Snow Day

For over a decade, Blizzard has produced top quality games and found a spot in the heart of a vast majority of gamers. Whether they’re creating a trek deep into the ground to fight of the demons of Diablo, or a struggle for resources among three galactic species in StarCraft, Blizzard is known for the shine and depth with which they infuse each product. This is what Blizzard brings to the table.

I sat here for a long while, thinking of all the offerings Blizzard has bestowed upon the grateful gaming public, pondering what to write in summation/introduction to our profile issue on Blizzard. I could talk about Blizzard’s “When it is finished!” attitude toward game development. I could talk about how StarCraft impacted Korean culture. I could even talk about my own wonderful adventures in Azeroth with my human Priest and tauren Druid in World of Warcraft.

A short Editor’s Note doesn’t suffice to explain it all. But then, isn’t that why we’ve devoted a whole issue to the Blizzard team? Our writers this week have filled out the reasons for Blizzard’s success. Russ Pitts gives a detailed account of how Blizzard the company came to be what they are today, and in so doing, reveals a bit about their Secret Sauce. Shannon Drake speaks with several ex-Blizzard employees about their tenures at the studio. And Michael Zenke returns this week to discuss the importance of World of WarCraft.

Cheers,

-Julianne Greer