Blizzard's VP makes TIME's top 100
The most recent issue of TIME Magazine highlights their picks for the top 100 "men and women whose power, talent, or moral example is transforming the world." Of course, the big-hitters are on the list: John McCain, George W. Bush, Matt Drudge, and Hugo Chavez. However, one name pops out strikingly in the category of Artists & Entertainers, of the top 25 chosen for the category: Rob Pardo.
Who is Rob Pardo? Well, for 6 million gamers he is the Kronos of World of Warcraft -- the lead designer for the MMO that broke through the barrier to mainstream attention. According to the TIME article "Pardo didn't invent this kind of game ... he merely perfected it." Crediting his team for "generating from scratch history, geography, anthropology and ecology of a fully realized fantasy world spread over two continents," the article quips that if the game gets any more popular, "it may be up for a seat in the U.N."
Congratulations to the entire Blizzard team on receiving the honor, and on garnering some good exposure to the games industry. And a big congratulations to Rob Pardo's spiffy mug shot.
