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High Profile Blizzard Staff Departing Over Morale Issues
According to a new report, Blizzard will be losing several high profile staff members in the coming weeks over issues with the studio's morale, which have been persistent for several months. Recently, Nate Nanzer, formerly the Overwatch League's commissioner, announced he would be leaving Blizzard to work at rival company Epic Games, likely to lend his expertise to games like Rocket League and Fortnite.
Blizzard's reputation has taken a hit over the last half a year or so, with many pointing to the ill-timed introduction of Diablo Immortal as a microcosm for the company's inability to understand its fans. Since then, the company has also been the site of one of the most egregious video game layoffs ever, with a huge chunk of its workforce losing their jobs while Activision Blizzard provided its top executives with signing bonuses and lucrative contracts. The experience left a bitter taste in the mouths of even the most ardent Blizzard supporters, and with only World of Warcraft Classic on the horizon to imbue the studio with positivity again, things have been looking bleak at Blizzard.
According to a report from Dexerto, the tough times might get a lot more difficult in the near future, as it's been suggested that several high profile staff members will be departing Blizzard soon due to morale issues. Among those rumored to be leaving will be Kim Phan, the Global Product Director of Blizzard's esports initiative and a veteran of the company who has been involved for over 13 years. An internal source provided an anonymous quote on why the latest round of departures seem to be related to morale:
Quote:
"People are really getting tired of working for Pete Vlastelica. The focus has become commercializing the esports titles instead of making good programs for the community...and it has crushed morale among the Call of Duty and Overwatch teams especially."
According to another source, there's a growing sense among employees that senior management just doesn't understand esports in a way that's conducive to running the company. The resignation of Phan is an especially troubling glimpse into the studio's inner workings, as she has been vital to the company's esports growth. Her name has been inextricable from the company's previously well-received endeavors into esports, and seeing her leave during such a trying time already gives the impression of a sinking ship.
Obviously, Blizzard still has a lot of resources and talented employees, and the company isn't going anywhere soon. World of Warcraft is still lucrative, Diablo and Starcraft are always a sequel away from relevancy, and Hearthstone and Overwatch remain popular esports. But as the number of people invested in those titles begins to dwindle and veteran leadership beings to depart, it's fair to wonder what needs to change for Blizzard, a company that was once one of the dream destinations for talent in the industry.
