Activision Blizzard's New IP Has Fans Going Wild

Just days after the shocking announcement that Xbox is purchasing Activision Blizzard in a stunning multimillion dollar deal, Blizzard is making headlines of a different kind. As the company revealed today, it is doing a new round of hiring with the intention of building an all new survival game.

"Blizzard is embarking on our next quest," reads the announcement. "We are going on a journey to a whole new universe, home to a brand-new survival game for PC and console. A place full of heroes we have yet to meet, stories yet to be told, and adventures yet to be lived. A vast realm of possibility, waiting to be explored."

The announcement goes on to list how many job openings are currently available for the new project, including multiple positions in the Art, Design, and Engineering departments. Most curious of all is the fact that the announcement is accompanied by character and environment artwork. Although Blizzard is apparently still searching for people to do some major design work on the project, there are some tantalizing details in these images, which appear to be concept art for the upcoming untitled game.

At the top of the announcement page is an image depicting two people in a forest. The pair appear to be wearing modern clothes, with one of them even rocking a comfy-looking beanie, and there' a bicycle off to the side, which they seemingly used to get to the forest. However, it's the scenery glimpsed beyond the forest that is most intriguing. A nighttime cityscape can be seen on one side of the forest, indicative of a more modern-day setting. However, one the other side, the two travelers are looking out at a sunlight fantasy kingdom. This would seem to suggest that players will find their characters transported from the world we know into something much more magical.

Next to the text listing the various job openings, fans get a look at yet another character, this one bearing more of a resemblance to a rogue from a fantasy story. They're sporting a wicked-looking set of armor, an extremely pointy axe, and what appears to be a green tunic and red hood. This figure is clearly tracking something inhuman, as evidenced by a series of tracks in the road, which glow an unearthly hue.

Again, these images don't give fans many answers at all, but they certainly pave the way for some fun speculation. And speculate fans have, as evidenced by the number of responses to Blizzard's initial announcement on social media.

Although no other details are available at this time, including the name of the game, the announcement set the internet ablaze, with fans on Twitter already trying to guess what kind of project the "World of Warcraft" and "Overwatch" giant has in store. Despite the announcement's claim that this will be an all-new IP, some fans are hoping for a single-player experience that builds off the lore of "Warcraft," while others are crossing their fingers for a "Starcraft"-centric first-person shooter. Meanwhile, some are mainly concerned with finding out if this game will exclusive to PC and Xbox.

Of course, not everyone is on board with the idea of Blizzard creating new worlds when things are still pretty rough for employees in the real world. In response to the idea that this survival game will be set in a "whole new universe," Hard Drive EIC Jeremy Kaplowitz quipped, "it's set in the Blizzard offices." The replies to Blizzard's announcement were likewise filled with concerned responses from fans who are hoping the company is moving forward with changing its ways after widespread allegations of a toxic workplace environment.

It remains to be seen what Blizzard has planned for its latest IP — or how the company will be addressing its many internal issues going forward — but all eyes are on the gaming juggernaut to see what comes next.