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I was able to interview Blizzard Production Director Chris Sigaty on the new Spawning feature that was announced today. I asked him why they're creating this feature, what took them so long, and if they find this to be a good alternative to releasing a free to play multiplayer version of SC2.
You can read the whole thing here: http://www.gamespot.com/news/blizzard-talks-new-spawning-option-for-starcraft-ii-6409256
A few months ago you stated there were no plans for a multiplayer free-to-play StarCraft II. Do you believe the Starter Edition and Spawning is the better way of going about putting the game out to the masses?
I don't know if it's a better way or not. But I think some of the pitches--and this is my personal view on it--free-to-play is a great concept for some games, but the way StarCraft II is built, it's just not designed for stuff like skin and that sort of stuff that players have suggested so far. For what we have today, this does feel like the right answer. Whether free-to-play as a consumer product vs. a boxed product on which one is better, it's hard for me to judge that. For that we've built, and how we built it, the Starter Edition/Spawned way seems like the best way we can make it accessible to players, and the widest group of players.
Is there a possibility of having 1v1 Ladder play unlocked in the future?
As you have to be in a party, there's no current plans to have the 1v1 Ladder active at this time. We'll continue to look and see how this is successful, and who knows what the future holds, but right now we don't have any plans in that direction.
The full interview has more questions!
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At this point, looking on games like LoL, I think that they should make it F2P.
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I don't think users who bought HoTS for $60 would like all of multiplayer to become F2P, especially since 1v1 is such a huge part of it. Where would the other $30 go? People would bound to be unhappy. Spawning is a good door for new users into SC so I think what Blizzard is doing is pretty smart.
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On June 05 2013 08:22 kayZer wrote:
At this point, looking on games like LoL, I think that they should make it F2P.
It's like you didn't read what the guy said. He said F2P as a business model won't work for SC2 simply because it's not built for skins and stuff, like LoL or DOTA is. They found the happiest medium they could without creating a game and essentially handing it out for free WHILE paying for constant things like game development and server maintenance and a world championship series.
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Title reads "Blizzard: Spawning/Starter Edition better than F2P". The actual interview says, "I don't know if it's a better way or not." Slasher what is up with such sensationalist title man?
Edit: GJ Slasher for changing the title to much more accurate and professional one 
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Interesting to hear the thoughts on Blizzard side of the whole development process. Were the responses written by him or transcribed? Either way, does Gamespot have an editor? Some parts of that interview were barely readable.
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-deleted because it's no longer relevant-
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Wow, classic blizzard. Take 1000 words to say virtually nothing. I translated the interview below for the time-starved.
+ Show Spoiler +Why are you doing this?
To get more people to buy Starcraft 2.
Spawning has been a feature in Blizzard games since WarCraft 2 and StarCraft: Brood War. As such a Blizzard-specific feature, why has it taken so long for this to come to StarCraft II?
It wasn't a priority.
A few months ago you stated there were no plans for a multiplayer free-to-play StarCraft II. Do you believe the Starter Edition and Spawning is the better way of going about putting the game out to the masses?
Yes.
Is there a possibility of having 1v1 Ladder play unlocked in the future?
No
Based on previous Spawnings in older games, do you have any guess on how many will use this, or how much the player base will increase?
No.
Do you think Spawning is the best way to get these people into StarCraft II-- those who have a notion of the game as a 1v1 hardcore eSport?
Yes.
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east europeans will still keep on playing LoL WoT and dota2 on pc bangs if there will not be a f2p option . even having 1 guy that has account so you can play is hard . but blizzard will never understand . f2p multiplayer do it ! and go microtransaction with unit skins . would be much easier .
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On June 05 2013 08:41 -Kaiser- wrote:Wow, classic blizzard. Take 1000 words to say virtually nothing. I translated the interview below for the time-starved. + Show Spoiler +Why are you doing this?
To get more people to buy Starcraft 2.
Spawning has been a feature in Blizzard games since WarCraft 2 and StarCraft: Brood War. As such a Blizzard-specific feature, why has it taken so long for this to come to StarCraft II?
It wasn't a priority.
A few months ago you stated there were no plans for a multiplayer free-to-play StarCraft II. Do you believe the Starter Edition and Spawning is the better way of going about putting the game out to the masses?
Yes.
Is there a possibility of having 1v1 Ladder play unlocked in the future?
No
Based on previous Spawnings in older games, do you have any guess on how many will use this, or how much the player base will increase?
No.
Do you think Spawning is the best way to get these people into StarCraft II-- those who have a notion of the game as a 1v1 hardcore eSport?
Yes.
his name is Chris Sigaty
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On June 05 2013 08:35 Gaizokubanou wrote:
Title reads "Blizzard: Spawning/Starter Edition better than F2P". The actual interview says, "I don't know if it's a better way or not." Slasher what is up with such sensationalist title man?
Well, it's Slasher !
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On June 05 2013 08:22 kayZer wrote:
At this point, looking on games like LoL, I think that they should make it F2P.
LoL and dota doesnt have any story or campaign, blizz is basically giving sc2 multiplayer for free (arcade, costume, teamgames, no 1v1 thou, but hey everything 100%free) without charging money for new skins or other stuff like LoL Dota2
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On June 05 2013 08:49 xuanzue wrote:Show nested quote +On June 05 2013 08:41 -Kaiser- wrote:Wow, classic blizzard. Take 1000 words to say virtually nothing. I translated the interview below for the time-starved. + Show Spoiler +Why are you doing this?
To get more people to buy Starcraft 2.
Spawning has been a feature in Blizzard games since WarCraft 2 and StarCraft: Brood War. As such a Blizzard-specific feature, why has it taken so long for this to come to StarCraft II?
It wasn't a priority.
A few months ago you stated there were no plans for a multiplayer free-to-play StarCraft II. Do you believe the Starter Edition and Spawning is the better way of going about putting the game out to the masses?
Yes.
Is there a possibility of having 1v1 Ladder play unlocked in the future?
No
Based on previous Spawnings in older games, do you have any guess on how many will use this, or how much the player base will increase?
No.
Do you think Spawning is the best way to get these people into StarCraft II-- those who have a notion of the game as a 1v1 hardcore eSport?
Yes. his name is Chris Sigaty
Cool, I know who he is. It's very exciting that you do, too! He's representing Blizzard, and every representative of Blizzard in these interviews is just as long-winded.
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I really doubt this method will increase the amount of people playing sc2 by a noticeable amount, can not hurt to try though
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with people stating that sc2 should go f2p, it wont work. first of all the business model won't work but second of all they wont get all to many players. the reason is tha sc2 is a game where you need a moderate pc for. while games like LOL and DOTA can be run by any machine that isnt older then 2008. really my shitty laptop with 2ghz dual core and a crappy intel chipset was capable of running LOL at 30 fps. while in sc2 as soon as units came on the field my fps would drop from 25 to 5.
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On June 05 2013 08:27 SideStepKing wrote:
I don't think users who bought HoTS for $60 would like all of multiplayer to become F2P, especially since 1v1 is such a huge part of it. Where would the other $30 go? People would bound to be unhappy. Spawning is a good door for new users into SC so I think what Blizzard is doing is pretty smart.
its just a few bills out of the wallet lol no one is going to starve from this so it won't be such a big deal if they made it free to play
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I've changed the title to be less sensationalist. Sorry about that.
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On June 05 2013 08:22 kayZer wrote:
At this point, looking on games like LoL, I think that they should make it F2P.
F2P models only work when they are build up from the ground like it, just making a game F2P and littering it with microtransations (cause that is the trade) is a bad idea unless your game is actually going down (like mmo's that can't uphold their server costs anymore)
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On June 05 2013 09:08 Slasher wrote:
I've changed the title to be less sensationalist. Sorry about that.
Lots of respect for this. Responding to feedback in a very reasonable way. GJ.
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On June 05 2013 08:41 -Kaiser- wrote:Wow, classic blizzard. Take 1000 words to say virtually nothing. I translated the interview below for the time-starved. + Show Spoiler +Why are you doing this?
To get more people to buy Starcraft 2.
Spawning has been a feature in Blizzard games since WarCraft 2 and StarCraft: Brood War. As such a Blizzard-specific feature, why has it taken so long for this to come to StarCraft II?
It wasn't a priority.
A few months ago you stated there were no plans for a multiplayer free-to-play StarCraft II. Do you believe the Starter Edition and Spawning is the better way of going about putting the game out to the masses?
Yes.
Is there a possibility of having 1v1 Ladder play unlocked in the future?
No
Based on previous Spawnings in older games, do you have any guess on how many will use this, or how much the player base will increase?
No.
Do you think Spawning is the best way to get these people into StarCraft II-- those who have a notion of the game as a 1v1 hardcore eSport?
Yes.
Great TLDR. Should be in the OP
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EPT
