Last week, former Blizzard President Mike Ybarra exited his role at the company as one of the 1,900 employees who got laid off, cutting 8% of Microsoft’s gaming division. Today, his successor has been revealed. Johanna Faries, the former general manager for Call of Duty at Activision is the new President of Blizzard. This is the first new leader of the company since Microsoft’s acquisition.
Bloomberg notes that this might be a surprise to many employees. Before the acquisition, many developers within the company faced significant tensions with Activision executives over how long games took to make, among other issues. Former CEO Bobby Kotick pushed Blizzard to be more predictable, similar to Call of Duty, where a new game is released every fall.
Faries mentioned and noted the issues in a note to staff today. “Activision, Blizzard, and King are decidedly different companies with distinct games, cultures, and communities. It is important to note that Call of Duty’s way of waking up in the morning to deliver for players can often differ from the stunning games in Blizzard’s realm: each with different gameplay experiences, communities that surround them, and requisite models of success. I’ve discussed this with the Blizzard leadership team and I’m walking into this role with sensitivity to those dynamics, and deep respect for Blizzard, as we begin to explore taking our universes to even higher heights.”
“I am committed to doing everything I can to help Blizzard thrive, with care and consideration for you and for our games, each unique and special in their own right,” Faries continued. “I’m optimistic about our ability to serve our current and future player communities, and to further amplify the shared passion for greatness, polish, and creative mastery that is a hallmark of Blizzard’s approach to game-making.”
This comes following Xbox’s major restructuring of its leadership and marketing teams where Matt Booty was promoted the President of Game Content and Studios and is taking over responsibility for ZeniMax/Bethesda and Sarah Bond became the President of Xbox.
“Our commitment to Blizzard remains strong,” Matt Booty, at Xbox said in a note to staff. “We are dedicated to helping the studio reach its full potential and confident that the teams will continue the current momentum of building great games.”