Mike Morhaime and Paul Sams accept Guinness World Record awards
by Mike Schramm 
Jun 8th 2009 at 4:00PM
Apparently there were a few Blizzard blokes at E3 last week, even though we didn't see them wandering the floor at all. Mike Morhaime and Paul Sams were both there to accept their awards for world records from Guinness after making it into the 2009 Gaming edition. World of Warcraft picked up a record for the most popular MMORPG in the world (with, as you probably know, 12 million players), and Starcraft gained recognition for being the best-selling PC strategy game, with 9.5 million copies sold worldwide. Neither of these awards are really that much of a surprise -- both games have already garnered tons of other awards, and both games are already squarely in the pantheon of the best and biggest PC games ever sold. But being recognized is always nice, we're sure.They honored a number of other extremely popular games and services as well, including two big Activision Blizzard titles: Call of Duty 4 was recognized for being the most-played online video game, and Guitar Hero was recognized for being the best-selling rhythm game series (though Red Octane, the game's original publisher, was honored, and they've only recently been acquired by the Activision overlords).
Congrats to all the award winners, as if they even needed it. Something tells us the millions and millions of dollars in revenue from all of these games was probably a nicer reward than Guinness recognition. Just a guess.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves, Odds and ends, Blizzard
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Theo Jun 8th 2009 4:07PM
may want to spell check that this...
impurezero Jun 8th 2009 4:19PM
That this totally needs some spellchecking.
micgillam Jun 8th 2009 4:48PM
Just to a C&P into Word. No spelling errors came up other than proper nouns: Starcraft, Warcraft, Morhaime and Sams.
Maybe you meant "including two big Activision Blizzard titles:"?
Yeah, spell check doesn't help with that.
Candina@WH Jun 8th 2009 4:31PM
I, for one, er uh welcome our Activision Overlords....
Jon Do Jun 8th 2009 4:39PM
"Activision overlord"
Is that a trash mob?
Candina@WH Jun 8th 2009 4:40PM
Actually, I think that Activision Overlord is a Zerg unit, isn't it?
Azraël Jun 8th 2009 4:58PM
"Congrats to all the award winners, as if they even needed it. Something tells us the millions and millions of dollars in revenue from all of these games was probably a nicer reward than Guinness recognition. Just a guess."
Don't be such an ass or a jealous fool. The way you wrote this seems like you're just huffing and puffing about their recognition. Please, I'd like to see you create something that would gather such a user base. This kind of attitude in your writing is no different than other players with their comments like ..." oh what a surprise Ensidia got the world first .. again. Congrats to them .. I guess." Just as they strive to be the best they can be at playing the game, Blizzard strives to be the best they can be at making the game. We should be so lucky to be able to get reports on our favorite game with out the reporters two bits sprinkled in.
"Activision overlords" -- Again, being an ass. I suppose you're the kind of person that got upset when Fox Broadcasting bought MySpace.com in July of 2005.
sprout_daddy Jun 8th 2009 5:14PM
""Activision overlords" -- Again, being an ass. I suppose you're the kind of person that got upset when Fox Broadcasting bought MySpace.com in July of 2005."
Chill out, Gargamel's cat. I think he was trying to be funny, and I for one understood the humor.
I'm not sure if the Guinness Book of World Records was ever a respected authority, but given their willingness these days to have a "record" for just about anything, making it into Guinness doesn't seem like an accomplishment as much as it does a triumph of marketing. It's probably a good thing these awards were pre-framed, otherwise Blizzard might not have bothered to spend the $65 at Frame and Save required to hang them up.
impurezero Jun 8th 2009 5:15PM
Weird. I just took it as a playful joke. The OP writes for "wow.com" so he obviously enjoys the game. It seemed like he was just suggesting that these guys probably already know just how awesome and popular their game is.
Because, let's face it: This particular award literally didn't tell them anything they didn't know already. They had the statistics to show them that their game is the most popular MMO. In fact...if this article insults anything, it's the people at Guinness. They're the ones handing out awards for well known facts, after all.
Swampsquatch Jun 8th 2009 11:35PM
I second what "impurezero" said. Obviously Mike Schramm, the Senior Editor, of WOW.COM plays WoW and writes about it. Therefore supporting and contributing to the user base that won them this award in the first place. I highly doubt he is "jealous" of Blizzard. Unless you mean, "wishes he was making billions of dollars," then of course, who doesn't.
Funny you made the comparison to Ensidia making world firsts, because that is a great analogy. IT IS NO SURPRISE Blizzard got this honor, and they deserved it. Just like it is no surprise Ensidia gets world firsts, they are the ones trying hard to go for it and be the best and they do. Where you are wrong is thinking that Mike is trying to discredit Blizzard by saying it is no surprise, because it really is no surprise. They made a great game we all play and everyone saw it coming they would get something like this.
Mike Schramm Jun 9th 2009 12:04AM
Jealous? I am a little jealous that my World of Schrammcraft MMO never took off in the same way. Guess people aren't as into virtually blogging and playing videogames all day as they are into slaying dragons and earning gold.
Dreadskull Jun 8th 2009 5:19PM
Wow, is it just me or does Mike look more aged than he did at last year's Blizzcon o_o
Thander Jun 8th 2009 5:31PM
Most older men in the limelight dye their hair.
Lukeyo Jun 8th 2009 7:01PM
All the worlds indeed a stage
And we are merely players!
Mickthathick Jun 8th 2009 7:29PM
ZOMG that's some smexy man-meat there!!!!
Merus Jun 9th 2009 1:55AM
Wait, wait, wait. Doesn't Lineage II have like 100 million players or something? Doesn't Habbo Hotel have like 26 million? WoW is a big fish, yes, but in a small pond - Western MMOs with subscription fees - and the 12 million number there is not actually subscriptions, but includes the Chinese players who pay by the hour. Blizzard has maybe half that number of actual subscriptions.