A chat with Jason Schreier about his new book on the history of Blizzard Entertainment

·1 hr 18 min·5 clips

Jason Schreier reveals how last-minute Microsoft layoffs forced him to rewrite the ending of his 33-year Blizzard history book.

This episode of Blizzard Watch features an interview with Bloomberg journalist and author Jason Schreier about his third book, 'Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard'. The book chronicles the 33-year history of Blizzard Entertainment, starting from its origins as Silicon & Synapse in 1991 up to the Microsoft layoffs in early 2024. Schreier explains that the title 'Play Nice' references one of Blizzard's core values and serves as a lens to examine the company's evolution. He details how the book is based on extensive firsthand accounts from current and former employees, offering new stories and anecdotes not previously revealed. A major theme is the cultural clash between Blizzard's creative, gamer-centric culture and Activision's corporate, profit-driven mindset under CEO Bobby Kotick. Schreier discusses specific figures like Armin Zerza, a CFO from Procter & Gamble brought in by Kotick, who exemplified the disconnect by comparing game development to shipping soap. The interview covers Blizzard's early 'hire only gamers' philosophy, which led to a homogeneous workforce and later management challenges due to the 'Peter Principle'—promoting people based on tenure rather than management skill. Key projects like the canceled MMO Titan and the development struggles of Diablo 3 and Overwatch 2 are analyzed as symptoms of these deeper issues. Schreier also addresses the 2021 California lawsuit and its aftermath, noting that while there were serious cultural problems, the situation was more nuanced than often portrayed. The conversation turns to Blizzard's future under Microsoft, with Schreier expressing uncertainty about whether the company will gain more creative autonomy or face new pressures. He mentions the recent unionization of the World of Warcraft team and the potential for smaller projects under the Game Pass model. Throughout, Schreier emphasizes that the book is designed to be accessible to both hardcore fans and general readers interested in business narratives.

As heard by us

Blizzard's history, shaped by its recurring internal tensions.

Jason Schreier's appearance on Blizzard Watch gives the episode a clear center: Blizzard's long tug-of-war between a creative studio and a more factory-like corporate model.

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Why you'd press play

You get Blizzard history, corporate fights, and Play Nice without the usual podcast fog.

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