We're sunsetting PodQuest on 2025-07-28. Thank you for your support!
Export Podcast Subscriptions
cover of episode The toxic transformation of Warcraft maker Blizzard

The toxic transformation of Warcraft maker Blizzard

2024/10/3
logo of podcast Decoder with Nilay Patel

Decoder with Nilay Patel
AI Deep Dive AI Chapters Transcript
People
J
Jason Schreier
知名游戏记者和播客主持人，深入探讨视频游戏新闻和文化。
主
主持人
专注于电动车和能源领域的播客主持人和内容创作者。
Topics
主持人：本文探讨了暴雪娱乐的成功与衰落，以及其被微软收购的背景。暴雪娱乐在取得巨大成功的同时，也面临着艺术与商业的冲突、有问题的职场文化以及性别歧视等问题。其与Activision的合并加剧了这些问题，最终导致了微软的收购。 Jason Schreier：暴雪娱乐的创立初衷是制作创始人喜爱的游戏，早期以过度加班为代价取得了成功，但这种模式不可持续。公司经历了多次所有权变更，与Activision的合并导致其失去了创意自主性，而Activision的商业化思维与暴雪的文化冲突严重。加州的性别歧视诉讼进一步暴露了公司内部的深层次问题，最终促使微软收购了Activision Blizzard。微软收购后，虽然试图解决文化问题和进行整合，但裁员等措施也引发了新的问题。暴雪娱乐的未来仍存在不确定性。 Jason Schreier: 暴雪娱乐的早期文化以过度加班和男性主导为特征，这导致女性员工面临职业发展障碍。Warcraft的成功使公司迅速扩张，但Titan项目的失败改变了Activision对暴雪的期望，加剧了公司内部的矛盾。Activision的商业化策略与暴雪的创意理念冲突，导致公司内部的冲突不断升级。加州的性别歧视诉讼进一步暴露了公司内部的深层次问题，最终促使微软收购了Activision Blizzard。微软收购后，虽然试图解决文化问题和进行整合，但裁员等措施也引发了新的问题。暴雪娱乐的未来仍存在不确定性。

Deep Dive

Chapters
Blizzard Entertainment was founded by Allen Adham and Mike Morhaime with a focus on creating games they loved. The company grew through hit games like Warcraft and faced early challenges with corporate ownership changes.
  • Blizzard was founded by Allen Adham and Mike Morhaime with seed money from family loans.
  • The company initially took contracts to stay afloat and later grew with hit games like Warcraft.
  • Blizzard was purchased by a series of corporate parents, including Davidson & Associates and Vivendi.

Shownotes Transcript

Today, I’m talking to Jason Schreier, a Bloomberg journalist and author of the new book Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment. If you don’t know Blizzard, you do know its games — the studio behind Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch has achieved legendary status over three decades. At the same time, the company has become emblematic of many of gaming’s biggest failings.

Jason’s book is out on October 8th, and it’s an incredible, detailed accounting of how Blizzard started, grew into a hitmaker and, eventually, became a victim of its own mismanagement. Oh, and there are a series of chaotic acquisitions along the way, culminating in Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard last year. In this episode, Jason and I get into all of this and more. 

**Links: **

  • Play Nice: The Rise, Fall and Future of Blizzard Entertainment | Hachette) 

  • How Blizzard’s canceled MMO Titan fell apart | Polygon)

  • Blizzard was built on crunch, co-founder says, but it’s ‘not sustainable’ | Polygon)

  • Inside Activision and Blizzard’s corporate warcraft | Bloomberg)

  • Blizzard cofounder’s new company Dreamhaven aims to recreate old magic | Bloomberg)

  • Activision Blizzard’s rot goes all the way to the CEO, alleges report | The Verge)

  • Activision Blizzard’s workplace problems spurred $75 billion microsoft Deal | WSJ)

  • California settles Activision Blizzard gender discrimination lawsuit | The Verge)

  • Microsoft completes Activision Blizzard acquisition | The Verge)

  • Microsoft lays off 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox employees | The Verge)

**Credits: **

Decoder is a production of The Verge, and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Our producers are Kate Cox and Nick Statt. Our editor is Callie Wright. Our supervising producer is Liam James.

The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices)