Home Gaming Blizzard handsomely reward fan who accidentally purchased StarCraft’s source code

Blizzard handsomely reward fan who accidentally purchased StarCraft’s source code

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Blizzard rewards fan who found StarCraft source code 2

One of my guilty pleasures is watching those often awful storage lot auction shows. The amount of garbage people horde is fascinating, as are the rare gold mine finds that some of the participants happen upon. That’s exactly what happened to Reddit user Khemist49, who just thought he was buying a load of old Blizzard junk on eBay. When the box arrived though, he found something unexpected – the gold master disc for the original StarCraft, with all of the game’s source code.

Naturally, Khemist49 shared his find online. Some asked him to leak the disk and crack open the game for the internet at large to mess with, while others found the very suggestion of that vile. Khemist49 started worrying what to do with the disc until Blizzard contacted him directly. The studio’s legal team explained that the disc contained IP and trade secrets belonging to them and that they’d like the disc to be returned.

After some consultation with his own lawyers, Khemist49 did just that. Blizzard rewarded him pretty handsomely too, crediting him $250 worth of store credit for the Blizzard Store, and a free copy of Overwatch. Days passed, and Khemist49 thought it was over. Until Blizzard contacted him again, and informed him that they would be flying him out for BlizzCon, treating him to an all expenses paid trip and even some drinks with some of the Blizzard team.

They also sent him a whole bunch of Blizzard property branded hardware.

Blizzard rewards fan who found StarCraft source code

Speaking with Kotaku, Blizzard explained that they “wanted to show an appropriate level of appreciation to the player for doing the right thing, not just from Blizzard, but on behalf of the large and active community of players who still enjoy StarCraft today”.

It’s a nice gesture from Blizzard regardless, but I have to wonder how something that important ended up seemingly tossed away with the trash.

Last Updated: May 4, 2017

10 Comments

  1. Gavin Mannion

    May 4, 2017 at 14:05

    Nice guy Blizzard strikes again

    Reply

  2. Johann

    May 4, 2017 at 14:12

    That disk looks like those old 90s el cheapo writable CDs with just printing on it.

    Big question now though, how on earth did that end up on an ebay auction?!

    Reply

    • HvR

      May 4, 2017 at 14:28

      My guess some developer got a gold copy to check a fix or something after release, never returned it and accidently ended up in his box of take home goodies which he then later decided to sell when clearing out crap.

      Reply

  3. HvR

    May 4, 2017 at 14:26

    Glad they came back after the measly $250 store credit.

    That dude saved them thousands, millions if any Starcraft 2 source is common to Starcraft 1

    Reply

    • Magoo

      May 4, 2017 at 14:49

      Yup

      Reply

    • HairyEwok

      May 4, 2017 at 16:07

      I’m wondering if he didn’t secretly make a copy of the disc. Then he could secretly sell the source code on the internet for a big number.

      Reply

    • BakedBagel

      May 9, 2017 at 09:23

      And they planning a full relaunch of the first Starcraft.

      Imagine that got leaked months before.

      topkek

      Reply

  4. Admiral Chief

    May 4, 2017 at 15:18

    Whoa

    Reply

  5. HairyEwok

    May 4, 2017 at 16:03

    Gold disc… psh, more like gold bar.

    Reply

  6. Raptor Rants

    May 4, 2017 at 20:01

    At first I read $250 and laughed. Such a small amount for source dode and then WHAM.
    Good Guy Blizzard

    Reply

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