Joseph Hinkle

Finished reading: Play Nice by Jason Schreier 📚Blizzard Entertainment was my favorite game publisher from Warcraft 2 until the implosion. I played World of Warcraft for more than a decade, along with every major Blizzard release. Play Nice does a good job of capturing the magic of while being honest about the major problems over the years. I was at BlizzCon 2014, which, in retrospect, felt like the peak of Blizzard’s empire. The announcement of Overwatch, ramp to the WarCraft movie, and news in every major franchise for perhaps the last time, made it extremely exciting. I even got a movie credit in WarCraft as part of the crowd. It was pure magic.

There were a few people inside that I was surprised weren’t mentioned, but I can understand that the focus of the book was on the rise and fall, not the side stories. Still, it captures the essence of what made Blizzard great at making games. It also shows how many of those same things, like the boy’s club mentality, belief in its own process, and lack of focus on financial performance, turned toxic over time. This was amplified by Activision’s corporate mentality, which was seemingly at odds with everything Blizzard stood for. Because of this, Blizzard leadership dug in their heels to protect the culture, both good and bad.

The leadership lesson here is that we must maintain a level of objectivity about what we’re doing. Having core values is important, as are guiding principles in our approach. We must also adapt to the changing world. Blizzard struggled as the industry shifted to live service games, where updates and micro-transactions became the revenue stream over one-time purchases. That lack of adaptability shows a leadership gap that is deadly in a space with fierce competition.

The other big problem, and what broke everything in the end, was the continued lack of protection of its employees. It seems countercultural, from the outside at least, to have done so little to stop harassment and retaliation. However, it does fit with the mindset of “we just make great games”. What is successful with a small business often doesn’t scale to the heights that Blizzard reached. Large organizations need more structure, especially in disciplines like HR and Finance, to make sure things run smoothly.

All told, I loved the book because I felt like I was a part of the story. It is also a very sad tale. My guild felt it in real-time, though we always thought it was just a bump in the road because our faith in the company was so high. In retrospect, we should have seen it coming. We are great at ignoring the warning signs, as is highlighted over and over again in this story. A little pragmatism, particularly in leadership roles, is a healthy thing. Without it, the end is inevitable.

On the need to share thoughts in public

I have, from time to time, felt compelled to share what I’m reading and thinking. Not because there is particular demand for it, but because creation requires thinking, while consumption does not. I don’t see the point of reading 10, 100, or 1000 books if all of that knowledge just sits in one’s head, serving no one.

Now, that knowledge can and should be shared in intimate settings, like conversations with a friend or hanging out with family. It certainly should be! However, publishing things into the world takes courage that private conversations do not. I think that boldness has value, even if it invites criticism. In his novel Hyperion, Dan Simmons wrote “Belief in one’s identity as a poet or writer prior to the acid test of publication is as naive and harmless as the youthful belief in one’s immortality…and the inevitable disillusionment is just as painful.” We grow through criticism, hardship, and adversity.

No one changed the world in their comfort zone. No one changed themselves in their comfort zone either. I originally wrote that I didn’t aspire to change the world, but that’s not true. We all change the world every single day. With every word we speak and every deed we do, we impact those around us. Impact brings change, even if unintentionally. My aspiration then is for that impact on myself and others to be a positive one.

In order to act on that aspiration, I wanted to try something new for the new year. I don’t enjoy using the big social media networks, dislike the pressure I put on myself running a structured blog, and don’t want to make a big deal out of everything to post it. This space is just that; a place that I can share what I’m thinking without turning it into a three-ring circus. I’m looking forward to the journey, wherever it leads.