Blizzard Entertainment: A History of Success, Controversy, and Change

**Blizzard Entertainment: A History of Success, Controversy, and Change**

Blizzard Entertainment is one of the most successful video game companies in the world. The company has created some of the most popular and critically acclaimed games of all time, including Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo. However, Blizzard has also been embroiled in controversy in recent years, including allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination.

In his new book, **Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment**, journalist Jason Schreier delves into the company’s history, culture, and recent controversies. Schreier’s book is a fascinating and deeply reported look at one of the most important video game companies in the world.

In this article, we will take a closer look at Blizzard’s history, its recent controversies, and its future prospects.

**Blizzard’s History**

Blizzard Entertainment was founded in 1991 by three UCLA graduates: Michael Morhaime, Allen Adham, and Frank Pearce. The company’s first game was The Lost Vikings, which was released in 1992. The game was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to put Blizzard on the map.

Blizzard’s next game was Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, which was released in 1994. Warcraft was a real-time strategy game that was inspired by the popular Warhammer Fantasy Battle tabletop game. Warcraft was a huge success, and it spawned several sequels and spin-offs.

In 1998, Blizzard released StarCraft, which is widely considered to be one of the greatest real-time strategy games ever made. StarCraft was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to establish Blizzard as one of the leading video game companies in the world.

Blizzard continued to release successful games throughout the 2000s, including Diablo II, World of Warcraft, and Overwatch. World of Warcraft is one of the most popular MMORPGs in the world, with over 100 million active players.

**Blizzard’s Recent Controversies**

In recent years, Blizzard has been embroiled in a number of controversies, including allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination. In 2018, several former Blizzard employees filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging that they had been subjected to a hostile work environment that was rife with sexual harassment and discrimination.

Blizzard has denied the allegations, but the lawsuit has cast a shadow over the company’s reputation. In response to the lawsuit, Blizzard has vowed to take steps to improve its workplace culture.

**Blizzard’s Future Prospects**

Despite the recent controversies, Blizzard remains one of the most successful video game companies in the world. The company has a strong track record of creating high-quality games, and it has a loyal fanbase. Blizzard is also well-positioned to take advantage of the growing popularity of esports.

However, Blizzard faces a number of challenges in the future. The company is facing increasing competition from other video game companies, and it is also facing pressure to improve its workplace culture. It remains to be seen how Blizzard will address these challenges, but the company has a strong track record of success, and it is well-positioned to remain a leader in the video game industry.