Blizzard Entertainment is a name that carries immense weight in the video game industry. As the creators of genre-defining juggernauts like ‘World of Warcraft’, ‘Diablo’, ‘StarCraft’, and ‘Overwatch’, they were long considered the gold standard for quality and polish. In his latest book, ‘Play Nice’, investigative journalist Jason Schreier peels back the curtain to explore the reality behind this legendary studio.
As the title indicates, the book details the rise, fall, and future of the company. Schreier provides a comprehensive history, delving into each game they successfully released, as well as the ones they didn’t. The narrative traces the studio’s evolution from its humble beginnings as Silicon & Synapse, where three friends were simply trying to make cool games, into the global empire it eventually became. It is a fascinating look at how their scrappy, passionate origins paved the way for massive success, while also shedding light on the cancelled projects that never saw the light of day.
However, the narrative is not just a celebration of their hits; it is a sobering account of their decline. The fall is largely attributed to the internal culture, specifically the rampant sexual misconduct that plagued the male-dominated industry and company. Schreier does not shy away from these difficult topics, detailing the wild choices, management failures, and toxicity that eventually led to public scandals and lawsuits.
If there is a critique to be had, it is that the book could have cast a wider net regarding the parent company. It would have been better to dive into more elements of Activision, given they merged with Blizzard early on in the story. While the friction between the two entities is present, the Activision side of the equation feels somewhat lighter than expected.
Additionally, it would have been good to delve more into the Xbox acquisition. For something so significant to the industry and the company’s future, it was not touched on as much as other topics. This is understandable, however, as the deal was finalised not long before the book’s release.
For fans of his other books, specifically ‘Blood, Sweat, and Pixels’, this is a must-read. It is an essential piece of journalism for video game fans, offering a clear-eyed view of the human cost behind some of the world’s most beloved digital worlds.