Hey Blizzard-

All this hullabaloo over Real ID and Facebook shows that this social-network idea isn’t really your thing. Your thing is:

1) Come up with a game including:
A) A Good Story
B) Balanced Mechanics
C) Pretty Graphics

2) Maintaining The Game.

3) Building Fans

That’s it. That’s what you do well. Don’t discount those facets of your model: Parts 1 and 2 made you Friggin Huge and Awesome. Part 3 occurred before Facebook, Myspace or Twitter. Hell, I’ve been a Fan of you goes long before MS released Internet Explorer.

The fan community is your biggest success. Keep that in mind. Because you’ve treated us well, we’ve responded accordingly. We’ve built our own communities, supported you through thick and thin (granted, it hasn’t been all that thin) and we have bought your games. We even bought your virtual items. Fans do that.

Until we are poked with sharp sticks.

Forcing Facebook Integration and adding a person’s real name is poking your fan base with a big, sharp, flaming stick. Granted, in this case the stick is to corral your fans into a commodity. Fans being social doesn’t bring in any more money; however, with Social Networking, you can generate all sorts of revenue. It also runs right over your what your fans want: Good games.

People chose who they want to be social with. And being social behind your toon is one thing. Being social when everyone knows your name is something completely different. The Pig and Whistle may seem like Cheers on a Tuesday night; however, that did not happen overnight. That happened over time, as we developed trust in each other. You are asking far too much of your fans–to show off their identity–far too soon.

Stick with developing ideas for your games. Lately, you’ve been coming up with some brilliant ideas in Cataclysm. Seriously, love the work in the Plaguelands and Hyjal. Leave the social networking to someone else.

Best regards
Bricu

PS: Heard you guys made the BBC News. That can’t be good. Do the right thing and back down.

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