‘Starcraft II’ was released in 2010 and lasted for six years, with four different expansions in which Blizzard attempted to recapture the spirit of 1998 when the first ‘Starcraft’ was launched. In total, it sold six million copies, and its sequels were not far behind. It would have been a huge success for any company… but not for Blizzard. And there are reasons for that.
Riding on the dollar
Jason Hall, a former developer from the studio, dropped a bombshell in a video that hints at just how profitable ‘World of Warcraft‘ still is: “‘Starcraft 2’ made less money than the horse. The first shiny pony. A $15 microtransaction made more money than ‘Starcraft 2’.”
He’s referring, of course, to the Celestial Steed, a flying warhorse that went on sale on April 15, 2010, marking the first mount (of many) available for purchase in the game. To somewhat soften Hall’s statement, it’s important to clarify that the horse actually cost $25 instead of $15, which, more than a decade later, can be perceived as quite an exorbitant price.
And mind you, he’s not telling any lies: just three hours after the mount was released, there were 140,000 purchase requests. Add everyone who’s bought it over the past thirteen years and do the math. Millions upon millions in Blizzard’s coffers thanks to a horse. Seeing is believing.
This especially stings for ‘Starcraft‘ fans, as insiders occasionally drop hints that something’s on the horizon. Blizzard, for now, just glances over and keeps releasing microtransactions in ‘Diablo 4’. Considering what’s happening, they’re definitely not doing poorly, that’s for sure.
