Blizzard began by offering us the excellent puzzle-platformer The Lost Vikings in 1992, but it was the creation of a nifty little strategy game called Warcraft: Orcs & Humans that marked their major breakthrough. Since then, they've gone on to become the kings of addictive games that have managed to transcend the medium in various ways; StarCraft has become one of the world's most popular eSports, while a certain MMO called World of WarCraft has become a cultural phenomenon. Perhaps the reason people stay hooked on Blizzard games is because they're incredibly dedicated to maintaining their existing fanbases. Diablo II, for example, received its last patch 10 years after its initial release, while StarCraft II and Diablo III - both a good few years old - continue to be tweaked based on ongoing gamer feedback. World of Warcraft may now be descending from the peak of its popularity, but that's not saying much when it still has millions of registered players. Not content to just stick to the genres it's historically dominated, Blizzard recently released the hit card game Hearthstone, as well as Heroes of the Storm - a MOBA aiming to challenge Dota 2 on the eSports scene. Notable titles: Warcraft series, StarCraft series, Diablo series, Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm.
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
