Blizzard has a new boss after the old one had to leave a few days ago. But some are worried whether this will end well…
For many it was quite disappointing news last week. Not only is Mike Ybarra, the (now former) president of Blizzard leaving the company, but there have been over 1,900 layoffs across Activision Blizzard. Now the next president of Blizzard Entertainment has been named, who will take over the leadership in the future: Johanna Faries.
But her appointment also raises some concerns among skeptical fans.
Who is Johanna Faries? Johanna Faries may not be well known in the Blizzard cosmos – but she definitely is at Activision Blizzard. She led Call of Duty as “General Manager” for the last five years and was previously responsible for marketing strategy at the American NFL (“National Football League”) for 12 years.
What does Faries say about the start? As part of her appointment, she wrote an email to all Blizzard employees and then shared it with the community on Twitter.
She is pleased about her appointment, but also recognizes the questions and skepticism that can come with it. She wants to address these questions in the coming weeks and months. However, it is important for her to emphasize from the outset that she knows that not all games work like Call of Duty. She says:
It’s important to note that the way Call of Duty gets up every day to deliver to players is often different than what Blizzard’s fantastic games do: each has different gameplay experiences, communities, the support the game and different models of success. I have discussed this with Blizzard’s leadership team and enter this role with sensitivity to these dynamics and a deep respect for Blizzard (…)
Apart from that, Faries appears very human in the email. She is looking forward to getting to know all the employees personally and invites you to a meet and greet. At the same time, she asserts that her “number 1 job” is raising her two sons. Apart from that, she spends her free time with yoga, prayer and of course playing video games – she is currently a fan of Diablo 4.
What do you think of Blizzard’s new president? Does it bode well for the company and the future of gaming? Or are you more skeptical about it?