‘Blizzard 2.0’ storms in to make the games Blizzard no longer wants to

Without the best-selling brands, like Warcraft (pic) and Overwatch, and fan goodwill that Blizzard has built since its founding in 1991, going indie is a risk. But the startups are getting support from venture capitalists eager for a shot at the kind of revenue Blizzard’s parent company, Activision Blizzard Inc, generates. — Blizzard

In recent years, a stream of developers and executives from top video game publisher Blizzard have left to create their own studios, seeking the creative freedom and autonomy they feel is no longer possible at a company chasing mega hits.

Now an alumni network, affectionately dubbed Blizzard 2.0 by some in the gaming community, has sprung up in Irvine, California, the same town where Blizzard has a sprawling campus. Hundreds of ex-employees, including the company’s co-founder and chief executive officer for decades, have spread out there across a half a dozen independent studios.