Few video game companies hold such a personal connection to fans as Blizzard.
Now, imagine how deep that connection runs if you worked there.
Schreier:My initial plan was that I’d just cover the modern Blizzard history.
Has that had an impact in people feeling more able to talk about their experiences generally?
Schreier:Yes, with some of it.
The development stories, those I wouldn’t have had a hard time tracking down and putting together.
Ben Kilgore had been the Chief Technology Officer and Chief Development Officer.
He was pretty high in the company.
He was pretty much Mike Morhaime’s second-in-command.
He was set up as Morhaime’s successor.
I never got enough to actually publish anything.
People would not speak up about this.
Cut to a few years later, and the lawsuit hits.
And often that’s what happens.
So yes, the lawsuit made a lot more people feel comfortable sharing their stories in public and openly.
That said, the lawsuit - as I document in the book - had its own share of problems.
Schreier:It’s tough, because what’s written in a lawsuit has so much weight to it.
That caused a lot of problems for me.
That is not the reality.
That kind of undercurrent of sexism really existed.
And she never wore shorts to the office again.
And that made dealing with everything that happened there so much harder.
One of the most beloved companies in gaming.
It’s a place where I had such a good time just making games with good friends.
It was an awesome place to work in so many ways.
And this made it all the worse that I had to deal with this bullshit too'.
How difficult is it, to work out who really knew what was going on?
Schreier:A lot of these problems were systemic.
And the question of who knew what is a little more complicated because of that.
And they didn’t want to do that.
That was another common theme I heard.
Schreier:I tried very hard not to cast judgment.
Blizzard was very incestuous.
It really was like a college campus.
Even if they’re married to the CEO or the president or Chief Development Officer?
That creates all sorts of problems.
Have fun, enjoy yourselves.'
That college campus vibe extended to the drinking culture, partying.
This is the bang out of culture it was, again, personal and professional lives just completely intertwined.
And again, it’s not on me to pass judgment on this stuff.
I’ll let readers decide for themselves.
We’re almost out of time, but I have to ask about Blizzard’s Netflix shows.
Did you ever find out more?
He hired all these prestigious film and TV execs to run that.
Lastly, anything you wanted to include that you couldn’t?
Any plans for what’s next?
But this was a book that could feasibly be twice the length.
And what’s in there, I think, is the most interesting stuff.
But it’s a 33-year history of one of the most fascinating companies on the planet.
It’s full of so many fascinating twists and turns.
