Blizzard, the game developers behind the mega-hit “World of Warcraft,” delayed their next game, “Starcraft II,” once again. Blizzard’s fanbase has come to expect delays from the company, but this is getting ridiculous.

As of November this year, Blizzard has not released a new game in half a decade. The two “WOW” expansions don’t count because neither is actually a new game. This is inexcusable for all Blizzard fans that have been waiting for “Starcraft II” and “Diablo III.”

Though the success of “WOW” made Blizzard a household name in the eyes of pop culture, gamers have considered Blizzard games the holy grail of the PC/Mac gaming world as far back as 1995 with “Warcraft II.” To gamers, a new Blizzard release is more than just another game: it’s something special.

Before “WOW,” Blizzard usually released a new game every two years and released an expansion pack for the previous game somewhere in the middle. The release calendar, though sparse, was enough to satisfy the company’s fan base. However, back in the day, Blizzard’s business seemed to be contingent on each game being a smash-hit. If the game failed, it could spell serious financial trouble for the company. After how much money “WOW” rakes in on monthly subscription fees, this is no longer a valid excuse.

These days, Blizzard has separate groups working on each individual game and seems to be one of the few companies that’s actually hiring during the recession. The company has a massive financial backbone. So it makes little sense that Blizzard has to delay “Starcraft II” again and again.

The devoted Blizzard fans deserve better. Especially the ones that have stopped playing “WOW” and are looking for something new to play.

When Square-Enix scored a mega-hit with “Final Fantasy VII,” the company started releasing games–especially overseas–more often. Though the jury never reached a consensus on “Final Fantasy VIII,” the games “Final Fantasy IX,” “Chrono Cross” and “Xenogears” all came out over the following three years and were the same caliber as “Final Fantasy VII.”

It seems like Blizzard is using the “when it’s done” philosophy as an excuse now instead of a reason to improve the final product. Blizzard, your fans deserve better. You’ve become the boyfriend that strings his girlfriend along for years while she’s under the impression he’s going to propose eventually.

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