03.
- ^ a b c BlizzCon 2013 World of Warcraft Q&A Panel
- ^ 2017-06-16, Blizzard’s Unannounced Warcraft Mobile Game. Blizzplanet, retrieved on 2017-06-19
- ^ a b WoW's Next Expansions Already Planned. GameSpot (2015-08-07). Retrieved on 2015-08-09.
- ^ ART DIRECTOR, UNANNOUNCED PROJECT, Blizzard Entertainment. Retrieved on 2015-08-06
- ^ Blizzard freezes non-WOW MMOG rumors. GameSpot (2006-06-14). Retrieved on 2013-11-13.
- ^ Travis Day guaranteed players that the Diablo 4 will Certainly Come. MMORPG Champion (2013-05-21). Retrieved on 2014-04-12.
- ^ a b 2015-08-12, GAMESCOM 2015: BLIZZARD WILL 'CONSIDER WARCRAFT' RTS ONCE STARCRAFT 2 IS DONE. IGN, retrieved on 2015-08-12
- ^ November, 2016, Blizzard Working on New First Person Game. Gamerant, retrieved on 2016-12-01
- ^ Warcraft IV Confirmed, Starcraft II to be split into a Trilogy. NG4 (2008-11-18). Retrieved on 2013-05-29.
- ^ Warcraft IV somewhat confirmed at BlizzCon. SK Gaming (2011-10-11). Retrieved on 2013-05-29.
- ^ Eddie Makuch 2014-08-15. Blizzard Has Considered WoW 2 -- What Would You Like to See?. Gamespot.
- ^ A brief history of Blizzard's canceled and unreleased games. Polygon (2014-09-23). Retrieved on 2014-09-24.
- ^ a b c D.I.C.E. '08: Blizzard talks about blowing up. GameSpot (2008-02-07). Retrieved on 2013-05-29.
- ^ Blizzard North considered making Diablo Junior for the Game Boy Color. Joystiq (2012-10-12). Retrieved on 2013-05-29.
- ^ a b Blizzard Entertainment Inc.. Moby Games. Retrieved on 2013-05-28.
- ^ Pax Imperia II. JudgeHype. Retrieved on 2013-05-28.
- ^ The Art of Blizzard Entertainment (book) review…. Inside the Box (2013-02-04). Retrieved on 2013-05-28.
- ^ Diablo in space? Blizzard actually worked on "Starblo". Neowin.net (2012-10-23). Retrieved on 2013-05-29.
- ^ Ross Miller 2014-09-23. Blizzard cancels its 'World of Warcraft' successor. The Verge.
- ^ 2016-01-09, Marvel Heroes 2015 (January 8 2016). YouTube, retrieved on 2016-01-11
- ^ 2015-07-31, THE UNSOLVED MYSTERY OF MIKE BOOTH. Blizzpro, retrieved on 2015-08-01
- ^ 'StarCraft: Ghost' (PS2/Xbox) Cancelled But Goes Next-Gen. Worthplaying (2006-03-24). Retrieved on 2013-11-13.
External links
Wikipedia Blizzard Entertainment
