Blizzard Entertainment

Short Age-Group Analysis & Strategic Recommendations

World of Warcraft & Hearthstone

David Ly, B.A. Economics 2015

Mission Statement & Values

“Dedicated to creating the most epic entertainment experiences… ever.” –Blizzard Entertainment

Core ValuesGameplay firstCommit to qualityPlay nice; be fairEmbrace your inner geekEvery voice mattersThink globallyLead responsiblyLearn & grow

FactsFree to play MMO gamers in the US alone

spent over $120 million in June 2013

Figure 1: MMO 2015.

Facts (cont.) Key reason why free to

play (F2P) is so popular is because of its ability to distribute and monetize new markets

Accessibility to players is easier and does not require certain systems

Figure 2. MMO 2015

What games are being played the most on Raptr?

• WoW is still the dominate game in the industry but Hearthstone is rising within a year’s worth

Figure 3: Most 2014.

GoalsIncrease amount of players in both games

Increase the popularity in all age groups

Target specific audiences that do not play the game

Create the most extraordinary gaming experience for people

DemographicsAccording to statistics on The Daily Dot, there

were 6.8 million players on WoW compared to the growing 20 million on Hearthstone

98% of players on Hearthstone have not climbed above the Rank 5 level

WoW subscribers peaked at 10 million in the fourth quarter of 2014

Age Distribution

Figure 4: Distribution 2013. Figure 5

Age Distribution (cont.)Majority of players are within the early 20s for

WoW players

Spread of age distribution for Hearthstone on self-survey have high amounts in early 20s and 30s

Strategy to Improve Player Numbers

Increase the amounts of promotional periods for both games

Decrease the level of difficulty of Hearthstone leveling

Decrease the level of difficulty of obtaining Hearthstone cards because of age demography is low

Amount of WoW players would desire the “event item” as well as some special cards for Hearthstone Increase budget on

short-promotional periods Ex: (New Years,

Summer, December)

Strategy to Improve Player Numbers (cont.)

Advertisements to target adult population for both games

Adults have the monetary wealth

Introduce a feedback system in the start of the game with a reward Used as an incentive for

players to provide feedback

Future of WoW Without New Implements

Figure 6: World 2015.

Future of Hearthstone with Implements

Figure 7: Number 2015

Works Cited "Distribution of World of Warcraft Players by Age 2013 | Statistic."

Statista. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 June 2015.

"Hearthstone Is Now Blizzard's Biggest Game." The Daily Dot. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 June 2015.

"Mission Statement." Blizzard Entertainment:. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 June 2015.

"MMO Market Report 2015." SuperData Research. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 June 2015.

"Most Played PC Games 2015 | Statistic." Statista. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 June 2015.

"Number of Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft Players Worldwide 2015 | Statistic." Statista. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 June 2015.

"World of Warcraft Subscriber Number 2015 | Statistic." Statista. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 June 2015.