You may remember Bill Roper from Diablo. Or, more likely, you remember him from Hellgate: London and Champions Online, probably with emotions that are somewhat less than fond. Several months ago, he was appointed the Vice President of Disney Interactive Media Group, and it looks like Roper is continuing down a path he's walked many times before. As he oversees the production of games based on Marvel properties, he's also looking for partners to start developing an MMO.
Specifically, Roper is looking for a partner company in South Korea to work on co-development for several titles, which include MMOs. The obvious benefit for the Korean company would be increased visibility of licensed properties, with Roper hoping that a visit to the nation will produce a better way of developing new games. No word yet on whether or not anyone is interested in the offer, but there's probably no shortage of gamers made apprehensive by anything involving Bill Roper and a new online game.
Reader Comments (18)
Posted: Jan 13th 2012 6:12PM Plastic said
Fitting image.
Posted: Jan 13th 2012 6:57PM Space Cobra said
@Plastic
Yeah, I can only LAUGH at that picture. And quite LOUDLY, too! :D
Reply
Yeah, I can only LAUGH at that picture. And quite LOUDLY, too! :D
Posted: Jan 13th 2012 6:26PM Vgk said
This can't turn out well
Posted: Jan 13th 2012 6:30PM dudes said
Good luck.
Posted: Jan 13th 2012 6:52PM Utakata said
...oh dear. :(
Posted: Jan 13th 2012 7:03PM Macabre 13 said
"Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results"
-Einstein
-Einstein
Posted: Jan 13th 2012 7:09PM (Unverified) said
If I was an MMO developer I'd pay Bill Roper to NOT work with me.
Posted: Jan 13th 2012 7:28PM (Unverified) said
Poor Bill. I ran into him once when I was a wee little tyke when he was working for Babbages in South Coast Plaza. He was absolutely gushing about Blzzard games so loud you couldn't help but over hear the conversation. I believe it was Rock and Roll Racing he was demoing at the time. Shame he's never been able to hit success like he had then with Blizzard. I was really rooting for Hellgate: London to succeed.
He's had some really good ideas also. I think he just lets things get in his way too much and is to easily distracted.
He's had some really good ideas also. I think he just lets things get in his way too much and is to easily distracted.
Posted: Jan 13th 2012 7:47PM comps said
let him do whatever he wants with some korean mmo that will never amount to much, as long as that keeps him away from anything vaguely worth playing!
Posted: Jan 13th 2012 8:06PM Fakeassname said
oh lordy, coming soon: Mickey's great grinding adventure!
but ya know, morbid curiosity makes me want to see what a developer like Blue Hole or NCsoft would do to Minnie mouse ...
would it be:
tripple D juggs with 5 seconds worth of jiggle stuffed into a demonic looking spiked thong and nipple pasties linked together with a chain?
or:
sexy school girl skirt so short that it's more like a belt and tedy bear print panty flashes with every step, combined with a button up dress shit like halter top with so much midriff showing that the bottom of her boobs hang out? ... oh yeah, and a tie.
but ya know, morbid curiosity makes me want to see what a developer like Blue Hole or NCsoft would do to Minnie mouse ...
would it be:
tripple D juggs with 5 seconds worth of jiggle stuffed into a demonic looking spiked thong and nipple pasties linked together with a chain?
or:
sexy school girl skirt so short that it's more like a belt and tedy bear print panty flashes with every step, combined with a button up dress shit like halter top with so much midriff showing that the bottom of her boobs hang out? ... oh yeah, and a tie.
Posted: Jan 13th 2012 8:58PM Yarr said
I'm surprised Trion Worlds doesn't hire Bill Roper. Considering the utter nonsense server merges that *cough* aren't server merges, it seems he would fit right in. With Bill working there we'd have no end of totally delusional PR releases about how super successful Rift is, as its user base plummets. Oh wait...
Trion Worlds, the Bill Roper of MMORPG companies? Maybe they could also grab Brian Knox and Richard Garriott and then hopefully all disappear together into an alternate reality where their lies and PR spin are actually true? Come to think of it, I wouldn't actually mind a world where all these games were actually doing fantastic and each had millions of players! Or perhaps just have people and companies be honest about stuff in the first place...
Trion Worlds, the Bill Roper of MMORPG companies? Maybe they could also grab Brian Knox and Richard Garriott and then hopefully all disappear together into an alternate reality where their lies and PR spin are actually true? Come to think of it, I wouldn't actually mind a world where all these games were actually doing fantastic and each had millions of players! Or perhaps just have people and companies be honest about stuff in the first place...
Posted: Jan 13th 2012 9:14PM darius359au said
We should be happy about this! ,looks like the only people he can get a look in now is the South Korean's - I don't think there's anything lower in the MMO pecking order unless he does something with the Chinese :D
Posted: Jan 14th 2012 12:33AM DancingCow said
Well I'll go ahead and state the blindingly obvious.
South Korea? No Bill, try North.
That's where all the crazy's at. That's where your talent for AAA bull-BLEEP can truly shine.
South Korea? No Bill, try North.
That's where all the crazy's at. That's where your talent for AAA bull-BLEEP can truly shine.
Posted: Jan 14th 2012 8:20AM Wispur said
Wow....it's really time he realizes that he's not good at this job. Every game he touches is crippled by his influence.
I really wish that he'd move along and find himself another career he's more suited for, like a night janitor, or a fast food cook.
I really wish that he'd move along and find himself another career he's more suited for, like a night janitor, or a fast food cook.
Posted: Jan 14th 2012 10:13PM Rhazes said
Bill Roper and John Smedley two guys that turn everything they touch into shit.
Posted: Jan 15th 2012 8:54PM UnSub said
Roper's following Disney's current approach to games - they want to outsource it, not use internal studios (which they were shutting down long before Roper's arrival).
He's just following the company line here and probably using the contacts he built up when working on Hellgate's distribution.
He's just following the company line here and probably using the contacts he built up when working on Hellgate's distribution.
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