Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment

11 hrs. 5 min.

Educational

Language Russian

Author Jason Schreier

Narrator Pyotr Salnikov

For a time, the name Blizzard Entertainment was synonymous with perfection among video game fans. The famous company that created such cult franchises as Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo was known for putting games above everything else. But when Blizzard canceled the Titan project in 2013, it gave Bobby Kotick, the CEO of Activision’s parent company, an opportunity to rein in Blizzard’s autonomy. Activision began its incursion into Blizzard from the inside. Flawed products, PR catastrophes, mass layoffs, and a shocking lawsuit undermined the company’s reputation. Based on interviews with more than three hundred current and former employees, the book tells an epic saga of Blizzard Entertainment in all its glory—from triumphant rise to fame to a rapid fall. This story is full of vivid personalities and dramatic twists. It shows what happens when artistic idealism collides with a ruthless drive for profit. The consultant for the audiobook version is Pavel Smirnov.

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