PLAY NICE Book Tour
Upcoming Events
-
Lofty Pigeon Books
In conversation with Stephen Tolito
743 Church Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11218
More Information -
Book Soup
In conversation with Tom Bissell
8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
More Information -
Silicon Valley Talks at Stanford University
Join the Silicon Valley Archives in welcoming Jason Schreier as he discusses Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment
Hohbach Hall, 122 – 557 Escondido Mall, Stanford, CA 94305
More Information -
Book Passage
Join Jason Schreier as he discusses his new book, Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future Of Blizzard Entertainment with a surprise guest.
1 Ferry Building Plaza San Francisco, CA 94111
More Information -
Computer History Museum – Heroes Never Die
A fireside chat with Jason Schreier, author of Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future Of Blizzard Entertainment, moderated by CHM curator and gamer Hansen Hsu.
1401 N. Shoreline Blvd Mountain View, CA, 94043
More Information
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.