Blizzard to Terminate WoW TCG License

[Justmcnew]

It's been confirmed that Blizzard will not be renewing their license with Upper Deck for the World of Warcraft TCG.

Blizzard isn't outright cancelling the TCG they plan on seeking another partner after suing Upper Deck for counterfeiting their own cards especially ones in Yu-Gi-Oh!. At least that's what I'm hearing regarding the situation.

So what are your thoughts on Blizzard and Upper Deck parting ways? and do you think it will impact the WoW Miniatures game at all? What about a replacement?

[Fett]

I'm 99% positive the TCG will go on and thrive as much as it ever has. UDE employees who work on the WoW TCG have as much as said the game is not going away, and I think the game will be better off in another company's hands.

Who that company will be is another question. Personally, I hope Blizzard internalizes it since I have alot of faith in Blizzard's quality control and their interest to keep the IP healthy. WotC seems unlikely to be the successor since I can't see why they'd want to support one of Magic's biggest competitors. FFG seems like the place Blizzard would most likely take the game since they already have contracts with them for the WoW boardgames, but FFG has said they will only make LCGs from now on.

As for minis... I really don't know. My guess is it's dead since it wasn't as successful as the card game. But here's hoping it finds new success with whoever takes over.

[louiebh]

i dont play this game but uppderdeck has screwed up severely and are getting lawsuits left and right to be associated with that kind of business with a bad reputation is bad publicity blizzard will do like konami and run it themselves i should think and it will br more or less the same maybe the Op will be a little worse but the game should still be around since it seems to have a decent player base

[il giudicatore]

FYI, now Cryptozoic Entertainment, a company born from Blizzard, runs the TCG.

[jaws_is_ra]

I thought this was a bull move on Blizzard part sure UDE conterfited Yu-Gi-Oh cards but there so far still been no proof they did so with WoW cards. You know Konami and Blizzard forced UDE to drop their own games also. They no longer do other TCG like Dinosaur King or Avatar the Last Airbinder sure they were failed games. But they could at less still do an OP for them

[Justmcnew]

Originally Posted by il giudicatore

FYI, now Cryptozoic Entertainment, a company born from Blizzard, runs the TCG.

You're right, this is old news anyway. Cryptozoic and Blizzard are doing
just fine running the WoW TCG without UDE and they basically don't have a TCG license partner after they split with Konami in Yu-Gi-Oh!

[Pojo]

http://www.pojo.com/warcraft/News/2011/Cryp-6-20.shtml - Konami is involved with Warcraft now too. ;-)

[Justmcnew]

I'm just concerned that Konami is going to change the original game mechanics from the English WoW TCG that we play here in the U.S. for Japan's version, that would be really stupid on their part honestly.

If it ain't broke don't fix it? Anyway I hope the game mechanics and gameplay stays the same in the Konami version of the World of Warcraft TCG cause otherwise it would hurt the game overall on an International Sanctioned Tournament level.

That would be like Wizards of the Coast changing the game mechanics
for Magic: The Gathering in other countries outside the United States, in the end it hurts sales in the Secondary Market and it's not a very good marketing strategy at all, you see where I'm getting at?

[finalmax]

Think of it as like the YGO license, back when UDE had it. Upper Deck couldn't change the rules of the game, just print/distribute the cards and do Organized Play. Konami is now in the same position with the WoW TCG. And just like Upper Deck, Konami would have to face some serious fiscal penalties if they breech contract.

[Justmcnew]

I get what you're saying however UDE no longer owns the WoW TCG anymore here in the U.S., it's owned by Cryptozoic Entertainment whose already partnered with Blizzard since they already own the license to the TCG and franchise as a whole.