Scott Johnson

And why is it that even when we had amazing sales and held them so high, they were still struggling to make payroll and they couldn't keep up with their own scale and this sort of thing? I guess I would ask you, when you went into this to cover this, how much of a surprise was it to you that it would be the broader picture and less about the nitty and the gritty of the last five, six years?

And why is it that even when we had amazing sales and held them so high, they were still struggling to make payroll and they couldn't keep up with their own scale and this sort of thing? I guess I would ask you, when you went into this to cover this, how much of a surprise was it to you that it would be the broader picture and less about the nitty and the gritty of the last five, six years?

That's great insight because I had the feeling when I got done with it that it's an empty shell of a story to tell all the messy stuff toward the end without all that precursor. It's not that it absolves Blizzard of anything, but it gives a full account of the life. It's a lot like a life of a person. It's complicated. And it has turns and twists. Yeah.

That's great insight because I had the feeling when I got done with it that it's an empty shell of a story to tell all the messy stuff toward the end without all that precursor. It's not that it absolves Blizzard of anything, but it gives a full account of the life. It's a lot like a life of a person. It's complicated. And it has turns and twists. Yeah.

Yeah, it's a great study in what the cost of that level of creativity and productivity actually is. And then maybe, I don't know, some can learn from it and apply different principles to the starting of their big startups and not become one of these stories and just stay the beloved company who's also got great policies and good internals and all that stuff.

Yeah, it's a great study in what the cost of that level of creativity and productivity actually is. And then maybe, I don't know, some can learn from it and apply different principles to the starting of their big startups and not become one of these stories and just stay the beloved company who's also got great policies and good internals and all that stuff.

At least that's what I hope from this sort of thing. I know that Blizzard is not always – well, for me, my experience was they were always a bit of a closed book when you try to just get stuff done, like going through PR is a pain in the butt, very secretive about projects they had going. Some of that changed for a little while. Now I think it's back to being a little more secretive. Yeah.

At least that's what I hope from this sort of thing. I know that Blizzard is not always – well, for me, my experience was they were always a bit of a closed book when you try to just get stuff done, like going through PR is a pain in the butt, very secretive about projects they had going. Some of that changed for a little while. Now I think it's back to being a little more secretive. Yeah.

I know what that process is like, just trying to talk to some of the leads about a game that's coming out or a patch to WoW or something like that. Was it hard to get people to sit down and talk?

I know what that process is like, just trying to talk to some of the leads about a game that's coming out or a patch to WoW or something like that. Was it hard to get people to sit down and talk?

that sounds like a lot to manage, but clearly you've, you've gotten very good at this.

that sounds like a lot to manage, but clearly you've, you've gotten very good at this.

Yeah. I must, must've been. So now that they are in the hands and this is a little, little speculation, just your opinion, I'm asking for here, but they're in the hands of Microsoft in terms of they've got a new parent company. This is where the backing, the money, the promotion, all that's going to come from. They're part of the Xbox family.

Yeah. I must, must've been. So now that they are in the hands and this is a little, little speculation, just your opinion, I'm asking for here, but they're in the hands of Microsoft in terms of they've got a new parent company. This is where the backing, the money, the promotion, all that's going to come from. They're part of the Xbox family.

That's had its own ups and downs since the initial offering, uh, pandemic aside, which is really hard to put aside as an effect on everything, but all of these things, layoffs, everything else going on, do you think this is a chance or are we already there where Blizzard can be Blizzard again?

That's had its own ups and downs since the initial offering, uh, pandemic aside, which is really hard to put aside as an effect on everything, but all of these things, layoffs, everything else going on, do you think this is a chance or are we already there where Blizzard can be Blizzard again?

And by that, I just mean, I don't know, match up to player expectations of what they kind of used to be, or is it too complicated? Is that too simple of an outlook for a company like them?

And by that, I just mean, I don't know, match up to player expectations of what they kind of used to be, or is it too complicated? Is that too simple of an outlook for a company like them?

Yeah, I'm excited about maybe what they're cooking in the background. I'd love to see some StarCraft IP, get some shakeouts. There have been plenty of canceled projects. It'd be nice to see something actually make some rubber to the road.

Yeah, I'm excited about maybe what they're cooking in the background. I'd love to see some StarCraft IP, get some shakeouts. There have been plenty of canceled projects. It'd be nice to see something actually make some rubber to the road.