Blizzard hiring web, mobile whiz to improve 'mobile presence' [Updated]

Update: All Blizzard had to say of the open position was this: "[The position] is for our existing team that works on mobile-based enhancements for our games and web services initiatives, including our mobile authenticator and mobile guild chat functionality for World of Warcraft Remote subscribers." Well then, we'll just have to wait and see what Blizzard is up to on the mobile front in the coming months, then.

Blizzard, the infamous creator of the greatest fantasy addiction of all time, World of Warcraft, is looking for a web and mobile savvy project director to "have a vision for what Blizzard Entertainment needs to do to have a successful web and mobile presence." At least that's what the job posting reads. Now, a web and mobile whiz will surely know what's up on mobile devices these days: social media and community.

And Blizzard is already on its way to creating such a community. Just in the past year, the company has released the WoW Armory app for smartphones (a mobile companion to the game in which players can even chat with friends now), and Battle.net 2.0. The latter is a socially-connected, cross-platform communications service for Blizzard fans. Taking a cue from services like Xbox Live, players can chat from across different Blizzard games and even invite players to their games. Wouldn't it be great if the company could stretch that social layer across mobile devices too? Well, it's just a thought. We've contacted Blizzard for comment.

[Image Credit: Blizzard]

What do you think Blizzard might be up to hiring a professional with such specific skills? Are you excited to see what the company brews up?

Look, Activision, do you want to make Facebook games or not?

Seriously, it's not a hard question. And yet, the omnipotent games publisher continues to flip-flop on the subject of social games. In October, Activision Blizzard (Call of Duty ring a bell?) CEO Bobby Kotick told Los Angeles Magazine that, while the company is at a point where it's ready to invest in Facebook games, it doesn't expect much to come of it. Here's an excerpt from Kotick's conversation:

    As of October Activision chief executive Bobby Kotick still wasn't ready. "If we can't put a creative foot forward, it's not interesting to us," he told me at the company's headquarters, which is tucked in an office complex on Ocean Park Avenue. In assessing Facebook, Kotick says he's been "trying to figure out what we could do that's different from what's being done. So now that they've gotten a large enough audience and we've done enough analysis of the opportunity, we can commit capital." He adds, however, "We don't have huge expectations."

Um, just curious ... what's the point then? Since then, Kotick spoke with Bloomberg, seeming refreshingly bullish on the prospect of Facebook games. Over the summer--before either interview--the Activision chief admitted that the company was into social games. But shortly after, other executives within the company made points to denounce Facebook gaming. What gives?

Here's the thing: If you're not going to go full bore into the social games space, then you're not going to get anywhere. Just look at EA, for instance. It's cost the company upwards of $2 billion in acquisitions to hit second place on the charts with 56.9 million monthly players, and that's not even close to the industry leader Zynga's 218 million. If Activision doesn't have "huge expectations" of its efforts in Facebook games, why even spend the cash? Hell, the publisher's own former game creators may beat it to the punch.

Activision Blizzard 'methodically investing in mobile and social gaming'

Can this love-hate relationship between veteran games publisher Activision Blizzard and Facebook games end now? VentureBeat reports that, during an analyst meeting, Activision CFO Thomas Tippl said that the company is "methodically investing in mobile and social gaming projects." Tippl also went into how the publisher could make a whopping $1.25 billion from new projects that seek new, non-traditional sources of revenue like micro-transactions and in-game purchases. You know, like Facebook and mobile social games?

However, there seems to be a major disconnect in the company's overall ideology between executives, unless Activision is simply telling the right folks what they want to hear. Recently, Activision Publishing boss Eric Hirshberg said, "Valuations of some of the companies in that space are out of whack," to Bloomberg at this year's Gamescom event in Cologne, Germany. In the very same interview, Hirshberg hinted that the Call of Duty (pictured) pusher is looking into social games.

And before then, Hirshberg said during the 13th Annual Pacific Crest Global Technology Leadership Forum that, "Call of Duty has more players who pay-to-play online than any Facebook game, and our players pay more per player on average than any Facebook game."

What's even better is that before Hirshberg came to hardcore gaming's defense, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick outright revealed that "a lot of work is being done on Facebook games" within the company. Now, it's completely fine for traditional publishers to get into new distribution models than your tried, true and tired retail stores--just look at, well, everybody else.

However, it seems that at least some Activision Blizzard folks are entering Facebook and mobile games kicking and screaming, based on what Hirshberg has been saying compared to his colleagues. (Though, neither Kotick nor Tippl sound particularly thrilled about the whole ordeal, either.)

That said, the publisher would definitely benefit from a more unified--and a little more chipper, eh?--message if it wants to convince Facebook and mobile gamers to hop on board. And based on the way Activision Blizzard has been talking about its social game efforts, we just can't wait to see these games.

Are you excited or worried to hear that Activision Blizzard is getting into social games "officially?" How do you think the company will fare with the likes of EA and Zynga. Sound off in the comments. Add Comment