Over several decades, Blizzard Entertainment established itself as a top shop in videogames—the maker of titles like Diablo, Hearthstone, Starcraft and the World of Warcraft series. Outwardly, the company projected an image as a thriving creative wonder. The truth is much more complicated, chronicled in “Play Nice,” a history of the company that isn’t shy about unearthing the dirt. Some Blizzard executives, for instance, received nicknames based on “Mad Men” characters because, like the Mad Men, they drank a great deal in the office. At the company’s annual conference, BlizzCon, attendees treated Blizzard executives like rock stars, and in turn, executives had no qualms about handing out their autographs—no matter where a fan wanted their signature inscribed. “If a girl puts boobs in your face and says sign them, you sign them,” Joeyray Hall, a former top Blizzard exec, told Schreier. In whole, the Blizzard tale is one of “men getting rich very fast, a hostile corporate takeover, and a culture that left many of its employees with complicated and contradictory feelings. It’s also a story about money, power, and the hunt for never-ending growth.” Huh. How familiar sounding. https://www.hachettebookg.. #Game addicts 🤪🎮 #The Book Club 📚