Activision Blizzard is already part of Microsoft, but for all practical purposes Activision, Blizzard and King are different companies with different games, cultures and communities. The latter is not an opinion, mind you, but the words of Johanna Faries, who as of February 5 will lead the teams responsible for Warcraft, Overwatch and Diablo. A great responsibility for a key branch of the great Xbox Game Studios family.
Mike Ybarra’s successor is not new, and her assignment as part of Blizzard’s new stage is also not a declaration of intent: since 2018 and until last year Faries has been a key figure for the eSports division of Call of Duty, being General Manager of the successful shooter from 2021 until his new responsibility. And we are not going to deny it, it has not gone unnoticed that an Activision executive is now in charge of Blizzard.
A new president for a moment of transition
In any case, his appointment comes at a delicate time for Activision, Blizzard and Xbox. Since this week, and progressively, almost 2,000 layoffs and cancellations have been announced in the face of a massive restructuring. Something that Johanna Faries herself is fully aware of in her official statement in which she, despite coming from Call of Duty and eSports, presents herself as an unconditional fan of Diablo.
“Although my first day with you will be February 5, I can’t wait to say what an honor it is to join [Blizzard] under this new responsibility. I do so with humility and in awe of all that Blizzard has championed and provided to the world for over thirty years.
“Today comes with mixed emotions. It’s difficult to reconcile the loss of talented teammates in recent days with the immense excitement I feel about joining Blizzard and building on the momentum you’ve created for Blizzard’s next chapter.”
“It’s hard to reconcile the loss of talented teammates in recent days with the immense excitement I feel about joining Blizzard and building on the momentum you’ve created for Blizzard’s next chapter.”
Faries is aware that his appointment lends itself to generating a variety of reactions, questions and even concerns and establishes that the three Activision Blizzard companies start from different cultures and address specific audiences, committing to respect the dynamics and legacy of Blizzard , as well as cementing the values and future vision of the company.
“I am committed to doing everything I can to help Blizzard thrive, with care and consideration for you and our games, each unique and special in their own right.
“I am 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 creation.”
Johanna Faries’ previous career and what we can expect from Blizzard’s future
Before joining Activision Blizzard, Johanna Faries worked in the NFL (the professional American football league in the United States) and, already in charge of the Call of Duty saga, she obtained recognition to take into account, positioning herself on the list of the 40 people most notable people under 40 years old by FORBES in 2019 and, a year later, Sports Illustrated’s recognition of one of the most influential women in the sports scene for her work with eSports.
With that in mind, it goes without saying that Blizzard is one of the companies that promotes more and better the competitive aspects within games: eSports have been fundamental pillars for Overwatch, HearthStone or the success of a Starcraft that has been asking for a third installment since a few years ago. And we cannot forget the recently released Warcraft Rumble that has just started its third batch of content.
What’s more, the first litmus test for Faries will be how it celebrates the legacy of Blizzard’s star franchise: in 2024 the 30 years since the release of Warcraft on PC will be celebrated, as well as the two decades of World of Warcraft, who will bet on a new expansion model through large sagas, more or less similar to that of Marvel Studios. For now, the first step on the part of the company, shortly before the entry of Faries, has been to recover the classic Warcraft and the original Diablo for Battle.net.
Last but not least, Johanna Faries will be in charge of making a highly anticipated move by the Xbox community: it is a matter of time before Blizzard games reach Game Pass, and how will be decisive: will we see the WOW subscription somehow included in the service membership? For now, we expect the company’s next games to arrive at launch. And that will expand the value of Microsoft’s great project.
The future of Blizzard sagas, the future ones and those that are constantly growing, are in the hands of Johanna Faries. She has not yet occupied the presidential chair and her work has already begun to accumulate (the third season of Diablo 4 has started) and we may not see the results until the next Blizzcon. However, it is unquestionable that there are wickers and a legacy that lends itself to great surprises and joys.
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