Blizzard's next MMOG already playable

However, just because the game may be so far off doesn't mean that it still isn't coming together. Speaking with industry site Gamasutra, Blizzard COO Paul Sams said that the MMOG--which he did not reference by its code name--is already playable.

"We're playing it already. It is a total ball to play," he said. "We think that the reach of that product is greater than anything that we've done before. We're very excited about that. I believe that it's the type of game that will have a very long life, much like World of Warcraft has."

Sams went on to say that Blizzard hopes the new MMOG--rumored to have a first-person perspective--will eventually outgrow World of Warcraft, which he still believes has many more years in it. "The thing that we hope will happen is that it will not stop World of Warcraft, but we believe will eclipse it," he said, before adding, "So, hopefully in 10, 15 and 20 years, that [new MMOG] will still be growing strong and will have set a new mark in the industry for that type of product."

The past several years have seen a steady drip of information about Blizzard's next MMOG. In 2007, the company confirmed that a non-World of Warcraft MMOG was in development. In 2009, the company admitted the game was an all-new property with, according to Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, "a little more broad appeal."