Blizzard Wants To Make Even More Mobile Games

thegamer.com:

Blizzard is likely working on more mobile games, as company president Mike Ybarra says that he wants to see the IPs "everywhere". This comes as Ybarra sets out Blizzard's plans now that its merger with Microsoft is complete, and it's bad news for anyone hoping the company would go back to its PC and console gaming roots.

"Mobile is a hyper growth area for us, I would love our IPs everywhere," says Ybarra, speaking with The Verge off the back of BlizzCon 2023. This comes just after the launch of the latest mobile game, Warcraft Rumble, and as Diablo: Immortal continues to receive support.

Of course, while Diablo: Immortal has been a financial success for the company, it is often remembered for its disastrous announcement at BlizzCon 2018. When it was confirmed that it wouldn't be coming to PC and console, the audience booed, prompting the game designer tasked with announcing the project to utter the infamous words, "Don't you people have phones?" It only got more awkward when a fan asked if Diablo: Immortal was an "out-of-season April Fools joke."

This was likely an uncomfortable experience for everyone involved, but not one that has dictated Blizzard's decision-making. It has been reported since that incident that Diablo: Immortal has made hundreds of millions, so despite pushback from fans, it clearly has a player base who are willing to cough up. It also helps that we have a more typical Diablo instalment now with Diablo 4.

Mobile is a hyper growth area for us, I would love our IPs everywhere.

One notable exception from its mobile strategy right now is Overwatch, with Overwatch 2 being the only live game in the series right now. If Blizzard wants to get its IPs "everywhere", then it's safe to assume that it's thinking