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Active: 33745 users

Blizzard to cease negotiations with KeSPA

Forum Index > BW General
649 CommentsPost a Reply
1 2 3 4 5 31 32 33 Next All
Waxangel
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
United States33317 Posts
April 25 2010 03:20 GMT
#1
Sources: Yonhap News, via Daum.
Everyone who is gonna repost this on their website, at least credit Yonhap as the original source for the love of god.

Here's my indirect translation of the relevant points from the two articles (April 25th) :


During the recent Blizzard HQ visit, Yonhap News sat down with Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime and COO Paul Sams for an interview. During this interview, it was revealed that Blizzard will no longer be negotiating with KeSPA (Korea E-Sports Association) regarding the intellectual property rights of their games.

Morhaime said "We've been negotiating with the association about intellectual property rights for the last three years, and we've made no progress at all... ...We're going to stop negotiating with them and look for a new partner." He also mentioned "Blizzard obviously has the IP rights to the Starcraft series, but those rights aren't being respected, and we can't keep having these fruitless negotiations with the release of Starcraft II at hand."

In a worst case scenario, all Korean Starcraft tournaments that run through KeSPA may be forced to stop.


+ Interviews

Yonhap: What's the scale of the your company and the projects you have going?
Mike Morhaime: We have over four thousand employees worldwide, with about 1,200 of them working in our Irvine HQ. We have branches in Europe, China, Seoul, Taiwan, and Singapore.

We have projects including World of Warcraft, Starcraft II, Diablo III, and one unannounced MMORPG. The other projects I cannot reveal.

Yonhap: How is progress on Diablo III?
MM: It's going well, satisfactory. We added some new guys to the original diablo team, so we have a great team now. It's playable internally right now. We can't predict when it will be released, but it won't be this year in any case.

Yonhap: There are high expectations for Starcraft II
MM: Very high for us. Not just the multiplayer, but the single player experience is the best we've ever made. The original did so incredibly well in Korea that it will be hard to surpass that, but we are going to break the original's sales records worldwide.

Yonhap: What's Blizzard's vision for E-sports?
MM: Our understanding of E-sports is as a community project that increases the enjoyment of the game for the players. It's going to be popular not only in Korea, but worldwide.

Of course it could be profitable as well, but we're focusing on the community aspect of E-sports more than the financial aspects. If we turn a profit, we plan to reinvest a large portion of it to development e-sports even further, in the form of sponsorships, prize money, etc.

Yonhap: How are your negotiations involving intellectual property with KeSPA going?
MM: We've tried to talk to KeSPA for three years, but we can't get them to recognize our IP rights. Of course we think our IP rights should be respected. Starcraft II will be released soon, so we will have to look for a new partner.

Yonhap: Starcraft II received a 18 years + rating in South Korea?
MM: I was surprised. We designed it from the start as a game teenagers could enjoy. We've filed an objection, so I hope the rating is reconsidered.

Have you heard about the match-fixing scandal in Korea?
MM: I was shocked and very disappointed. I've heard the police are investigating, and am interested in the results.


What kind of business model and future do you have envisioned for Battle.net?
Paul Sams: Battle.net will be a hub for all of Blizzard's games, and help develop the community and e-sports. The specifics of our business and service model can change from game to game, and region to region.

Our basic policy is to make the games on a global basis, but thoroughly localize the services.

Yonhap: What's the secret to your global success?
PS: The most important thing is to get a lot of feedback from the start. There are different opinions to be heard everywhere in the world. Listening to all these opinions and applying them lets you succeed in international market.

What kind of quality standards do you set for yourselves?
PS: We don't have any set standards of quality. We try to get as many opinions as possible during development, and improve the games from there.

Internally, we constantly show the games to others and get feedback so we can fix and improve the game. After we repeat that process countless times, we finally get something we can reveal.

Yonhap: What's your strategy for the mobile games market?
PS: We think of mobile phones as a way to support our existing franchises. I can't really say anything about our plans for games on smart phones.

Yonhap: So what are your plans for games outside the PC?
PS: Making good games is the first thing. We have an open mind on all platforms, and we don't make games with a particular platform in mind. The best way to is to make the game, then decide what the best platform for it would be.

Yonhap: Do you see an opportunity in the emerging social gaming market?
PS: If you look at its recent popularity, social gaming can definitely be a part of a game. But we don't think they require a lot of skill to make, or are particularly competitive in the market. They still have a long way to go.

Yonhap: What do you think of the social responsibility of a game company?
PS: World of Warcraft willingly introduced the world's first fatigue system to prevent people getting too deeply involved. Besides this, we're protecting our users through a variety of methods, and we'll continue that policy. Soon, we are going to unveil a program for giving back to the community in Korea.

Yonhap: What are your plans for investing in Korea?
PS: We don't have any acquisition or investment plans yet. When you develop a game, there has to be a lot of communication and cooperation. It's very hard to do that with a foreign branch. That's why we have the entire development team at our HQ.

Yonhap: What do you think is in the future for online gaming, and the gaming market as a whole?
PS: Online games will continue to grow. PC Games and social games will continue to grow as well. But I don't think the console game market is in any trouble. It's in a slight haze right now, but it will recover.
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AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?
kuresuti
Profile Blog Joined December 2009
1393 Posts
April 25 2010 03:22 GMT
#2
Haiti... Iceland... Now this? 2012?
Carnivorous Sheep
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
Baa?21242 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-04-25 03:24:35
April 25 2010 03:24 GMT
#3
No more Kespa and hope for a btter replacement: good

Potential breakdown of the ESPORTS scene: FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFU

o.o
TranslatorBaa!
flamewheel
Profile Blog Joined December 2009
FREEAGLELAND26781 Posts
April 25 2010 03:24 GMT
#4
Wait, what the...?
What's Korean progaming going to do then...
Writerdamn, i was two days from retirement
The_Australian
Profile Blog Joined December 2007
Australia458 Posts
April 25 2010 03:24 GMT
#5
Hopefully Blizz can find a better partner and the games can continue. It would be a real shame if progaming leagues had to stop, my life would be so empty sad times.
"Nothing should be unstoppable when you see it coming...." - Boxer
chongu
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
Malaysia2585 Posts
April 25 2010 03:24 GMT
#6
omg... this is bad : ( srsly? 3 yrs...
SC2 is to BW, what coke is to wine.
Lozzo.cu
Profile Blog Joined November 2009
United States101 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-04-25 03:25:46
April 25 2010 03:25 GMT
#7
On April 25 2010 12:24 Carnivorous Sheep wrote:
No more Kespa and hope for a btter replacement: good

Potential breakdown of the ESPORTS scene: FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFU

o.o


THIS

although knowing how big the market is, this may simply bring up a competitor for esport sponsor groups. that might make esport easier to spread.
Pride of War
danl9rm
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States3111 Posts
April 25 2010 03:27 GMT
#8
man.. i really thought something would come out of the talks.. guess not :/

kespa u tards..
"Science has so well established that the preborn baby in the womb is a living human being that most pro-choice activists have conceded the point. ..since the abortion proponents have lost the science argument, they are now advocating an existential one."
danbel1005
Profile Joined February 2008
United States1319 Posts
April 25 2010 03:28 GMT
#9
Oh man this is not good. Not good at all. I wonder whats gonna happen with all those pro-teams.
Kespa is so proud of itself. This kind of behavior might not be the proper one, after all "business talking", they are losing way to much if they keep trying not to negotiate with Blizzard.
"EE HAN TIMING" Jaedong vs Stork [22 December, 2007] 2set @ Finals EVER OSL.
J1.au
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
Australia3596 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-04-25 03:31:48
April 25 2010 03:30 GMT
#10
Blizzard and KeSPA are both greedy companies. However if Blizzard stops BW tournaments I will never buy another of their games again.

EDIT: Also, stop hating on just KeSPA. Without them Korean BW would be nothing. They're the ones who bring stability to the scene and make it attractive to corporate sponsors.
Disregard
Profile Blog Joined March 2007
China10252 Posts
April 25 2010 03:31 GMT
#11
Wouldnt Kespa dissolve then or go downhill? To be frank here, Starcraft is by far the most popular and prestigious Esports event/game in their lineup.

Mention Esports, SC will instantly come to mind.
"If I had to take a drug in order to be free, I'm screwed. Freedom exists in the mind, otherwise it doesn't exist."
bearbuddy
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
3442 Posts
April 25 2010 03:32 GMT
#12
I don't think this has any bearing on sc1, just sc2
arb
Profile Blog Joined April 2008
Noobville17921 Posts
April 25 2010 03:32 GMT
#13
On April 25 2010 12:24 Carnivorous Sheep wrote:
No more Kespa and hope for a btter replacement: good

Potential breakdown of the ESPORTS scene: FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFU

o.o

at the very least SC1 however, its not dead yet but SC2 will come out and theres alot of westerners playing so im doubting korea will be the center of ESPORTS in this game..
Artillery spawned from the forges of Hell
Avidkeystamper
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
United States8552 Posts
April 25 2010 03:35 GMT
#14
On April 25 2010 12:30 J1.au wrote:
Blizzard and KeSPA are both greedy companies. However if Blizzard stops BW tournaments I will never buy another of their games again.

EDIT: Also, stop hating on just KeSPA. Without them Korean BW would be nothing. They're the ones who bring stability to the scene and make it attractive to corporate sponsors.

You seem like an educated and informed fellow.
+ Show Spoiler +
Man, I'm way too sarcastic.
Jaedong
Megalisk
Profile Blog Joined October 2008
United States6095 Posts
April 25 2010 03:36 GMT
#15
So SC2 can potentially fizzle and fail as an ESPORT? Sweet..

Tear stained american saints and dirty guitar dreams across a universe of desert and blue sky , gas station coffee love letters and two dollar pistol kisses from thirty five dollar hotel room stationary .
blabber
Profile Blog Joined June 2007
United States4448 Posts
April 25 2010 03:38 GMT
#16
Seeing as how it's Blizzard's games and Kespa would be nothing without them, you would think Kespa would be more willing to cooperate...
blabberrrrr
Antisocialmunky
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United States5912 Posts
April 25 2010 03:40 GMT
#17
It can go either way. One thing is to be sure, there will be lots of new opportunities if Blizzard banhammers Korean esports.
[゚n゚] SSSSssssssSSsss ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Marine/Raven Guide:http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=163605
Superiorwolf
Profile Blog Joined March 2007
United States5509 Posts
April 25 2010 03:41 GMT
#18
gomtv revival gogo
Check out my stream at www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=315053 and follow me on Twitter @EGSuppy! :)
EvilTeletubby
Profile Blog Joined January 2004
Baltimore, USA22251 Posts
April 25 2010 03:42 GMT
#19
On April 25 2010 12:36 Megalisk wrote:
So SC2 can potentially fizzle and fail as an ESPORT? Sweet..



Nope. If there is demand, another group, LESS FUCKING RETARDED than Kespa, will step up to the plate. I have no fear whatsoever that SC2 (and SC1 for that matter) can continue just fine without Kespa.
Moderatorhttp://carbonleaf.yuku.com/topic/408/t/So-I-proposed-at-a-Carbon-Leaf-concert.html ***** RIP Geoff
J1.au
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
Australia3596 Posts
April 25 2010 03:42 GMT
#20
On April 25 2010 12:35 Avidkeystamper wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 25 2010 12:30 J1.au wrote:
Blizzard and KeSPA are both greedy companies. However if Blizzard stops BW tournaments I will never buy another of their games again.

EDIT: Also, stop hating on just KeSPA. Without them Korean BW would be nothing. They're the ones who bring stability to the scene and make it attractive to corporate sponsors.

You seem like an educated and informed fellow.
+ Show Spoiler +
Man, I'm way too sarcastic.

Why don't you educate and inform me then.
+ Show Spoiler +
Assuming you're capable of it.
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