Blizzard’s John Hight has left the company, saying, “After 12 incredible years at Blizzard, I’ve decided to step away & start a new quest”.
Hight has been with the company since 2012, having joined World of Warcraft as a senior producer on the Mists of Pandaria expansion. Eventually, he became an executive producer and vice president of the franchise. Most recently, since 2021, he has been Warcraft’s franchise general manager.
He held a number of roles at Blizzard, having not only worked on WoW, but other projects at the company like Overwatch and Diablo III: Reaper of Souls. Announcing his departure on X (Twitter), Hight says that, “It was a tough decision, but I feel like now is as good a time as any: Warcraft is in an amazing position as the universe turns 30”.
After 12 incredible years at Blizzard, I’ve decided to step away & start a new quest.It was a tough decision, but I feel like now is as good a time as any: Warcraft is in an amazing position as the universe turns 30.I’ve been so honored to serve all of the heroes of Azeroth.
— John Hight (@JHight_Gamer) June 13, 2024
Thanking the community for all of their adventures and dedication, Hight doesn’t announce what’s next, but simply says that “I don’t have any specifics to share quite yet, but I am excited to explore new opportunities and challenges in the industry, and to continue making great games with talented people”. He also promises to still be around in Azeroth, but as just another player this time.
Hight began his career more than 30 years ago and has worked on a number of titles outside of Blizzard too, including the Command & Conquer franchise, Shadow of the Colossus, flOw, and God of War.
