GDC: Kaplan to WoW staff - "Stop writing a f**king book in our game"

WoW pioneer Jeff Kaplan told Blizzard's own staff at GDC yesterday that they are "not Shakespeare" and need to focus on methods of narrative deliver unique to videogames.

"Basically, and I'm speaking to the Blizzard guys in the back: we need to stop writing a f**king book in our game, because nobody wants to read it," he said.

"We need to deliver our story in a way that is uniquely video game," Kaplan added.

"We need to engage our players in sort of an inspiring experience, and the sooner we accept that we are not Shakespeare, Scorsese, Tolstoy or the Beatles, the better off we are."

There was some consolation to WoW's poor old writers, however.

"If it makes us feel better, Shakespeare couldn't 3D model his way out of a paper bag," Kaplan said.

Thanks, Shacknews.