Scott Johnson

Oh, Stephen's great.

Oh, Stephen's great.

Did that lean into what would become your book called Blood, Sweat and Pixels? The triumphant turbulent stories behind video games are made. Did all of that, I guess, initial exposure to how the industry works push you to go? Yeah, there's more going on behind the scenes than players realize. It's not just these games they buy and play. There's more going on there.

Did that lean into what would become your book called Blood, Sweat and Pixels? The triumphant turbulent stories behind video games are made. Did all of that, I guess, initial exposure to how the industry works push you to go? Yeah, there's more going on behind the scenes than players realize. It's not just these games they buy and play. There's more going on there.

I guess tell me the inspiration for that book because I really enjoyed that book.

I guess tell me the inspiration for that book because I really enjoyed that book.

Do you think that breaking stories like what goes on behind the scenes at Bungie for that mess of a story, that mess of a launch, and it was pretty evident to all of us that something was going on there, but nobody knew the details the way that you did because you did all the digging.

Do you think that breaking stories like what goes on behind the scenes at Bungie for that mess of a story, that mess of a launch, and it was pretty evident to all of us that something was going on there, but nobody knew the details the way that you did because you did all the digging.

Do you think it makes developers gun-shy when Jason Schreier comes around poking around going, hey, can I interview so-and-so? I guess has that curbed your opportunities at all when these guys know that you're not there messing around? You're there to get the facts.

Do you think it makes developers gun-shy when Jason Schreier comes around poking around going, hey, can I interview so-and-so? I guess has that curbed your opportunities at all when these guys know that you're not there messing around? You're there to get the facts.

2006.

2006.

Yeah. My entire career as a podcaster is infused with blizzard blood, really. And so it was a big deal for me to read that. And as I got finished with it, I thought, some of these things are just absolutely wild. And I thought, so confession time, I reached out to a couple of close friends. And one of them said, I said, so what do you think of the book? And he says, Nailed it.

Yeah. My entire career as a podcaster is infused with blizzard blood, really. And so it was a big deal for me to read that. And as I got finished with it, I thought, some of these things are just absolutely wild. And I thought, so confession time, I reached out to a couple of close friends. And one of them said, I said, so what do you think of the book? And he says, Nailed it.

And I said, what do you mean? He says, he has all the receipts. And I, he says, I don't even know how he has all the receipts, but he has them all. And he, and he knows the stuff he's showing in there is accurate and he didn't get it wrong.

And I said, what do you mean? He says, he has all the receipts. And I, he says, I don't even know how he has all the receipts, but he has them all. And he, and he knows the stuff he's showing in there is accurate and he didn't get it wrong.

The only hard part to capture sometimes, and this is probably true of anything being chronicled, but just trying to capture perhaps the, it's a little intangible or intangible, but the spirit of how things were going versus how it all looks on paper. And, and, but they all said kind of unanimously that, Yeah, he none of this is wrong.

The only hard part to capture sometimes, and this is probably true of anything being chronicled, but just trying to capture perhaps the, it's a little intangible or intangible, but the spirit of how things were going versus how it all looks on paper. And, and, but they all said kind of unanimously that, Yeah, he none of this is wrong.

And I and I heard that and I went, I don't know if there's a bigger compliment for somebody who's trying to report the facts and tell the story the way it is. And I don't know if you've gotten that feedback from anyone else, but how does that land on you? I mean, does that make you feel any better about the project? The project was obviously a success. Everybody's really enjoyed the book.

And I and I heard that and I went, I don't know if there's a bigger compliment for somebody who's trying to report the facts and tell the story the way it is. And I don't know if you've gotten that feedback from anyone else, but how does that land on you? I mean, does that make you feel any better about the project? The project was obviously a success. Everybody's really enjoyed the book.