100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

New on the blog! πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅ Japanese Healing Fiction & β˜• The Perfect Winter Reads

Play Nice

The Rise, Fall, and Future Of Blizzard Entertainment
4.17 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 5,783 ratings, 674 reviews)
Brief Description
New York Times bestselling author and the gaming industry's preeminent investigative journalist Jason Schreier examines three decades of ups and downs at Blizzard Entertainment leading up to a hostile corporate takeover and a sexual misconduct scandal that put the legendary developer in a world of (Warcraft)... Read More
Format: Hardback
$5900
Elsewhere:
$6500
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

New York Times bestselling author and the gaming industry's preeminent investigative journalist Jason Schreier examines a decade of problems at Blizzard Entertainment and the hostile corporate takeover which has put the legendary developer in a world of (Warcraft) trouble.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
New York Times bestselling author and the gaming industry's preeminent investigative journalist Jason Schreier examines three decades of ups and downs at Blizzard Entertainment leading up to a hostile corporate takeover and a sexual misconduct scandal that put the legendary developer in a world of (Warcraft) trouble.

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. Led by executives from McKinsey and Procter & Gamble, Activision began invading Blizzard from the inside. Glitchy products, PR disasters, and mass layoffs followed, marring the company's once pristine image. Then, in 2021, a staggering sexual misconduct and discrimination lawsuit against the company triggered a widespread reckoning and a shocking $69 billion acquisition.

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. From previously unrevealed stories of Blizzard's early culture, including fist fights and a hotel ban, to the full story of Titan, Blizzard's most high-profile canceled project, and the behind-the-scenes saga of how Blizzard executives battled their Activision overlords tooth and nail, this book explores the delight and despair of what it really means to "bleed Blizzard blue." Full of colourful personalities and dramatic twists, Play Nice is The Social Network for the video game industry.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781538725429

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 14 November 2024

Country: United States

Imprint: Grand Central Publishing

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 40.0mm

Width: 158.0mm

Height: 240.0mm

Weight: 600g

Pages: 384

About the Author

Jason Schreier is the New York Times bestselling author of Press Reset and Blood, Sweat, and Pixels and a reporter at Bloomberg News, where he covers the video game industry. He lives in Westchester, New York with his wife and two children.

Also by Jason Schreier

View all
  • Blood, Sweat, and Pixels
    NATIONAL BESTSELLER β€œThe stories in this book make for a fascinating and remarkably complete pantheon of just about every common despair and every joy related to game development.” β€” Rami Ismail, cofounder of Vlambeer and developer of Nuclear Throne Developing video gamesβ€”hero's journey or fool's errand? The creative and technical logistics that go into building today's hottest games can be...
    Paperback
    $3000
    Elsewhere:
    $3299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Press Reset
    THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. From the bestselling author of Blood, Sweat, and Pixels comes the next definitive, behind-the-scenes account of the video game industry: how some of the past decade's most renowned studios fell apartβ€”and the stories, both triumphant and tragic, of what happened next. Jason Schreier's groundbreaking reporting has earned him a place among the preeminent investigative...
    Paperback
    $3499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Play Nice
    A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From a New York Times bestselling author and investigative journalist comes The Social Network for the video game industry, a riveting examination of Blizzard Entertainment's rise and shocking downfall, now in paperback. For video game fans, the name Blizzard Entertainment was once synonymous with perfection. The renowned company behind classics like Diablo and World of...
    Paperback
    $3999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Business & Entrepreneurship

View all
  • How To Be Wrong
    Sometimes the only way to be right is to get comfortable with being wrong. Most startup advice is dangerously misguided. The mythology of the lone genius founder, the obsession with capital raising, and the theatre of startup ecosystems lead countless ventures astray. Drawing on two decades at the heart of New Zealand's most successful technology companies – Trade Me, Xero,...
    Paperback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Roadmap to Property Success
    Ready to ditch the 9-to-5 and build lasting wealth through property? In Roadmap to Property Success, seasoned investor and coach Steve Goodey shares the exact strategies that helped him – and thousands of Kiwis – build sustainable property portfolios from scratch. With real-life lessons, hard-won wisdom, and zero sugar-coating, this is your no-BS guide to property investing in New Zealand....
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Shoe Dog
    Shoe Dog by Phil Knight is a riveting memoir that unveils the remarkable journey behind the creation of Nike, one of the world's most iconic and successful brands. Phil Knight's story begins in 1962, when fresh out of business school, he embarks on a daring entrepreneurial adventure with a radical premise: to import high-quality, low-cost athletic shoes from Japan. Armed...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2899
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Business Made Simple
    Business Made Simple by Donald Miller is an essential guide for anyone looking to elevate their career and create a profitable business. This practical book offers sixty daily readings, each accompanied by insightful videos, designed to help professionals and business owners gain a clear understanding of how successful businesses operate. Rather than relying on theoretical knowledge, Miller shares actionable strategies...
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
    In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Patrick Lencioni once again offers a leadership fable that is as enthralling and instructive as his first two best-selling books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive. This time, he turns his keen intellect and storytelling power to the fascinating, complex world of teams. Kathryn Petersen,...
    Hardback
    $4700
    Elsewhere:
    $5199
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Good To Great
    Good to Great by Jim Collins is an authoritative guide that investigates what takes a company from mere mediocrity to exceptional greatness. This acclaimed work is based on a five-year research project comparing teams that made that leap to those that didn’t. Collins and his research team examined financial performance, management practices, and corporate culture to distill the essential factors...
    Hardback
    $5400
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • This Is Strategy
    From Seth Godin, one of the world's most influential business thinkers and bestselling author ofΒ This is Marketing, comes an essential guide to thinking strategically in a complex, ever-changing world."With his signature clarity and brevity, the marketing maven presents memorable, practical advice for making smarter plans." β€”Adam Grant, author of Think AgainIn this unique and thought-provoking book, Godin shares insights on...
    Paperback
    $3150
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Zero to One
    Zero to One by Blake Masters and Peter Thiel is a ground-breaking and thought-provoking examination of innovation and what it takes for a new company to prosper. Written by Peter Thiel, the co-founder of one of the most successful tech start-ups in history, this book provides a fresh perspective on how to build a valuable and unique enterprise in a...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Blue Ocean Strategy, Expanded Edition
    Blue Ocean Strategy, Expanded Edition by W. Chan Kim and RenΓ©e A. Mauborgne is an essential guide for anyone looking to transform their business strategies and leap into untapped market spaces. This acclaimed book illustrates how companies can break free from the traditional war of competition and instead, create their own "blue oceans" of uncontested market space. The authors delve...
    Hardback
    $5700
    Elsewhere:
    $6499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Toyota Way, Second Edition: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer
    Explore the enlightened path to transformational business success with the updated and expanded edition of Jeffrey Liker's acclaimed work, The Toyota Way, Second Edition: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer. Delve into the legendary business philosophy that has placed Toyota at the pinnacle of global manufacturing excellence. In this highly anticipated update, Jeffrey Liker refines and broadens the...
    Hardback
    $8500
    (1)
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • High Output Management
    High Output Management by Andrew S. Grove is a legendary business book and a Silicon Valley staple. Written by the former chairman and CEO of Intel, it offers invaluable insights into the art of managing and running a successful company. This practical handbook provides guidance for navigating real-life business scenarios and serves as a powerful manifesto that has the potential...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3700
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • How to Grow Your Small Business
    The Wall Street Journal Bestseller For so many entrepreneurs, running a small business ended up looking different than they imagined. They’re stressed, discouraged, and not confident in their plan for growth. In How to Grow Your Small Business, Donald Miller gives entrepreneurs a 6-step plan to grow their businesses so they produce dependable, predictable results. Using the exact steps you’ll...
    Paperback
    $2900
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.