Man Gets Free Trip To BlizzCon After Returning StarCraft Source Code To Blizzard

A Reddit user who found a CD containing the source code to 1998's StarCraft has returned it to Blizzard--and the developer paid him back nicely.

As Kotaku reports, Reddt user Khemist49 found the gold master disc labeled StarCraft Gold Master Source Code in a "box of Blizzard" stuff that he bought on the auction site eBay.

He told his story to people on Reddit, and some asked him to upload the files online for everyone. Overall, he said the decision about what to do was making him "crazy."

"The CD is driving me crazy and I apologize if I came off the wrong way," he said. "People are either bashing me for owning it (I dunno why, not like I stole it) offering me money for it, calling me a douchebag for not releasing it, or threatening to tell blizzard I have it."

After coming across this account, Blizzard's legal team apparently reached out to ask that the disc be returned, as it was filled with "intellectual property and trade secrets." After seeking his own legal counsel, Khemist49 elected to send the disc to Blizzard.

In return, Blizzard gave him a free copy of Overwatch, $250 in Blizzard store credit, and an all-expenses paid trip to BlizzCon, as well as a night out for drinks, among other things.

Blizzard confirmed this story to Kotaku, saying it "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."

You can get the full story and all the quotes here at Kotaku.

In other StarCraft news, Blizzard has announced a remaster of the game, complete with 4K visuals and matchmaking, that launches this summer. While you wait, you can grab the original StarCraft for free.