World of Warcraft is an enigma. Now in its third decade of live operations, using an engine concocted in a completely different technological and cultural era — Blizzard proved once again that it is still the absolute master of live ops.
Unleashed as part of Microsoft's Xbox operation, Blizzard escaped its destructive tenure under Activision's previous shareholder culture, and now functions as a separate business entity in the wider Microsoft Gaming pantheon. New leaders in place, a hands-off approach, and a renewed focus on its customers has seen games like Overwatch, Hearthstone, and Diablo reach new heights. And yes, like anything, it hasn't been perfect — but I think it's pretty undeniable that things are in a much much better place overall for Blizzard's games, and improving all the time.
