20 Years of Blizzard: Looking back with Blizzard's creators

PCG: What do you think is the biggest effect that Blizzard has had, or will have, on the gaming industry?

RP : I think the effect we're on the verge of having—at least for WoW specifically—is that right now, gaming is on the edge of not being the basement-geek entertainment anymore.

FP : I wouldn't say that WoW did it exclusively, but it certainly contributed to the acceptance of gaming in the mainstream population.

RP : Of course, we had the South Park episode that makes fun of it in the opposite direction, but the reason that South Park was interested is because it's such a big deal to so many people.

It would be great if gaming could get to that place where it's just another activity; where there's no looking down your nose at someone who plays games.

MM : Nobody identifies themselves as a “TV-watcher” or “music-listener.” They're just people. People listen to music, people watch TV. Pretty much everyone does, and a lot of people play games.

FP : One thing that's great for us: when we're at Blizzcon, we get to see this huge cross-section of people and realize that it is coming to fruition.

PCG: Speaking of Blizzcon, what's it like to have a company band that can play at events like that?

MM : It's pretty awesome. It's a lot of work—we practice a lot before a show—but I think, for me, it's the fantasy of being a rock star and playing in front of a live audience. It's pretty awesome that I get to live out that rock star fantasy.

FP : Yeah, but you're in a bit of a decline. Your most recent gig was in an electronic store parking lot. [The band played at the official Cataclysm launch party outside of Fry's Electronics in Fountain Valley, CA.]

MM : But, Frank, we were headlining that parking lot.

FP : But if you had to choose between headlining a parking lot or opening for Ozzy or Tenacious D?

MM : You gotta start somewhere.

PCG: Does the band play for company parties?

MM : No.

RP : They go off and win our battle of the bands contests.

FP : They cheat.

MM : Cheat?! What was that about cheating?

FP : How many times did you win Battle of the Bands? Oh wait, its subjective judging!

RP : They changed the rules so it allowed them to win.

MM : We changed the rules to make it harder for us to win, and we still win!

RP : We put up a big stage in the middle of the courtyard so people can be in Guitar Hero bands and they get judged.

PCG: Do you go by the same band name, “Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftain?”

MM : We call ourselves Zergling Rush.

PCGamer

PC Gamer is the global authority on PC games—starting in 1993 with the magazine, and then in 2010 with this website you're currently reading. We have writers across the US, Canada, UK and Australia, who you can read about here.