World of Warcraft. Pandas and Pokemon.

[Danarth]

So, I haven't really kept up to date with the incoming new features for World of Warcraft, but on a whim I looked today. What I found was most perplexing.

http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/game/mists-of-pandaria/feature/pet-battle

Pokemon. In WoW.

Granted, I think it's slightly less silly than the Pandas, but still ....Blizzard clearly are trying hard to keep people playing WoW, especially after the fact that the last few expansions seem to have disappointed a great many people.

I mean, it will be horrible for me to decide what vanity pets to use, my main WoW character has something like 120.

God, this really 'is' like pokemon....

[Mechtaur]

*Sigh* Using recruited things to battle isn't "ripping off Pokemon". Recruiting RPGs have come and gone before it, Pokemon was the just the most popular one.

They aren't the first MMORPG to do it either, so I say good on them to catch up there if they feel that is what is wanted.

[Yaezakura]

*Sigh* Using recruited things to battle isn't "ripping off Pokemon". Recruiting RPGs have come and gone before it, Pokemon was the just the most popular one.

They aren't the first MMORPG to do it either, so I say good on them to catch up there if they feel that is what is wanted.

While you may be technically correct, you have to stop and consider scale. "Monster battle" games may have existed before Pokemon, but no one cared about them before Pokemon. Pokemon did not create a genre, but it did define a genre. This would not be coming to WoW, or exist in any other MMO, if Pokemon was not the success it was. So... yeah. It is ripping off Pokemon.

I'm just going to laugh when it turns out the only pets worth using in battle are the ones you have to pay Blizzard extra cash for.

[Cerim Treascair]

This is why I'm going to keep it to me and my guildies.  At least they play fair.

Also, I can't wait for my monk panda <3

[Cloud3514]

Granted, I think it's slightly less silly than the Pandas

You mean the pandas that have existed in the Warcraft universe since 2002? The ones that fans have been wanting as a playable race since 2004?

[Danarth]

Granted, I think it's slightly less silly than the Pandas

You mean the pandas that have existed in the Warcraft universe since 2002? The ones that fans have been wanting as a playable race since 2004?

Oh, I know they have existed for that long. Wasn't aware players wanted them playable. I still think they are silly. But I will probably end up making one.

Of course, that begs the questions. How long is it going to take before we start seeing Panderan Monks called 'Po' ?

As for the Pet Battling system, aye, it probably isn't too much of a rip off, now that I think about it. No less of a problem for me though....Although, I admit, the idea of having the Alliance Ballon pet I have battling for me is terribly amusing.

[Cloud3514]

Oh, I know they have existed for that long. Wasn't aware players wanted them playable. I still think they are silly. But I will probably end up making one.

Well, the demand did start to die down around the time that Wrath of the Lich King came out because of Blizzard's success in China, where the Pandaren were not likely to be taken well. In fact, its been long believed that there's a Chinese law prohibiting the depiction of pandas in danger. Personally, I would not be surprised if Blizzard had sped up their plans for this expansion because of the Chinese government basically kicking World of Warcraft out of their country.

[Cerim Treascair]

Admittedly, China's been bitchy as FUCK to Blizzard in their business dealings, making them change entire sections of the game and half-breaking some of the quest lines because of it.  Which means coding resources, art team resources... on a game expansion that's already DONE.

Way I hear it, Blizz has been wanting to get out for a while.

[Mechtaur]

*Sigh* Using recruited things to battle isn't "ripping off Pokemon". Recruiting RPGs have come and gone before it, Pokemon was the just the most popular one.

They aren't the first MMORPG to do it either, so I say good on them to catch up there if they feel that is what is wanted.

While you may be technically correct, you have to stop and consider scale. "Monster battle" games may have existed before Pokemon, but no one cared about them before Pokemon. Pokemon did not create a genre, but it did define a genre. This would not be coming to WoW, or exist in any other MMO, if Pokemon was not the success it was. So... yeah. It is ripping off Pokemon.

I'm just going to laugh when it turns out the only pets worth using in battle are the ones you have to pay Blizzard extra cash for.

I'd argue that it would have been only a matter of time to include pet battles. Especially after adding in regular pets anyway. So, no I wouldn't say they ripped it off. Only added in a feature that would have been a logical conclusion.

Then again, I don't play WoW, so I don't really care what they add for whatever reason.

[Cloud3514]

Admittedly, China's been bitchy as FUCK to Blizzard in their business dealings, making them change entire sections of the game and half-breaking some of the quest lines because of it.  Which means coding resources, art team resources... on a game expansion that's already DONE.

Way I hear it, Blizz has been wanting to get out for a while.

Which is why I doubt that Blizzard had much of a problem when China got rid of them. Their Vivendi overlords probably weren't too happy, but Vivendi's evil anyway. Besides, they're making so much money outside of China that losing their Chinese revenue isn't that big of a hit for them.

[starseeker]

Admittedly, China's been bitchy as FUCK to Blizzard in their business dealings, making them change entire sections of the game and half-breaking some of the quest lines because of it.  Which means coding resources, art team resources... on a game expansion that's already DONE.

Way I hear it, Blizz has been wanting to get out for a while.

Which is why I doubt that Blizzard had much of a problem when China got rid of them. Their Vivendi overlords probably weren't too happy, but Vivendi's evil anyway. Besides, they're making so much money outside of China that losing their Chinese revenue isn't that big of a hit for them.

I think at one point China had something like a third of the subscribers, I saw a chart of subscriber numbers and there was a massive drop when China threw them out or something.

[Witchyjoshy]

I wonder what percentage of gold sellers were stationed in China.

[Cloud3514]

I wonder what percentage of gold sellers were stationed in China.

Probably about half with the majority of the rest in Russia.