Blizzard Entertainment, known for creating popular games like World of Warcraft and Diablo, has a team that ensures the preservation of the lore in their games. Sean Copeland, the senior manager of lore at Blizzard, spoke to PCGamer about the process of preserving the lore in Blizzard games. Copeland explained that the developer did not keep track of the internal history of its games before 2005. As a result, there was not much documentation about the world in the first two Diablo games. One of the unenviable tasks was given to a lore keeper who had to hand-transcribe all the words said in the first two Diablo games, including the Lord of Destruction expansion.
Blizzard now goes to great lengths to ensure that the lore in their games is well-chronicled, but the occasional retconning is not off the table. For instance, Diablo 1 flows into its sequel, and killing the titular beast in the first game leads to a hero becoming corrupted in Diablo 2, making them the villain. However, the third game makes some changes as that same hero becomes Prince Aidan, the eldest son of a King that Diablo ensnared to kick off the events of the original game.
The Creative Process at Blizzard
Copeland shared that the word “no” usually hinders the creative process during brainstorming sessions. Instead of being “lore police,” Blizzard ensures that their writers are given suggestions to make their story work. The goal is to tell cool stories that keep the players engaged in the game.
If you’re interested in reading more about the history of Diablo, check out the latest issue of PCGamer. Blizzard’s commitment to preserving the lore in their games demonstrates their dedication to creating immersive experiences for their players.
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