If you were hoping to one day utilize your World of Warcraft subscription on a mobile device, Blizzard has given their strongest indication yet that this could be a real possibility for the future.
Although the game remains PC based-only, Blizzard has revealed in a recent interview that bringing the game to a mobile device, specifically mentioning the Apple iPhone, could be in the pipeline in months to come.
Obviously there are considerable barriers to overcome in making this possible – notably the RAM limitations on the iPhone and the fact that the device has no physical buttons. Senior WoW producer John Lagrave has told Eurogamer that the team faces a hard task in making this a reality, but definitely confirmed that ‘they are looking into it’.
While it would obviously be great news if they good pull it off and allow the WoW experience to continue on the move, we argue that the iPhone shouldn’t really be the device that they are targeting. Sure enough the iPhone is one of the most popular smartphones on the market right now, but if they are looking to bring the game to mobile devices, they should consider the iPad as well, or even Sony’s new PS Vita handheld. The iPad would obviously be ideal with that lovely display screen, but the PS Vita would be able to overcome the control scheme obstacles thanks to the combination of both physical buttons, a touchscreen and a rear touchpad.
Blizzard may also be unwilling to enter into any exclusive agreements with Apple, so Sony may be the better company to strike a deal with – especially when you consider that Sony are now willing to explore the MMO genre with open arms, as seen with the upcoming DUST 514 PS3 exclusive.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree with us that World of Warcraft would be better suited on the PS Vita than the iPhone? Either way, we would love to see WoW branch out to other devices, but let’s hope that Blizzard are thinking about bringing the franchise to other mobile platforms too, not just the iPhone.
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