Play Nice

“One of Schreier’s great strengths is that he can control a crowd. He brilliantly maintains many different threads — corporate, personal, artistic — while giving so many coders, designers and money-minded executives their due, all without putting too much strain on his book’s momentum.” 

"Flush with ‘Succession’-style drama."

"As it turns out, the turbulent history of game developer Blizzard Entertainment is just as absorbing as any of the AAA titles it has produced. . . Jason Schreier takes the reader through three decades of incredible highs and appalling lows that let you in on what was going on behind the scenes while gamers were voraciously consuming blockbusters like StarCraft, Diablo, and World Of Warcraft."

“Here’s a thrilling adventure story from the untamed, online wilderness of modern capitalism. Think Barbarians at the Gate, but with digital dragons and blood-thirsty trolls. Gaming is now a more powerful and influential business than Hollywood, and Jason Schreier has delivered a masterful narrative that shows how the industry really works.”

“A fast paced thrill ride, perfect for anyone who has ever played a video game. Jason Schreier’s comprehensive history of Blizzard Entertainment offers a completely enthralling look at the company’s founding and the bitter battle for its future. A must read!”

"Jason Schreier's Play Nice is a riveting chronicle of one of gaming's most iconic companies. With gripping detail and unmatched access, Schreier pulls back the curtain on Blizzard Entertainment's meteoric rise, turbulent history, and struggle to balance uncompromising creativity with corporate America's unyielding pursuit of profit. Play Nice is a must-read exposé of the passion, ambition and dysfunction behind some of the most beloved games of all time."

"Jason Schreier's PLAY NICE is a gripping narrative not just of a single influential company but the evolution of the entire video game industry, changing from a niche pursuit to one of the largest cultural products in the world. This is vital reading for anyone hoping to understand the state of entertainment in the 21st century. Video games are an unavoidable force; PLAY NICE breaks down the genre as well as the personalities behind it."

“Schreier cleverly incorporates commentary from original Silicon & Synapse programmers, tech experts, executives, game programmers, and Blizzard employees themselves to create a well-rounded image of the company as well as the grave mistakes costing the company its reputation… A thorough, well-researched report on the evolution of Blizzard Entertainment.”

“A vivid portrait of [Blizzard's] decline… Animated by thorough reporting, this deep dive into the gaming industry’s dark side unsettles.”

"Play Nice is the ultimate insider account of the creation of some of the most beloved games ever, and a colorful portrait of the computer-game gold rush. Who knew that behind the scenes of Warcraft and Overwatch was a story of power plays, betrayals, and quests for glory as epic as the games themselves?"

"To a lot of people, Blizzard is the most important video game company whose mascot isn't an Italian plumber. As one of those people, I found myself sucked into to Play Nice, Jason Schreier's compulsively readable deep dive into the studio behind WarCraft, Diablo, and Overwatch. At once a warts-and-all page turner about the making of some of the biggest video games of all time, a parable about how corporate greed corrupts even the most beloved cultural institutions, and a labor story about the inequities of a booming gaming industry, Play Nice is both satisfying and illuminating. I'd wondered over the years why there wasn't a big book about the history of Blizzard. Well: Job's done."

 “Jason Schreier’s outstandingly researched book warps us to video gaming’s earliest years –– a world of multi-million-dollar lawsuits, business deals finalised with a handshake and a snarl, at a time when game designers could become as famous as rock stars –– and reveals how an industry titan was born. With a cast of vivid characters –– some of whom are unforgettable for all the wrong reasons –– Play Nice is a work of historical importance that also manages to be irresistibly entertaining.”

"Jason Schreier is the closest thing video games have to David Grann. Fearless, intrepid, and always fair-minded, Schreier gets at stories no one else can. He makes clear that the history of Blizzard is a microcosm of a larger, uglier story: the clash between shareholder capitalism and creativity, the unseemly corporate toleration of bad behavior, and the exploitation of workers who in many cases sacrifice their youth to make wealthy people even wealthier. This is riveting, essential reading for anyone who cares about how art is made in the twenty-first century." 

PRAISE FOR JASON SCHREIER

"Schreier writes lucidly and entertainingly. For neophytes, PRESS RESET is a useful introduction to the business of videogames. For those who play… the book may prove compulsively readable."

 

"A must-read... Schreier's reporting is unparalleled."

“Schreier covers the notoriously secretive gaming industry… and he knows it well… He also clearly respects [the] developers and their achievements, and treats their rueful tales of selfless struggle with an admiring deference…a useful survey of the landscape of game production at this cultural moment.”