New Leadership at Blizzard

[Soon-TM]

Blizzard is officially dead. There are now virtually zero individuals at the company who care about Blizzard and its history and games, and the torch has been passed to a former Microsoft soyboy and a woke female POC whos only credentials was being the head of a studio that made fucking Tony Hawk and Crash Bandicoot remakes. You can say whatever you want about Brack but at least he was still one of the few components left of old Blizzard that made it a success. I'm sure the clout-chasing Twitter lunatics will consider him leaving the company a win as well, even though they're just a bunch of coddled morons with the mentality of a toddler who still expects more regardless. All this madness all because of allegations that are either greatly exaggerated or straight up bs claimed by the woke Californian crowd. Pretty sad state. I expect Blizzard to be completely shut down and it's staff and IPs to be fully absorbed into Activision by the end of the year.

Tell us that you are defending an inept Activision yesman without saying that you are defending an inept Activision yesman.

Btw, this whole ordeal Blizz is going through was caused, in the first place, by several of these old guard-ers you seem to desperately cling to. Aside from Legion (and maybe the SC1 remaster if you are feeling particularly specious), Blizzard hasn't released a single decent game since freaking MoP. They haven't even been able to release a $&#@ing piece of outsourced, MOBILE shovelware in two years. Yeah sure, it is the fault of all those pesky CA liberals, right?

[Alterno]

You might want to go read about their experience, it's actually a pretty strong fit.

You joking, right?

You need someone who can recover the Blizzard quality and you are not getting that from those two. To be honest Blizzard as it was in terms of game quality and vision is dead.

[Verdugo]

They created blizzard and the franchises. So what are you talking about??

I am sure Brack did. More likely he was cleaning the toilet in their dingy office.

[Deathsenemy]

Hope they all go work at Dreamhaven and create a new MMO and go back to the roots of Warcraft. Just don't hire any women and you'll be fine.

[Diaphin]

Got any proof of that?

AFAIK these are only accusations as of now, nothing more, nothing less.

There is the fact that the state of california started a lawsuit after a prolonged investigation, so we can be secure of them having gathered evidence and then there is the fact that the companies employees as well as former employees confirming these conditions.

And quite frankly, I tend to believe these accusations. It could just be me, not being a virgin who the Quartering enough to believe that there is a conspiracy going on. You got me.

[MoanaLisa]

Together they have less combined experience than the age of the company. Activision would never allow either of them to lead alone.

It's worth remembering that when Morhaime left he was 'replaced' by a leadership team—three people—one of which was Brack. It's not like there isn't a precedent. All had years in the company. In retrospect that hasn't worked out well. What the new pair will be doing is business, not design. I hope everyone can keep that straight in their minds. Bringing in some fresh people is their best chance at making a run at changing the corporate culture at Blizzard that got them into this mess to start with.

Bringing up some well-known name that's been a part of that culture for 10 years isn't going to be a winner.

[Nimin]

"for safety and equality for all."

Sinister.

[Kallisto]

I just followed the basics of this whole story but haven't kept myself completely informed, but why haven't their been calls for Bobby Kotick to resign?

Because a CEO is a CEO is a CEO. It doesn't matter if you're the CEO of Activision-Blizzard, Square-Enix, EA, Microsoft, Ubisoft, Sony, or whatever. Your job is and always will be to horde all the wealth. Make things good for the investors long term, if that means fuck over your employees then do so.

Hell, even last week Square-Enix went on a union-busting hiring mode.

As for those calling for old blizzard to come back. The reason the situation is as bad as it is simply put is because of the old blizzard. Going on since even before 2013 reports in the investigation. Old Blizzard was where it started, the issues were happening when they were popping out Vanilla, BC, Wrath, etc. Funny thing is, that Cosby room picture that went around, I don't think anyone in that photo is even at blizzard anymore. I wouldn't be surprised if many of those recent departures over the past few years are nothing more than "Shit we fucked up and Blizzard's name is going to one day be in the mud over this. Let's bail now so we can pretend our hands are clean."

[Diaphin]

Hope they all go work at Dreamhaven and create a new MMO and go back to the roots of Warcraft. Just don't hire any women and you'll be fine.

I think I found the reason why all your classmates in highschool are married, have kids and smile on pictures and you not.

[uuuhname]

Hope they all go work at Dreamhaven and create a new MMO and go back to the roots of Warcraft. Just don't hire any women and you'll be fine.

great then all you weirdos can all be corralled away from civil society.

[Nimin]

There is the fact that the state of california started a lawsuit after a prolonged investigation, so we can be secure of them having gathered evidence and then there is the fact that the companies employees as well as former employees confirming these conditions.

And quite frankly, I tend to believe these accusations. It could just be me, not being a virgin who the Quartering enough to believe that there is a conspiracy going on. You got me.

It's not about believing in conspiracies, it's about understanding that allegations are not guilt and accusations are not evidence.
Do they have something on Blizzard warranting a lawsuit? Absolutely, they're not idiots, otherwise they wouldn't bring it forth.
Should we believe everything they bring forth, or automatically assume that "something" is solid evidence? Absolutely not. The accuser of a lawsuit will always embellish, fatten or otherwise try to claim more than what he actually has in hands, it's how the game works.

Healthy skepticism has nothing to do with conspiracies and if "the Quartering" promotes that then he's doing good in my book.

[thilicen]

“...they can be trusted to lead with the highest levels of integrity and commitment to the components of our culture that make Blizzard so special.”

"Special" is one word for it..

[DingDongKing]

You joking, right?

You need someone who can recover the Blizzard quality and you are not getting that from those two. To be honest Blizzard as it was in terms of game quality and vision is dead.

There is no 'recovering Blizzard quality'. There is now a simple case of evolving Blizzard.

Ybarra games a LOT. And even he's not some Blizzard veteran, it's his ability to lead the company that will be key.

Jen O'Neal was at VV for like 13 years in a hands on production capacity, and the company was so good at what it did that Blizzard bought them.

So no, I'm not 'joking'. The good old days are gone. What the company now needs is good new days.

[Goatfish]

Because its the people who actually creat the games we like trying to get better leadership and work conditions? You know, so that they can actually focus on games instead of having to deal with fratboys harassing their co-workers and drinking on the job?

That's a very optimistic and idealist attitude to justify using mob pressure to oust a company leader and instate a specified gendered person with questionable experience for the role. But hey, you do you. I seem to be one of the only people saying "let the courts handle it" and not pretending to be the ultimate judge and executioner before anything has even touched a court room.

It's almost like everyone wants to throw "Innocent until proven guilty" out the window, but what else is new. Outspoken people are generally spiteful assholes that take pleasure in the suffering of others.

[Nitrax]

Seeing the replies here makes me sick. Especially everyone defending sexual abuse by calling anyone who dont want it "woke". Im going to redirect mmo-champion to 127.0.0.1 until you trump and putin lovers (you know who you are) go to hell. Good riddance.

[Diaphin]

It's not about believing in conspiracies, it's about understanding that allegations are not guilt and accusations are not evidence.
Do they have something on Blizzard warranting a lawsuit? Absolutely, they're not idiots, otherwise they wouldn't bring it forth.
Should we believe everything they bring forth, or automatically assume that "something" is solid evidence? Absolutely not. The accuser of a lawsuit will always embellish, fatten or otherwise try to claim more than what he actually has in hands.

Healthy skepticism has nothing to do with conspiracies and if "the Quartering" promotes that then he's doing good in my book.

How is it healthy skepticism when literally their workforce is going apeshit and out for blood due to the working conditions at the company? Thats being a contrarian because you are an anti-feminist being pissed because the wokes and all the stacys who won't date antisocial creeps speak out against dudebros fulfilling their personal power fantasy.

I mean, back in highschool when you had the french or russian revolution, were you as skeptical on whether or not the conditions were really that bad when you read about how people started to raise up and revolt over bad conditions and policies?

[Nimin]

Seeing the replies here makes me sick. Especially everyone defending sexual abuse by calling anyone who dont want it "woke". Im going to redirect mmo-champion to 127.0.0.1 until you trump and putin lovers (you know who you are) go to hell. Good riddance.

Classic woke fit

[DechCJC]

More like J. Allen Sacked amirite? lmao, help me.

[Diaphin]

That's a very optimistic and idealist attitude to justify using mob pressure to oust a company leader and instate a specified gendered person with questionable experience for the role. But hey, you do you. I seem to be one of the only people saying "let the courts handle it" and not pretending to be the ultimate judge and executioner before anything has even touched a court room.

It's almost like everyone wants to throw "Innocent until proven guilty" out the window, but what else is new. Outspoken people are generally spiteful assholes that take pleasure in the suffering of others.

Innocent until proven guilty only applies to the court system. Workers are free to protest and call for the removal of bad leadership. You are just being a contrarian virgin right now.

[Yarathir]

Seeing the replies here makes me sick. Especially everyone defending sexual abuse by calling anyone who dont want it "woke". Im going to redirect mmo-champion to 127.0.0.1 until you trump and putin lovers (you know who you are) go to hell. Good riddance.

It's been six months.