Blizzard “Resets” Its Next Big MMO: What Does It Mean for Activision Blizzard, Inc. (ATVI)?

In fact, Blizzard has already made adjustments to its operating procedures over the course of the last year.

The developer is notorious for taking its time on releasing new content for World of Warcraft in between the game’s major expansions. That seems to have changed with Mists of Pandaria. The developer has dutifully released a major update, called a patch, for Mists about every 2 to 3 months since its September 2012 release. Blizzard developers have gone on record with internal data showing that former players tend to resubscribe to the game for new content releases. The stated goal is to release this content more frequently in order to keep players — and their wallets — engaged with the game.

Blizzard has also shown that it’s willing to evolve its traditional business models as the industry changes. The developer recently announced Hearthstone, a free to play online card strategy game based in the Warcraft universe. The game, set for a beta release in the next few months, is the company’s first attempt at the free to play model. In Hearthstone, players will be able to collect new cards faster by paying a small fee for a new digital pack.

Hearthstone also represents another first for the company, as it will be releasing on Apple’s iPad, Blizzard’s first foray into the tablet market. The company will also be returning to its console roots with Diablo 3, porting the popular PC game for release on Sony’s Playstation (and possibly Xbox) by the end of the year.

In addition, new expansions for World of Warcraft, Diablo 3andStarcraft 2 are expected to be shown this November at Blizzcon.

The corporate suits at Activision might prefer Titan be released sooner rather than later, but given Blizzard’s sterling track record and Activision’s other high profile franchises like Call of Duty, it’s doubtful anyone is panicking over the delay. Activision now enters a period that will be watched closely by gamers and investors. The company’s ability to stave off competitors and retain its player base across all of Blizzard’s current titles will be a key factor in determining the company’s bottom line over the next two to three years. The future success of Titan and Activison’s long term prospects may also depend on it.

Jason Gallagher has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI). The Motley Fool owns shares of Activision Blizzard.

The article Blizzard “Resets” Its Next Big MMO: What Does It Mean for ATVI? originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Jason Gallagher.

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