] Blizzard’s High Standards: Canceling Half Their Games Mike reveals that Blizzard canceled nearly half of its projects to maintain quality, highlighting their ruthless pursuit of excellence—a strategy echoed by studios like Supercell.[00:10:00] Founding DreamHaven: A Haven for Creative Freedom Mike discusses how DreamHaven was built on the values that made Blizzard great: empowering internal studios, creative autonomy, and attracting AAA talent.[00:14:00] Why “DreamHaven”? The Story Behind the Studio’s Name Mike shares the inspiration behind DreamHaven’s name, emphasizing its vision as a safe space for innovation and creators.[00:25:00] Early Days at Blizzard: From Electrical Engineer to Game Developer Mike recounts how he transitioned from an EE background to co-founding Blizzard, even bringing the pitch to his dad for approval.[00:32:00] First Console and Coding: The Bally Professional Arcade A nostalgic dive into Mike’s first experience with programming via a BASIC cartridge console—a formative moment in his tech journey.[00:44:00] Navigating Acquisitions: How Blizzard Stayed True to Itself Mike outlines Blizzard’s acquisition history (Davidson, Sierra, Vivendi, Activision) and how the studio maintained independence through it all.[00:50:00] Blizzard’s Secret to Long-Term Success: Prioritizing Players Mike explains how being founder-led and focused on long-term value creation helped Blizzard consistently ship polished, player-first games.[00:58:00] DreamHaven’s Future Vision: Platform Strategy & First Games Mike talks about shipping on Steam, using Unreal/Unity for the first time, and the philosophy behind DreamHaven’s early development choices.Support the showThank you for listening to our podcast all about videogames and the amazing people who bring them to life!Hosted by Alexander Seropian and Aaron MarroquinFind us at www.thefourthcurtain.com Join our Patreon for early, ad-free episodes plus bonus content at https://patreon.com/FourthCurtain Come join the conversation at https://discord.gg/KWeGE4xHfeVideos available at https://www.youtube.com/@thefourthcurtainFollow us on Twitter: @fourthcurtainEdited and mastered at https://noise-floor.com Audio Editor: Bryen HensleyVideo Editor: Sarkis GrigorianProducer: Kimya TaheriArt: Paul RusselCommunity Manager: Doug ZartmanFeaturing Liberation by 505