I am not sure if everyone knows how much of a fanboy bootlicker I am of Chris Metzen. Ya’ know the bourbon cowboy developer, the thundergod, Blizzard VP of Creative Design. Father of the Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo lore who’s been around in Blizzard the past 17 years.
So you understand the scope of what a true fanboy is, I started playing Blizzard games since 2001 with Starcraft and its expansion Brood War. Obviously, I was a few years late from the 1994 (Warcraft: Orcs and Humans) and 1998 (Starcraft) big bang, but I quickly caught up getting Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, Warcraft III and its expansion Frozen Throne (2002-2003), Diablo 1, Diablo II and its expansion Lord of Destruction. All the World of Warcraft and Starcraft II Collector’s Editions — just to watch the Behind the Scene DVDs with the developers.
Right after my first public IRC chat interview with Richard A. Knaak back on 2003, I got hooked to any Blizzard-related novel and printed media that came out thereafter. I have all the Starcraft, Diablo and Warcraft novels, both comic books, and the manga. So it’s no surprise I am a fanboy of Chris Metzen, and all the people involved in the development of all these literature.
I have interviewed Chris Metzen face to face twice, at last year’s New York Comic Con with Micky Neilson (Publishing Lead); and at the Blizzard offices during a Starcraft II single player press-invite.
I was so nervous. It was like meeting your favorite Hollywood actor, Rock star, Comic books Stan Lee, Star Wars George Lucas — you get the drill. He’s that type of guy you get all geeked up about and go mute when standing before him. Inside you wish to bear-hug him, but you don’t obviously because he might freak out; or say: ” I don’t swing that way, bro”. — I’m ‘straight’ by the record.
I know many of you are crazed, geeky, diehard Warcraft lore fans [and if you ain’t, I wish to infect you up with my fanboyism] — so I want to share with you a recent Chris Metzen interview.
A Warcraft lore community fan (Sarahmoo) from ‘ScrollsofLore’ posted scans from the Games(tm) magazine issue # 99 / August 5, 2010 (a British publication) which interviewed Chris Metzen. It’s a good opportunity for some of you to get to know this Blizzard developer more intimately. His early beginnings, before and after joining Chaos Studios (aka Blizzard Entertainment).
In the interview, you will learn how he views his position at Blizzard, what it feels like, his feelings when he’s done a mistake, and how he’s overcome them. He’s learned from those mistakes. He’s a geek and a fan like yourself, and he strives to keep everyone happy, and stay true to the lore because as Metzen says: “We don’t own Warcraft any more – the fans own Warcraft now.”
