TITLE
How a Diablo expansion led to behind the scenes trouble
AUTHOR
David Craddock
PUBLICATION
Polygon
YEAR
2018
ARTICLE TYPE
Book Excerpt
FROM THE ARTICLE
“One of the things we always hated at Blizzard was, if you’re going to make money, do it by making really good products, not just because there’s a business opportunity. That situation occurred here. Our parent company said, ‘We have this studio that’s not doing anything. Why don’t they make a Diablo expansion?’”
-Pat Wyatt, vice president of research and development, Blizzard Entertainment“They said, ‘It’s impossible to add Battle.net support in this small amount of time. You’ll never be able to do it.’ That’s why multiplayer is one of the Easter eggs: Because Blizzard South said we couldn’t do it, so we took three days and got it done. That was us sticking our thumb in their eye.”
-Jim Edwards, programmer, Synergistic Software“As far as I know, the only outside development that ever worked in Blizzard history, was Blizzard North. Every other outside studio has had its projects cancelled or released against Blizzard’s will.”
-Matt Householder, producer, Blizzard North
COMPANIES MENTIONED
Blizzard
Synergistic Software
GAMES MENTIONED
Diablo
EXCERPTED FROM
Stay Awhile and Listen Book II: Heaven, Hell, and Secret Cow Levels