Blizzard certification for third party server providers?

[fordragon77]

I understand if Blizzard don't want to host the servers themselves but maybe there is another win-win solution without shutting down private servers, maybe cooperation?

What if Blizzard had a certification for third party providers like Nostalrius? Blizzard would only set up the conditions that must be met with the provider so they can be certified and legally host a server with older version. Everything else would be done by the third party, from writing the source code, development, customer support etc... Obviously the conditions would be very strict to make sure people have the perfect near experience of the game and not everyone makes a server.

Certified servers would need to have a monthly fee, and the revenue would be split between Blizzard and the provider in a certain ratio.

I think this would be the best solution and it almost wouldn't cost Blizzard anything. I think the main reason they don't want to do this themselves is because they can't plan with legacy servers being popular and profitable for the long term. But with this method that wouldn't be an issue.

Thoughts?

[Winterflaw]

I think it's a great idea.

However, God knows how to get the idea to Blizzard, or what they would do with it.

Large companies are generally known for not particularly making good choices as measued by external outcomes and costs and so on - they respond more to their internal politics than anything else.

[Antility]

WE need Donald Trump so he can make a deal with Blizzard

[Ramage]

It's certainly a possibility. I'm sure Blizzard would want a deal heavily biased in there own favour. As i mentioned in another thread we would most likely see the shop integrated with the server which would include purchasable instant level 60.

Are you willing to put up with this for a safe Legacy server? I would, but it seems others wouldn't. We have to be realistic about it. Both the pros and the cons.

[PeaceHammer]

The problem is the people who run Blizz hide behind their lawyers and the community doesn't get to discuss ideas like this with them. Sad. Blizzard used to be ran by passionate gamers. Now it's just another corporate machine.

[PharstÅr]

The problem would be the popularity displacing draw for customers to current content. If legacy servers were endorsed through "subsidiary" hosts, how long would it take for a sizable and profitable player base to migrate or discover that the more challenging former game is better and that the company's direction of merging casual and serious player base is a failure? That would mean giving up some control which corporations won't do, especially since Activision has no emotional investment in the game whatsoever.