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Play Nice

The Rise, Fall, and Future Of Blizzard Entertainment

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Play Nice

By: Jason Schreier
Narrated by: Ray Chase
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About this listen

 From a New York Times bestselling author and investigative journalist comes The Social Network for the video game industry: a riveting examination of Blizzard Entertainment's rise and shocking downfall—"A fast paced thrill ride, perfect for anyone who has ever played a video game" (Ben Mezrich).

For video game fans, the name Blizzard Entertainment was once synonymous with perfection. The renowned company behind classics like Diablo and World of Warcraft was known to celebrate the joy of gaming over all else. What was once two UCLA students' simple mission — to make games they wanted to play — launched an empire with thousands of employees, millions of fans, and billions of dollars.

But when Blizzard cancelled a buzzy project in 2013, it gave Bobby Kotick, the infamous CEO of corporate parent Activision, the excuse he needed to start cracking down on Blizzard's proud autonomy. Activision began invading Blizzard from the inside. Glitchy products, PR disasters, mass layoffs, and a staggering lawsuit marred the company's reputation and led to its ultimate reckoning.

Based on firsthand interviews with more than 300 current and former employees, Play Nice chronicles the creativity, frustration, beauty, and betrayal across the epic 33-year saga of Blizzard Entertainment, showing us what it really means to "bleed Blizzard blue." Full of colorful personalities and dramatic twists, this is the story of what happens when the ruthless pursuit of profit meets artistic idealism.
History History & Culture Programming Programming & Software Development Software Development Entertainment Video Game

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Critic reviews

“Here’s a thrilling adventure story from the untamed, online wilderness of modern capitalism. Think Barbarians at the Gate, but with digital dragons and blood-thirsty trolls. Gaming is now a more powerful and influential business than Hollywood, and Jason Schreier has delivered a masterful narrative that shows how the industry really works.”—Christopher Leonard, New York Times bestselling author of Kochland and The Lords of Easy Money
“A fast paced thrill ride, perfect for anyone who has ever played a video game. Jason Schreier’s comprehensive history of Blizzard Entertainment offers a completely enthralling look at the company’s founding and the bitter battle for its future. A must read!”—Ben Mezrich, New York Times bestselling author of The Accidental Billionaires, Dumb Money, and The Midnight Ride.
"Jason Schreier's Play Nice is a riveting chronicle of one of gaming's most iconic companies. With gripping detail and unmatched access, Schreier pulls back the curtain on Blizzard Entertainment's meteoric rise, turbulent history, and struggle to balance uncompromising creativity with corporate America's unyielding pursuit of profit. Play Nice is a must-read exposé of the passion, ambition and dysfunction behind some of the most beloved games of all time."

—Bradley Hope, co-author of the New York Times bestseller Billion Dollar Whale
"Jason Schreier's PLAY NICE is a gripping narrative not just of a single influential company but the evolution of the entire video game industry, changing from a niche pursuit to one of the largest cultural products in the world. This is vital reading for anyone hoping to understand the state of entertainment in the 21st century. Video games are an unavoidable force; PLAY NICE breaks down the genre as well as the personalities behind it."—Kyle Chayka, author Filterworld
"Play Nice is the ultimate insider account of the creation of some of the most beloved games ever, and a colorful portrait of the computer-game gold rush. Who knew that behind the scenes of Warcraft and Overwatch was a story of power plays, betrayals, and quests for glory as epic as the games themselves?"—Zeke Faux, author of Number Go Up
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The book throughout is really interesting, I really enjoyed learning the history of Blizzard and how it turned from a company with the best intentions into the money hungry behemoth we know today. The end just seemed very sudden and abrupt, there really is not much talk at all about the future of Blizzard. The voice used is a bit meh.

Really interesting, but abrupt end

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I’ve read all of Jason’s books and his output has been getting progressively better with each and every one. I feel like Play Nice reached the absolute peak so far, telling a story of a much beloved game developer with all of its flaws and shortcomings. I’m still not sure what the audience for this book is supposed to be (Jason often explains terms like Unreal Engine that a games fan is bound to know), but despite that, Play Nice kept me engaged throughout, and it made me feel an equal amount of wonder, anger, and hope for the past, present and future of Blizzard.

A gripping tale of success, hope, and despair

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amazing behind the scenes of the rise and fall great book byu him as always

amazing behind the scenes of the rise and fall

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The book provides a great overview of the long and eventful history of Blizzard. The narration is excellent and the story flows splendidly. For a long-time industry follower the book manages to wrap decades into less than ten very enjoyable hours.

Great overview of one of the most influental gaming companies

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I want a huge blizzard fan but I’ve always been impressed by Jason’s previous books. This was no exception. An interesting history of game development, greed and greatness

I love Jason’s books

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