Former Blizzard employee Adam Holisky has recently made headlines as he departed the company with an astonishing ten years' worth of World of Warcraft (WoW) playtime. Holisky, who was previously in charge of product technology, utilized his stockpile of '1-year codes'—a well-known employee benefit at Blizzard obtained through the Keyring internal program—netting a playtime that will now last until October 14, 2033. This amounts to approximately 1560 euros in WoW time. His story comes in the wake of Microsoft's recent layoff of 1900 employees, which included Blizzard personnel and the company's director, Mike Ybarra. The news about the playtime codes and the significant industry layoffs highlight the inner workings and staff shake-ups within Blizzard and parent company Microsoft.

What perks do Blizzard employees receive?

Blizzard employees traditionally receive '1-year codes' for World of Warcraft playtime as part of their employee benefits, which can accumulate over their tenure at the company. These codes are accessed through an internal program called Keyring.

Background on World of Warcraft (WoW): World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released by Blizzard Entertainment in 2004. As one of the most popular and influential MMORPGs to date, WoW has undergone numerous expansions and continues to have a dedicated player base. Adam Holisky's story is uncommon but underscores the game's lasting appeal and its impact on those who have worked to develop and maintain it.