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Azzanation on 23 January 2022
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padib said:

@Azzanation It's weird because the premise of your thread is that you already assume that they are on a similar level and are asking who was better on that level.

But it's weird because from the getgo they are on two very different levels on almost everything and also made completely different games, which contradicts your OP (you mention they both made games of all genres which is generally untrue Blizzard was focused on top-down strategy for decades).

Simply put, Blizzard was legendary, Rare was great. Mostly because Blizzard released one game every 2 years, while Rare was sharing its efforts on many games.

Two levels, both very good, but uncomparable.

Also, if the Microsoft acquisition is leading to these kinds of debates, it should be important for Xbox fans to understand that people were big fans of these games prior to these acquisitions and don't particularly have an interest in throwing them in the same pot for comparison. For example, Blizzard was off consoles for years with no loyalty to any platform, and their ports were always multi-plat and their focus almost solely on PC games. Rare was a Nintendo exclusive.

Now that they are under the same house, is it meaningful to compare their legacy when they were under different roofs? Let's leave the past as it was and focus on the future of Rare and Blizzard and how they will compare now that they are being managed by the same company.

But the past? It's a comparison that does not respect the affection people have for these companies from a different time, sentiments that nowadays are forgotten and judged with a modern light that lost memory from what was actually happening.

As both a Rare fan and a Blizzard fan, I don't understand the comparison and the timing, and I think it's off. Such different pasts and legacies, both of which are deceased, too soon maybe? idk

I understand where you are coming from, but i believe you are missing the point. This isn't a debate on direct comparisons or company size. Its a debate on genre defining kings of their eras. Blizzard wasn't just RTS, They made plenty of games outside of that genre, 2 of which were not RTS. World of Warcraft defined the MMO genre while Diablo defined the Action RPG genre. Much like Rare when they produced the DKC trilogy, Goldeneye, Killer Instinct, Banjo Kazooie, all very different games from each other, and best in class. Rare might not be as successful as Blizzard due to Blizzards sheer size and revenue they make from their games, but from a time when Rare were kings, they were like Pixar, much like Blizzard is like Disney. Heavy quality from both sides and debatable who was making the better products on release. 

I grew up with both, i am a huge Blizzard fan and a Rare fan. I use to compare them all the time. Its not odd, its an interesting take of two companies with extremely rich heritages. I always said Blizzard was the Rare for PCs, because they were one studio that made multiple genres and were kings in it. RTS, MMO, ARPG, you name it, while Rare made Fighters, Platformers, FPS etc.

Blizzard and Rare had some of the best creativity in the industry. They both knew how to make games for their fans and they delivered on multiple fronts. They are different companies yes, but they left similar legacies. Someone who has played all of Rare and Blizzard games, i can safety say i loved them both and its hard to decide which i loved more, hence the debate.