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Warhammer: The Led Zeppelin to Warcraft's Beatles

by Blake Ellison, Sep 26, 2008 5:05pm PDT

Warhammer Online senior designer Josh Drescher has a unique take on the new MMO's inevitable rivalry with the 800-pound gorilla of the genre, Blizzard's World of Warcraft. In an interview with Destructoid, he swears that Mythic isn't looking to "steal" subscribers away from Warcraft:

When we say we're not competing with World of Warcraft we really do mean that. ... World of Warcraft is basically The Beatles, and if you set out to try and be The Beatles, you wind up as The Monkees. So, we really do just try and be a different type of product. We're not trying to beat them, we're not trying to replace them, we're not trying to destroy them, we're trying to be Led Zeppelin.
We're trying to offer you a harder, darker, heavier sort of experience. We're trying to offer you the kind of music you'd listen to down in your basement with your friends, with a black light on and maybe some illicit substances. We are not trying to be the thing that you all slow dance to at your high school prom. If that means we take a couple of players from World of Warcraft, great, but if it means that we get a group of people that have been waiting for an experience like ours then we're just as happy with that.

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21 Threads | 100 Comments

#89

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By: emcea x Show Full Post

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Excellent comparison. Led Zepplin ripped off all their best songs.

Sep 28, 2008 2:31pm PDT

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Excellent comparison. Led Zepplin ripped off all their best songs. : emcea
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  The irony of trying to pin that WAR is amazing. You do realize where Blizzard got most of their material ... : Objulen
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    I really can't hear it any more. Blizzard decided to go ahead with their own adaption namely Starcraft an... : Lukiopimp
    - People say that every fantasy MMO looks like WoW. And if Warcraft hadn't borrowed so much for WAR, you do... : Objulen

#27

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By: ease one x Show Full Post

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Warhammer does not have a competitive ladder system like arena that rewards skill and and druid yet though.

Sep 26, 2008 10:13pm PDT

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Warhammer does not have a competitive ladder system like arena that rewards skill and and druid yet thoug... : ease one
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 29 replies.

#14

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By: Aztiel x Show Full Post

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I've seen a couple of interviews where they told EA when they got bought that what they really want, more than anything, is to make #2. They are totally resigned to that - nobody beats WoW til Blizzard makes another MMO. I think it's good that they are realistic about that.

Sep 26, 2008 6:34pm PDT

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I've seen a couple of interviews where they told EA when they got bought that what they really want, more... : Aztiel
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  Too bad half his audience doesnt know who the Beatles are, let alone Led Zeppelin :S : Bamii
  - I'd say it's the other way around. beatles are a lot more widespread than Led but in my honest opinion I ... : vujinovicm
- MMO's are an investment more than a game. Even if WAR is on a side by side comparison better than WoW, it... : TheLobotomist

#17

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By: reznory x Show Full Post

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Whenever the Black Sabbath of MMOs comes out, let me know. I'll be waiting.

Sep 26, 2008 7:16pm PDT

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Whenever the Black Sabbath of MMOs comes out, let me know. I'll be waiting. : reznory
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- lol. I'll be waiting for Sgt. Pepper or Pink :) : vujinovicm
- Indeed, I want the Ozzy of MMO's. : Johnnsen
- The Jimi Hendrix experience, nuff said : Excacheon
- Deep Purple for me. : Lukiopimp
- Fitty Cent! : holinka
- Black Sabbath of MMOs would have been Diablo 3 if they'd made it an MMO. Or it would have been Hellgate L... : TheLobotomist

#78

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By: aznboysix x Show Full Post

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Call it what you want, but the bottom line is WOW brings in a shitload of money and thats not changing any time soon. That means theyre doing SOMETHING right.

Sep 27, 2008 7:58pm PDT

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Call it what you want, but the bottom line is WOW brings in a shitload of money and thats not changing an... : aznboysix
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- What are you responding too? Comparing WoW to the Beatles was a compliment. No one said they were doi... : Porkasaurus
- Or, they happen to be the only option. How many MMOs released had the quality and polish of WoW? : the_burd

#59

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By: ZombieAcademy x Show Full Post

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This is a much more diplomatic way of saying what the Conan developer put so poorly. Something like "We are a fine steak and WoW is McDonalds". I think that guy has been fired.

Sep 27, 2008 10:13am PDT

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This is a much more diplomatic way of saying what the Conan developer put so poorly. Something like "We a... : ZombieAcademy
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- lol yeah Mr Gaute is gone at last maybe AoC has some hope. That was such a terrable thing to say at the t... : irishbloke

#5

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By: jarek99 x Show Full Post

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Ever notice how no one ever wants to admit to competing against the leader? Sure guys, whatever...and Sony and MS arent competing with Nintendo either. Funny how the losers never want admit they are trying to catch the winners. Whether they like it or not, they are competing for subscribers against all MMOs, including WoW.

Sep 26, 2008 5:33pm PDT

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Ever notice how no one ever wants to admit to competing against the leader? Sure guys, whatever...and Son... : jarek99
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 10 replies.

#11

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By: TheIneffableBob x Show Full Post

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I like Led Zeppelin.

Sep 26, 2008 5:55pm PDT

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I like Led Zeppelin. : TheIneffableBob
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- Me too. : qwplayer
- I hate jimmy page Kicked us faggots off the stage fight the future and fuck the past my own shit will... : Saithene

#15

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By: freakynipples69 x Show Full Post

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That's a very cool way of putting it. WAR is truly a different type of MMO than WoW overall. WAR is so heaviy based RvR and PvP, it really can't be measured up against WoW evenly. It's like trying to debate which is better, apples or oranges.

Sep 26, 2008 6:41pm PDT

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That's a very cool way of putting it. WAR is truly a different type of MMO than WoW overall. WAR is so he... : freakynipples69
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  For the last time, its oranges. They are better. : johnwissinger
  - This man says the truth. : mizeriq
  - No way, it's Apples that come out on top. I've never heard of orange sauce or orange pie. : Saithene

#21

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By: Lukiopimp x Show Full Post

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So with around 100'000 subscriptions more than Conan, did WAR succeed for the good of the industry? Methinks not. -> http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/54530

Sep 26, 2008 7:49pm PDT

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So with around 100'000 subscriptions more than Conan, did WAR succeed for the good of the industry? Methi... : Lukiopimp
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  One week of sales dude. WoW didnt get these millions in 7 days. : Bamii
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    They did get more than Warhammer for the same period. : mizeriq
    - you're illogical. : noobja
    - Okay? 100K in a single week is probably the best of any MMO released since WoW. Your measure of success i... : CasbahBoy
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  Mythic still has to build up their fan-base to directly compete -- Blizzard doesn't need to play gaming-p... : aldraek
  - Well from my point of view, both Warhammer and Conan are very viable alternatives to Warcraft, but during... : Lukiopimp

#2

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By: molaughlen x Show Full Post

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I love it. "We're more hardcore."

Sep 26, 2008 5:27pm PDT

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I love it. "We're more hardcore." : molaughlen
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- I think WoW will have more hardcore players in the end tho. : Johnnsen

#6

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By: Porkasaurus x Show Full Post

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This news item is fresh and exciting.

From Feb 2008:

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=93218

Sep 26, 2008 5:40pm PDT

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This news item is fresh and exciting. From Feb 2008: http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_i... : Porkasaurus
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 2 replies.
- What did you expect? : ease one

#18

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By: Tawler x Show Full Post

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I'm being nitpicky here, but it's a weak analogy. The Stones would've been a better comparison.

Zeppelin did one thing: play music. They didn't pimp their name out like crazy and have shittons of merchandise, and last I checked both these franchises have that. They'd be better to compare themselves to the Stones or KISS in my mind.

Also, Zeppelin went on to outsell the Beatles, which I don't really imagine warhammer doing. But then again, it's too early to be certain.

Sep 26, 2008 7:22pm PDT

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I'm being nitpicky here, but it's a weak analogy. The Stones would've been a better comparison. Zeppe : Tawler
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 9 replies.

#50

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By: shredomatic x Show Full Post

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I will say that I enjoy WAR more than WoW, I just wish it ran as well on my aging PC as WoW does.

Sep 27, 2008 8:08am PDT

I will say that I enjoy WAR more than WoW, I just wish it ran as well on my aging PC as WoW does. : shredomatic

#12

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By: r3dn3ck x Show Full Post

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So which part of Mythic/EA is gonna drink a shit-ton of vodka and swallow his own puke?

Sep 26, 2008 6:25pm PDT

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So which part of Mythic/EA is gonna drink a shit-ton of vodka and swallow his own puke? : r3dn3ck
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 4 replies.
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  Spinal Tap moment: "The autopsy reported that he choked on vomit. It didn't specify who's vomit....." : gimpx32
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    I'd love to know who is vomit : MamiyaOtaru
    - you nerd : johnwissinger

#3

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By: swimteampie x Show Full Post

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Didnt they do the Beatles/Zeppelin analogy over a year ago in some podcast/video interview?
I know ive heard it before, but done by Barnett.

Sep 26, 2008 5:29pm PDT

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Didnt they do the Beatles/Zeppelin analogy over a year ago in some podcast/video interview? I know ive h... : swimteampie
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 4 replies.

#26

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By: Bensam123 x Show Full Post

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...and that folks is why WAR has a chance to usurp WoW.

They aren't trying to copy to the best of their ability and slightly improve on things; they're trying to make a truely unique and amazing experience. That's the difference between starting with a amazing idea and developing it and just copying the competition to take what they have.

Why is it so hard for game companies to understand that if you copy something you're always just gonna be second best, if that.

Sep 26, 2008 9:58pm PDT

...and that folks is why WAR has a chance to usurp WoW. They aren't trying to copy to the best of thei... : Bensam123

#20

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By: mustaine x Show Full Post

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I wonder how much pot and tobbaco has been consumed in front of a monitor displaying either wow or war around the world. Some day, I shall find the answer.

Sep 26, 2008 7:29pm PDT

I wonder how much pot and tobbaco has been consumed in front of a monitor displaying either wow or war ar... : mustaine

#19

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By: mnok x Show Full Post

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More like the Milli Vanelli of Warcraft

just kidding ^^

Sep 26, 2008 7:22pm PDT

More like the Milli Vanelli of Warcraft just kidding ^^ : mnok

#4

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By: Visceral Monkey x Show Full Post

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Yea, well, ok.

I mean, it's a fun game, but I'm not sure what he was trying to get across to be honest. So, yea, whatever there.

Sep 26, 2008 5:31pm PDT

Yea, well, ok. I mean, it's a fun game, but I'm not sure what he was trying to get across to be honest... : Visceral Monkey

#1

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By: RogerDandy x Show Full Post

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Second Zeppelin is Zepellin

Sep 26, 2008 5:09pm PDT

Second Zeppelin is Zepellin : RogerDandy

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