Blizzard's next president will be former NFL and Call of Duty exec Johanna Faries, the company reported today in a post on the Blizzard website. This news comes after former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra stepped down amid last week's layoffs of 1900 employees across Microsoft's gaming division.
The news was first reported by Bloomber's Jason Schreier and Dina Bass, and confirmed by Blizzard shortly after via a post on the Blizzard website. Faries recently worked as the general manager of the Call of Duty franchise, while before that she spent over a decade working with the National Football League.
In an email to staff today, Faries expressed how excited she was to take on the role, though she acknowledged the recent layoffs that saw Microsoft lay off workers across Activision Blizzard, Zenimax and Xbox proper.
"Though my official first 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. 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."
Given the fact that for years many believed Activision encrouched too much on Blizzard itself since its merger, the fact that an Activision exec is now heading up the MMO developer isn't lost on anyone, including Faries. In the email she spends quite a bit of time acknowledging the differences between developing Call of Duty versus Blizzard's library of games, and is "committed to doing everything" to help Blizzard "thrive."
"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."
Faries notes that she'll be in Irvine, where Blizzard is located, next week to meet with leadership, employees and more, though she does invite those who do not live in Irvine or can't make it to the "informal gatherings" to email her and concerns. The company is also planning a town hall meeting as part of this process.
Hi all. Today I sent the below note to @Blizzard_Ent. As for X: I play to stay in "listen mode" here, but trust I'm tuned in! As for me: a typical day=work life+yogi life+games life. Currently on heavy rotation: D4, COD, BG3. Feeling blessed & grateful????Onward. ? pic.twitter.com/Ph8XgsTcpk
— Johanna Faries (@Joh_Burg) January 29, 2024
Activision Blizzard has had a bumpy road for a few years now, with the lawsuit brought by the state of California alleging workplace violations and sexual harassment at the developer to its long, drawn-out acquisition by Microsoft. Both were settled last year, and last week's layoffs were part of Microsoft's consolidation of their new company, though layoffs have become way too regular in the games industry as of late.
