El Diablo has Captured Blizzard

From what I understand it, the love of money is the root of all evil. Maybe Blizzard should have a think about this when they consider their future gaming line up as rumours circulate that a stand alone version Diablo 3 will not be made and Blizzard will focus their efforts on making all franchises MMO type games.

If these rumours are true (and rumours more often than not are wrong) what would possibly be the reason to focus all of your resources in to this type of game? A persistant world is a great money earner for a game company. World of Warcraft is meant to have over a 50 per cent market share of the MMO community. While it might be said that Ultima Online and Lineage have been just as popular the truth of the matter is that they didn't have the same amount of competition.

Would it be possible for Blizzard to create another MMO which is just as successful as World of Warcraft? Sony couldn't do it with Everquest 2. Considering the nickname of Everquest was Evercrack then how could Sony have not recreated the same experience with the second game? It is not easy to follow up a massive hit with another massive hit in the gaming industry. World of Warcraft has definitely not defined the genre with its new gameplay. It has followed along a standard formula. While Blizzard are currently cashing in on this so-called "phenomenon" another game developer is taking the idea to the next level, with the next new thing. Something which will surpass World of Warcraft. What will happen then? The pressure will be on Blizzard to recapture their market.

I will not buy Diablo 3 if it is an MMO. I don't want to pay per month to play games. I don't think that any gamer should have to pay per month to play a game whether it is a persistant world or not. I enjoy not having to be online to play games. I don't want to have to socialize every time I want some mindless entertainment. Sometimes I want to be selfish about my gameplay and do what I want. This is just how it is. When gaming with other people often you have to conform to what the group (or dominant leader) wants. I don't want to have to do this. Gaming should be relaxation time and not work time.

How will gamers take the rumours that Diablo will not exist as it was and become an MMO? After playing Titan Quest for a couple of days I would say that would be a damned shame. I have enjoyed playing Titan Quest multiplayer, but I also enjoy playing it by myself. Why should I have to go online and be a part of a community every time I play? Why should anyone? and why should they have to pay to be a part of this community?