It's been a while since we had a Good Guy Blizzard story, but apparently the company that used to be the apple of every PC gamer's eye hasn't gone all bad.
Blizzard is making headlines (courtesy of Eurogamer) that they're actually taking the latest steps to fight the coronavirus extremely seriously. They've already gone remote for all their staff, with developers working from home to continue to make and maintain their games. They're also still paying janitors, cafe workers, and security their full wages even as they've been ordered to stay home.
Last week as employees were heading home, Blizzard also gave out care packages to self-isolating workers. Jens Salvesen, a Blizzard project manager working out of their Irvine office, tweeted out on Thursday that the company handed out "thousands" of packages containing essentials like "soap, toilet paper, and paper towels via a drive-thru in the parking garage."
The same packages were also given out at Blizzard's Austin, Texas office, according to global HR senior VP Jesse Meschuk.
California has gone into full lockdown as the state gears up to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Governor Gavin Newsom ordered Californians to “shelter in place” and not go out of their homes except for food. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases has now reached over 1,500, according to the Los Angeles Times, and people are frantically trying to ensure they’re stocked up for an extended quarantine.
Blizzard is even helping gamers stay entertained while self-isolating. Heroes of the Storm is free to play until April 2, and Starcraft 2's level cap for Co-op Commanders has been removed until April 2 as well. Battle for Azeroth, World of Warcraft's latest expansion, has double experience running from now until April 20.
To convince players of the importance of staying indoors, even Overwatch has closed the testing range. Or it's just a bug. It's hard to tell these days.