Skip to main content

Man returns ‘StarCraft’ source code to Blizzard, gets rewarded handsomely

blizzard starcraft source code disc reward
Khemist49
When a man purchased a “lot off eBay with a ton of Blizzard stuff” in April, he was not sure what the box would contain, but he certainly wasn’t expecting to receive a near priceless piece of Blizzard Entertainment’s history — the original StarCraft‘s “Gold Master Source Code” disc, printed in 1998.

As reported by Kotaku, Reddit user Khemist49 posted about his perplexing find and initially wasn’t sure what to do with the disc. Naturally, some users asked him to copy the contents of the disc and upload them for all to see, but others chimed in to say it would be wrong to reveal Blizzard’s secrets. Blizzard apparently got wind of the ordeal and had its legal team politely ask him to return the gold disc that housed “intellectual property and trade secrets.” The man inevitably took the safest route and obliged with Blizzard’s request.

Blizzard, in turn, gave him a copy of Overwatch and $250 Blizzard store credit. However, it seems that Blizzard thought that was not a big enough reward. A Blizzard rep called Khemist49 to ask if he was familiar with BlizCon, the yearly convention that celebrates and promotes all things Blizzard. Khemist49, living on the East Coast, has not been able to make it out to California event in the past, and as he noted to the rep, tickets tend to sell out fast. Well, Khemist’s honorable deed will now be rewarded with an all-expenses paid trip to BlizzCon.

To sweeten the deal even more, Blizzard sent him a box of Blizzard-themed gaming gear: An Overwatch edition of the Razer Blackwidow Chroma keyboard, matching headphones, mouse, and mouse pad. Additionally, he received a Diablo-themed bottle opener and journal.

This is a story with a happy ending for both parties, but not without a few plot holes. We can assume that the disc had either been lost or stolen many years back, but what was it doing on eBay in the first place? Khemist49 presumed that the stuff came from a random storage unit, so perhaps the person who owned the unit didn’t even know the invaluable disc was there. And perhaps it is fitting that Blizzard’s trade secrets could have literally been locked away for years despite the disc not even being in its possession.

Steven Petite
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Steven is a writer from Northeast Ohio currently based in Louisiana. He writes about video games and books, and consumes…
Ubisoft confirms Assassin’s Creed remakes are in the works
Basim perched on a ledge overlooking Baghdad

In a company interview with CEO Yves Guillemot posted on the Ubisoft website Thursday, the executive reveals that there are remakes of Assassin's Creed games in the works, although he doesn't specify which ones.

"Players can be excited about some remakes, which will allow us to revisit some of the games we've created in the past and modernize them," he says, implying that it could pertain to games made before Odyssey. "There are worlds in some of our older Assassin's Creed games that are still extremely rich."

Read more
Surfaced patent shows what an Xbox streaming console would’ve looked like
An Xbox Series X sits next to both Series S models.

There have been a few Xbox devices that have never come to fruition, one of which was Keystone, a prototype for an affordable game streaming device you could hook up to your TV or monitor. Thanks to a surfaced patent, we've gotten an even closer look at what it would've potentially looked like.

The patent, first spotted by Windows Central, gives us a more complete view of the device. We've previously seen the Keystone in the flesh. Microsoft Gaming head Phil Spencer is known for hiding teases and interesting collectibles on the shelf in his office. In a 2022 X (formerly Twitter) post congratulating Bethesda on Fallout's 25th anniversary, you can see a small white device on the top shelf that's actually a Keystone prototype. Xbox told Digital Trends that it was a version of the device made before it decided to "refocus our efforts on a new approach.”

Read more
Wordle Today: Wordle answer and hints for June 28
Someone playing Wordle on a smartphone.

We have the solution to Wordle on June 28, as well as some helpful hints to help you figure out the answer yourself, right here. We've placed the answer at the bottom of the page, so we don't ruin the surprise before you've had a chance to work through the clues. So let's dive in, starting with a reminder of yesterday's answer.
Yesterday's Wordle answer
Let's start by first reminding ourselves of yesterday's Wordle answer for those new to the game or who don't play it daily, which was "ORDER." So we can say that the Wordle answer today definitely isn't that. Now, with that in mind, perhaps take another stab at it using one of these Wordle starting words and circle back if you have no luck.
Hints for today's Wordle
Still can't figure it out? We have today's Wordle answer right here, below. But first, one more thing: Let's take a look at three hints that could help you find the solution, without giving it away, so there's no need to feel guilty about keeping your streak alive -- you put in some work, after all! Or just keep scrolling for the answer.

Today’s Wordle includes the letter D.
Today’s Wordle uses two vowels.
Today's Wordle can refer to a large number of animals, particularly livestock like cattle or sheep, that are moving together in a group.

Read more