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Rob Pardo Leaving Blizzard Entertainment
Originally Posted by Rob Pardo (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Every ending is a beginning and today marks a new beginning for me.

After 17 years at Blizzard, with long and careful contemplation, I have made a difficult and bittersweet but ultimately exciting decision to pursue the next chapter in my life and career.

Before I even joined Blizzard, I was already a huge fan of the company and its games. In particular, I was extremely passionate about the emerging genre of real-time strategy games. It was a dream come true when I was given the opportunity to work on StarCraft, which at the time was being created by a very small team by today’s standards. It was tremendously fulfilling to get to know everyone on the team personally and to contribute our energies toward a shared goal in such a creative and engaging environment.

Blizzard Entertainment has been simply the best place in the world to be a game designer. The best aspect of designing games at Blizzard is that the entire company is passionate about the gameplay within each and every product. From the executive team to customer service to our global offices, every single person is a player and contributes to making the best possible games. It’s for very good reason that the first credit on every Blizzard game is “Game Design by Blizzard Entertainment.”

I’m really proud of the contributions I was able to make to Blizzard’s accomplishments. From building lasting games, to supporting the growth of eSports, to extending the Warcraft world into a feature film, and of course to being able to celebrate our shared passions with the Blizzard community online and at BlizzCon.

The Blizzard community is ultimately the reason why we come to work every day and pour our souls into every world and experience we create. Blizzard’s players are the most passionate in the world and your commitment and dedication are truly awesome to behold. Creating entertainment for you has been an incredible opportunity, and I know that you will continue to grow and become even stronger as a community over the years to come. It has been so meaningful on a personal level to help create joy for all of you.

I’m looking forward to new challenges in my career, but I will always cherish the time I spent with you all and the amazing and collaborative teams at Blizzard. It was both satisfying and humbling, and it made me a better developer and a better person. I look forward to playing Blizzard games as a player for many years to come. Most important, now I have plenty of time to learn how to build a competitive Hearthstone deck.

As to what I will be doing next, I don’t have an answer for you yet . . . but I will “when it’s ready.” My priorities are to enjoy the summer with my family, play plenty of games, and think about what’s next. The game industry is such an exciting place right now with PC gaming thriving, the new consoles, mobile games, and virtual reality becoming an actual reality. It’s like having an empty quest log and going into a new zone for the first time.

In the past, I haven’t been the most avid Twitter user, but I’ll strive to do better and keep you updated there—@Rob_Pardo. Please stay in touch!

Rob
This article was originally published in forum thread: Rob Pardo Leaving Blizzard Entertainment started by chaud View original post
Comments 591 Comments
  1. lazzy's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Rorcanna View Post
    You know, everything with a limited lifespan follows the same pattern, right?

    Thinking that WoW would stay at 12 million subs and above still after 10 years is moronic. Anyone with a shred of common sense knew that it wouldn't last, that it would decline. Doesn't mean the game is any less loved by those that still play it nor that it is a failure.

    How many mmos ever REACH the current sub numbers of WoW...? It's 10 years old and still holds massive interest. You and other doomsayers will just have to get over it.
    It's moronic to think that the people on top give a shit. They saw 12 million people counted all that money and now they see that money not coming in anymore from them. They don't care how old it is they just want that money.

    I don't see how you people don't understand that. Rich people are GREEDY losing 4.5 million players worth of money is a REALLY REALLY big deal to them. They don't give a fuck if the game is 20 years old.

    You're looking at it completely wrong as a game yes it's very healthy to a person on top losing all that money is huge loss.
  1. High Marshal Sigismund's Avatar
    Oh I forgot this place houses many people who are "liberal". Not surprised in the least at some of these comments. As predictable as it gets.
  1. mmoce35ea8b457's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by WarlordsofDraenor View Post
    There is no blatant homophobia happening, just disgust at the people who want to ruin anything they can get their hands on because their demands and vision aren't catered to.

    You must really live in your own little bubble.
    Why would including LGBT characters be ruining something?
  1. Pua's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Gdcotton View Post
    Have any of you crazy people ever stopped to think, maybe something personal is going on? Maybe something you don't need to know and have no right to know? Jesus, a man quits his job he has been at for 17 years, that is a high-tier job and y'all all flip and act like the damn world is ending. Give the man some dang room and get off both his and Blizzard's back and unless you actually work there and know for certain of what is going on.
    It's a fair comment, but I'd find it likely that he'd mention it if that were the case. Nothing specific, just a small comment saying that he needs to concentrate on his family or whatever.
  1. Queen of Hamsters's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Infernix View Post
    Nope, I was around for that. We lost our first big chunk of subs in the lead up to Cata's launch and that was blamed on China or something. Once we got into Cata, though, we had steady consistent perpetual sub loss throughout the lifespan of Cata, right up to the end when 4.3 and LFR's launching stabilized the sub-loss for a few months before MOP started and the subs plummeted again.

    Cata and onward has been complete and utter failure in terms of stopping the sub loss, much less drawing back old players and drawing in new players. I mean, literally, the entirety of the game has sucked ass since Wrath ended.
    I'd really love to know what goes on in the minds of people that are so CONVINCED that their own opinions on things is shared by everyone else and as such constitutes as facts...

    So glad we don't live in a hive mind society, since if we all shared your views I wouldn't be here caring about WoW at this moment...since if I find something to be "sucking ass", I'll leave it behind and never look back.

    And don't comeback with the "subs lost proves the game sucks naow!"-rabble, people leave for as many reasons as there are players, not just because of YOUR reasons.

    To me, the game hasn't sucked ass ever, or I wouldn't have stayed subbed for so long. The good has always made up for the bad.
  1. klebslol's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Protar View Post
    The disgust is mutual don't worry. It's really sad that on this forum the guy calling out blatant homophobia is the bad guy.
    What does homosexuality have to do with video games?

    People are allowed to have different opinions you know. Resorting to shaming and silencing because you disagree is just pathetic.
  1. Erolian's Avatar
    because not wanting the video game you are designing to deal in real world issues and social inequalities is the same thing as hating homosexuality. Maybe they just didn't want the train wreck that is the extreme opinions on both sides of the issue to get in the way of the fact that the game is meant to be played without anything like that in mind to begin with. Nah couldn't be!
  1. High Marshal Sigismund's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Protar View Post
    Why would including LGBT characters be ruining something?
    Way to put words in my mouth. There isn't anything blatantly wrong with including those types. There's something blatantly wrong with people like you who's hearts are "warmed" by the supposed firing of another human being, just because he didn't cater to your wants.

    It's absolutely juvenile, pathetic, and disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself. I wonder where it all went wrong for you.
  1. Gdcotton's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by The Caretaker View Post
    It's a fair comment, but I'd find it likely that he'd mention it if that were the case. Nothing specific, just a small comment saying that he needs to concentrate on his family or whatever.
    True but that does not mean you all have to instantly accuse him of being fired and all this other horrible crap. None of us have any right to know whether he was fired, quit from boredom, or quit for personal reasons. He made a statement to say that he had a good time at Blizzard and was done. Now everyone assumes the apocalypse is coming to WoW and it will just stop and Blizzard will cease to exist...
  1. Infernix's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Rorcanna View Post
    I'd really love to know what goes on in the minds of people that are so CONVINCED that their own opinions on things is shared by everyone else and as such constitutes as facts...

    So glad we don't live in a hive mind society, since if we all shared your views I wouldn't be here caring about WoW at this moment...since if I find something to be "sucking ass", I'll leave it behind and never look back.

    And don't comeback with the "subs lost proves the game sucks naow!"-rabble, people leave for as many reasons as there are players, not just because of YOUR reasons.

    To me, the game hasn't sucked ass ever, or I wouldn't have stayed subbed for so long. The good has always made up for the bad.
    Well, opinions are awesome and some people like chicken-fighting and blood pudding.

    This game here has steadily lost customers for the last 4 years. That in and of itself pretty much guarantees that the fucking game sucks for a few million people. Unless, of course, you're thinking that people who love the game quit playing because of some other reason than personal distaste for the game.
  1. Queen of Hamsters's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by lazzy View Post
    It's moronic to think that the people on top give a shit. They saw 12 million people counted all that money and now they see that money not coming in anymore from them. They don't care how old it is they just want that money.

    I don't see how you people don't understand that. Rich people are GREEDY losing 4.5 million players worth of money is a REALLY REALLY big deal to them. They don't give a fuck if the game is 20 years old.

    You're looking at it completely wrong as a game yes it's very healthy to a person on top losing all that money is huge loss.
    I play the game, ain't no need for me to see it from a different angle than it being alive and kicking with one expansion on the horizon and more planned after it.

    YOU might be putting to much weight into what happens in a world that you're not even involved in. As long as the rich people are happy enough to keep the game I play going, I'm happy, and revenue from 7 million people (not just subs but everything around as well) ain't something they'd throw away I'm sure.
  1. mauserr's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Protar View Post
    The disgust is mutual don't worry. It's really sad that on this forum the guy calling out blatant homophobia is the bad guy.
    I don't think you know what homophobia is, o protector of the minority, first of his name. I'm not afraid of homosexual people nor do I spread words of hate towards the LGBT crowd. I couldn't give two shits about the stuff they do in their own home, I just don't really feel like dealing with the whole issue in a damn videogame. It's funny to see a bunch of oversensitive people here calling everyone who disagrees with their shit a homophobe.

    Quote Originally Posted by The Caretaker View Post
    I think it more likely that he simply meant:

    "I don't want the issue of homosexuality to be prevalent in video games".

    Of course I could be wrong, but I can see why someone would have that view. It's a topic that shouldn't matter to anyone but, unfortunately, it does. Not wanting to see it in a video game, where it might attract unwanted attention (remember the Ji Firepaw incident?), is fair enough. I disagree, but I don't think it's an unfair stance.
    Give this man a beer and a plate full of shepherd's pie!
  1. Raven's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Gdcotton View Post
    True but that does not mean you all have to instantly accuse him of being fired and all this other horrible crap. None of us have any right to know whether he was fired, quit from boredom, or quit for personal reasons. He made a statement to say that he had a good time at Blizzard and was done. Now everyone assumes the apocalypse is coming to WoW and it will just stop and Blizzard will cease to exist...
    Yeah its not like they have a couple of hundred that can take he´s place, and might even turn out to do a better job.
  1. Queen of Hamsters's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Infernix View Post
    Well, opinions are awesome and some people like chicken-fighting and blood pudding.

    This game here has steadily lost customers for the last 4 years. That in and of itself pretty much guarantees that the fucking game sucks for a few million people. Unless, of course, you're thinking that people who love the game quit playing because of some other reason than personal distaste for the game.
    And I'm my own person, if 5 million people loved beating dogs, I wouldn't start loving it with them. And, OF FUCKING COURSE people that have left have done it for all possible sorts of reasons, not just because they read as much into the decision and the game as you seem to be doing.

    You have a distaste for the game? Good for you, I'm sure others do as well and quit for that reason. I know people having quit for MANY other reasons as well which pretty much guarantees that "distaste for the game" ain't the only possible reason for quitting a game. How can this even be remotely difficult to comprehend...?
  1. Pua's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Protar View Post
    I think it's a rather disingenuous argument. WoW has plenty of heterosexual relationships so if you truly don't think that sexuality should be part of a game, then you'd be calling for the removal of all relationships. But no one ever does that.

    Nonetheless, thank you for being civil. More than I can say for some people here so it's very much appreciated.
    I take your point. I just think that the subject of alternative sexuality is a particularly touchy one, and it's something that video game designers probably don't want to get into. It'd be absurd to assume that there aren't members of Blizzard who are part of the LGBT community, and they're also making the conscious decision to not pursue an agenda of this type (that we know of).

    Movements like radical feminism or the extreme right are quick to jump on things they think support their view of the world. For that reason alone, it's arguably worth avoiding difficult topics such as transgenderism or same-sex relationships. When you also consider that the overwhelming majority of video game players are young males, you're probably looking at a demographic who may not appreciate this type of material.

    That all said...

    I can understand when people say that Blizzard, as a responsible design company, could do more to make these issues far more mainstream than they currently are. Two people in love, of any gender, is the most natural thing in the world and should be celebrated. But I think what I've said above is largely Rob Pardo's point in the interview referenced, and the point of many others in the thread.

    The one relationship in game I always come back to when discussing this topic is the one of Tholo Whitehoof and Anren Shadowseeker. It was never explicitly hinted that those two were gay or in any kind of sexual relationship (a tauren and a night elf? For shame!); but it's also clear that their relationship was very different to any other that was presented in the game, and it was obvious they loved each other very much.

    I can't help but think that was the opportunity Blizzard missed, and that the Ji Firepaw incident was what made them pull the plug on it.

    We'll never know.
  1. thabris's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Infernix View Post
    Well, opinions are awesome and some people like chicken-fighting and blood pudding.

    This game here has steadily lost customers for the last 4 years. That in and of itself pretty much guarantees that the fucking game sucks for a few million people. Unless, of course, you're thinking that people who love the game quit playing because of some other reason than personal distaste for the game.
    This is wrong, as pointed out a thousands times on this website. People have always been quitting WoW in "large" numbers (because the playerbase is so large) but less people are replacing them as time goes on because the game is "old" so inherently less appealing to brand new gamers.
  1. Saeran's Avatar
    For God's sake - don't people realise that after 17 years someone might just want a change. I quit as a Engineering Director at a company I had been at since leaving school (21 years) - not because I was fired, just that I wanted to try a new challenge. ANY job can become stale after a while.
  1. Tuok's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Protar View Post
    Why would including LGBT characters be ruining something?
    As a gay man, the problem is not the 'inclusion' of said characters. Its far more than that and I'm pretty sure you know this.

    Its about pandering, political correctness, and identity politics. This is not a sexuality-driven game. There are love stories but they're low key. Forcing them to include lgbt characters just for the sake of doing so is pandering. Thinking they're scum if they don't adhere to that silly demand is political correctness. And feeling as if they're dissing/hating on you because they didn't include someone that shares your sexual identity is at the root of identity politics. And its a profoundly stupid way to be.

    It doesn't surprise me at all that there is a growing 'sjw' backlash. People like you bring it on themselves.
  1. Roamingstorm's Avatar
    Sad to see a veteran leave after so long, but on the side note it opens the door for new people to take the spot. Good luck to him though.
  1. Pua's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Gdcotton View Post
    True but that does not mean you all have to instantly accuse him of being fired and all this other horrible crap. None of us have any right to know whether he was fired, quit from boredom, or quit for personal reasons. He made a statement to say that he had a good time at Blizzard and was done. Now everyone assumes the apocalypse is coming to WoW and it will just stop and Blizzard will cease to exist...
    Yeah, that's fair.

    For my part, I just think he's going to be a huge loss. Along with Jeff Kaplan, Tom Chilton and Scott Mercer, I think Rob Pardo was one of the best developers World of Warcraft ever had.

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