Blizzard Entertainment has selected Johanna Faries as its new president following Mike Ybarra's departure from the studio last week alongside news that Microsoft was laying off 1,900 employees across its Xbox, Activision Blizzard, and ZeniMax teams. Faries worked for the National Football League for 12 years before working at Activision starting in 2018, as reported by Bloomberg. She started as the head of Call of Duty esports before eventually working as a Call of Duty franchise manager at the company Microsoft acquired last year for $69 billion.
In Faries' introductory email to Blizzard employees today, she addressed the layoffs that occurred at the company last week.
"Though my first official day with you all is February 5, I want to let you know immediately that it is an honor to join you next week in this new capacity," she writes in the email. "I do so humbly and in awe of all that Blizzard has stood for and delivered to the world for over thirty years. Today also brings some mixed emotions. The loss of talented teammates in recent days is hard to hold side-by-side with the immense excitement I feel about joining Blizzard – and building on the momentum you've created for Blizzard's next chapter."
MIT SloanElsewhere in the email, Faries discusses her history working on Call of Duty and the differences between that franchise and the franchises under Blizzard's umbrella. "Activision, Blizzard, and King are decidedly different companies with distinct games, cultures, and communities," she writes. "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." Faries says she's discussed these differences with the Blizzard leadership team and is stepping into this role "with sensitivity to those dynamics, and deep respect for Blizzard."
Faries will be arriving to Blizzard's Irvine, California-based headquarters next week to informally (and optionally) meet with employees there. In her email, she says she's a big Diablo IV fan and throughout life, "the joy I find in games – and working with those who make them – only deepens."
"I remain inspired by Blizzard's iconic legacy, and the transformative role gaming has played in my life and in the lives of others," she writes. "I cannot wait to get going – to listen, to learn, to empower, and to collaborate with all of you on our bold and bright future together. Together, may we forge many legendary days ahead."
You can read Faries' full email here.
Faries steps into the role of Blizzard's president following news last week that Mike Ybarra, who had worked at the company since 2019, was leaving. Before Blizzard, Ybarra worked at Microsoft for more than 19 years.
How do you feel about the future of Blizzard following last week's layoffs and its new president? Let us know in the comments below!
Between Tekken 8, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and the impending release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, 2024 is off to an explosive start, but the rest of the year is still up in the air. Luckily for PlayStation fans, Sony is pulling the curtain back on some games coming soon to its platforms this Wednesday, January 31, at 2 P.M. Pacific/5 P.M. Eastern. Check out the X announcement below.
Get ready for a new State of Play! https://t.co/KDyuY2Uvfq
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) January 29, 2024
Tune in on YouTube, Twitch, or TikTok this Wednesday at 2pm PT / 10pm GMT for 40 minutes covering 15+ games, including extended looks at Stellar Blade and Rise of the Ronin, plus more from talented game developers from… pic.twitter.com/MQg76iv8Tt
The showcase will specifically show off extended looks at Stellar Blade and Rise of the Rōnin. The former title, previously known as Project Eve, is a stylish action-adventure game that's been teased since 2019. The last we heard, it was delayed into this year, so we're due for a proper look. The latter game is the next project from Team Ninja, the developers behind the Nioh series. It's the studio's most ambitious project to date – check out our December preview here.
As for the other 13+ games, we don't have much of an idea. We know it won't include Naughty Dog's recently canceled Last of Us multiplayer spin-off, and we've gone a while without big reveals for a lot of Sony's first-party studios, so hopefully, it can shed some light on the rest of the company's 2024.
What are you hoping to see at Wednesday's State of Play? Let us know in the comments!