Blizzard Q&A With Leadership about Return to Office, WoW Hotfixes - February 17, 2023

[Shinchi Migi]

I'm for everyone having the option to work where they're most comfortable.

SL was a mess from start to finish and it can't be blamed on people working from home, lol. I mean explain the content drought at the end of WoTLK, or the long drought at the end of MoP. We had over a year of SoO despite the full team working in studio and the team was much bigger back then.






I think the option should be there for people who want it. Asking for people to come in once in a while to touch base is quite different than making mandatory days. While I don't work directly in a field where it is a point of contention, I have friends and family who are in fields that do it and they've all raved about being able to work from home and no productivity was lost. Practically no survey or study I've found indicates that forcing people to come to work physically (if they don't have to) results in a positive. Forbes did an article on it and the problems are solely based on managers worrying about a (potential) lack of productivity rather than one actually existing.



Except your pay doesn't fluctuate based on the cost of travel, which is an issue. If you're going from point a (your home) to point b (your office) and gas is 3.50 a gallon or 4.50 a gallon, you're getting paid the same. That's awful and it boggles my mind that anyone would be against additional compensation.



I'm sure it won't be. I mean it is much harder to sexually harass people when they're not in person.

That last part about sexually harassing people will ruffle some feathers. People around these forums (and in general) tend to think Blizzard is perfect little unicorns and fairies.

[The Stormbringer]

Blizzard requiring a hybrid home/office work schedule is exactly what you are describing in sentence number 5.

Every single one of the Blizzard employees knew that the 'work from home' policy was only for Covid. Once it was verifiably over (Saint Biden couldn't push it out longer) the office schedule would be returning. Anyone who moved away during that time already knew they were pushing their luck, but pulled the trigger on it anyway.

This is not a surprise to anyone who was transitioned to a temporary pandemic related work structure.

No one guaranteed you that you were now working from home FOREVER.

I'll answer this in reverse order, just 'cuz. So yes, no one guaranteed it was working from home forever, that is very much true, however when all signs pointed towards productivity being good and profits going up, one would assume that they should have no problems with continuing it. That said, even if it couldn't go on forever, more warning than this would almost certainly be fantastic. Some messaging last year that they were planning on moving people back to the office 'sometime mid next year' or something like that. Signaling to basically let people know, hey, get ready for this thing.

Which brings us to the "hybrid" work thing. Hybrid work is fine... but not necessary for everyone. There are plenty of positions where there's no reason whatsoever for them to come into the office. The fact that Blizzard is making a 'one size fits all' policy is the biggest issue. They're being rigid, not flexible. Flexible things bend under stress, rigid things break. This is going to cause people to quit the company because of their inability to be flexible and work with their employees. A much better policy would've been a single collaboration day that's set in stone only for certain roles, and the rest is up to the employee and their supervisor.

[exochaft]

Except your pay doesn't fluctuate based on the cost of travel, which is an issue. If you're going from point a (your home) to point b (your office) and gas is 3.50 a gallon or 4.50 a gallon, you're getting paid the same. That's awful and it boggles my mind that anyone would be against additional compensation.

Depends on your job and what you sign up for. Some jobs have methods of compensation where you file your travel expenses to be reimbursed. Some bake in expected travel expenses into your base salary (which can end up being more money than itemizing travel expenses).

Regardless of how it's done, the part that tends to get lost is that people are not forced into jobs where they have no say in what the terms are. It's not like if you show up to a job interview, you cannot negotiate terms or cannot outright turn it down. To many people, people treat job contracts and their equivalent like terms of service: they don't read them and just assume everything's fine. There's a world of difference between a company activity trying to undermine employees at every turn and people just signing their lives away without realizing what they're agreeing to.

If a company is trying to screw over employees after-the-fact and/or trying to breach contracts, obviously that's bad... but I have very little sympathy for buyer's remorse when no trickery or deception is used. More often than not, people are so adverse to being confrontational that they'll avoid any level of conflict, even when it's to their benefit. If a company is going to hire someone with a certain base pay and expectations and the the prospective employee agrees, why should one expect the company to then sweeten the deal even more if the prospective employee already agrees with the initial offer?

Anyways, when it comes to working from home, there's pros and cons that vary depending on the type of job. While some work can be done at home depending upon the specific job, there's other aspects that cannot be done off-site. It can also affect employee interactions, similar to how being face-to-face in-person with someone is completely different than conversing through an email. There's no exact rule of when it's good or bad to work from home, and each company has to figure it out for themselves.

[Redroniksre]

Can you elaborate a little? Are you saying they lacked the tech? What about this transition caused tech companies to delay some titles by 6months +, and others to cancel games altogether.

18 months later it was still being used as the reason for delays, so are you saying you don't believe that?

They were not prepared for it. When everyone had to go WFH that means they had to set everyone up with a work PC, on top of that who knows what else when it comes to how they conduct business. It is not hard to imagine they had to scramble to get things running again. Not to mention they would of already been balls deep on working on the Shadowlands patches which is probably where they decided just to cut one. I can't speak for every company, but for Blizzard and WoW that is all I can put together.

[xenogear3]

There was a GM who watch Twitch while "working".
A priest dispelled the world buff from a streamer.
This streamer asked the GM to banner the priest, then gifted the GM a sub.

This GM got both a Blizzard paycheck AND a Twitch sub.
In other words, you can have 2 or 3 jobs at the same time from home.
What a smart guy!

[Eosia]

What 'double/triple pay cut'? Their take home pay was exponentially increased, by staying at home (no commute, no babysitter), and they didn't save any of it?

First and foremost, you're making the assumption that all of these people were hired before the pandemic. A lot of them were hired after and their job was advertised as "Work from Home". So some of them, maybe even a lot, may not even live in California.

Second, I listed what the double/triple paycut was. Go back and re-read what you quoted and you will find them.

Quit White Knighting Bobby Kotick's horrible leadership. You're just embarrassing yourself.

[cuafpr]

So glad my offer letter/acceptance letter is 100% remote no required travel, and everyone I've hired on my team to work for me got the same deal... forcing people back into the office is just silly in today's world. If person A likes the office, let them work in the office, if person B likes to be home, let them be home, if person C likes a bit of both, let them choose. It's funny how easy its been to recruit for my team vs others at my job as I'm the only one offering 100% remote, and I get to pick and choose while others struggle to get applicants, let alone qualified ones (different IT teams).

I get some jobs probably need more office time than others but treat your employees as adults and stop paying for butts in seats for 8hrs a day, and instead hire people to do XYZ tasks, give them deadlines and milestones and long as they are hit and the work is quality work who cares when/where they work.

[rrayy]

Why should anyone consider your opinion equal to actual research and statistics based on people actually studying the topic?

Serious question.

You're being given articles that include research and you're just firing back with how you feel about the topic, nothing with actual facts or information.

Did you actually read the surveys or did you just pick out the disingenuous headline with in the article with a misinterpretation of said surveys? I did. That article totally misrepreresented what was actually in those surveys. You just took artice that push the narrative you wanted and didn't even bother to read the cited sources. Now you are you are deflecting after I outed the article for what it really was.

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So glad my offer letter/acceptance letter is 100% remote no required travel, and everyone I've hired on my team to work for me got the same deal... forcing people back into the office is just silly in today's world. If person A likes the office, let them work in the office, if person B likes to be home, let them be home, if person C likes a bit of both, let them choose. It's funny how easy its been to recruit for my team vs others at my job as I'm the only one offering 100% remote, and I get to pick and choose while others struggle to get applicants, let alone qualified ones (different IT teams).

I get some jobs probably need more office time than others but treat your employees as adults and stop paying for butts in seats for 8hrs a day, and instead hire people to do XYZ tasks, give them deadlines and milestones and long as they are hit and the work is quality work who cares when/where they work.

No it isn't. There is ZERO argument against being requirement to work at the office. Only the lazy think otherwise.

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First and foremost, you're making the assumption that all of these people were hired before the pandemic. A lot of them were hired after and their job was advertised as "Work from Home". So some of them, maybe even a lot, may not even live in California.

Second, I listed what the double/triple paycut was. Go back and re-read what you quoted and you will find them.

Quit White Knighting Bobby Kotick's horrible leadership. You're just embarrassing yourself.

There is nothing wrong with leadership here. Quit acting like requiring people to get off their butts and come into the office is a crime against humanity.

[korijenkins]

The fact there is people bootlicking Blizzard over this is fucken insane.

It's pretty easy to understand why. People attach themselves to products and the companies that make them. They take it personally if you criticize the product or company they're attached to as a result. A connection I see a lot if people reacting with anger to criticism of WoW or Blizzard as if you just called them stupid. I think it's because they believe you'd consider them dumb for considering to support the game/company while it's bad in your eyes.

Anyway, they dumb.

[Chilela]

This is a free market, if some CSA doesn't want to come into work, go get another job. Entitlement means "the fact of having a right to something" and these employees, who willing work for their respective company, dont have the "right" to choose their own schedule and where they perform said task. Perhaps you dont know what the word means. What they do have the right of is themselves, they can choose to go someplace else if they dont like the rules set out by their company.

This more or less goes back to what I said a few pages ago, on where the line between rights and entitlement is. While the number of remote positions has diminished as places have increasingly returned to some semblance of normalcy, there's still a pretty decent number out there, and the real winners will end up being the companies who can just swoop up disgruntled employees from companies requiring their workforces to return to the office. If companies with full-WFH options end up unilaterally outperforming their Office-based counterparts across the board, then we'll see a push for more flexible work options across the board in the coming years.

If WFH had absolutely zero downsides for companies, then they'd have no rational reason to reign it in. Executives aren't just twiddling their 1920s villain-styled mustaches coming up with ways to make the lives of their workers as awful as possible specifically out of spite. There's inevitably some sort of angle that's led them to come to the conclusion that office work is still a boon. It's hardly just Blizzard that's doing it. Several companies are reverting back to requiring at least some office time. US-based Tech talent development companies almost, if not always require any prospective job seekers to be willing to relocate anywhere in the US, which indicates to me that while remote work has become much more popular since Covid hit, there's still a substantial number of companies that haven't permanently adapted it, for better or worse.

[Laqweeta]

well, if the work thats done in a day at affice takes two at home they technicaly ARE loosing money...
not everyone is at least productive at home as in office, and as for managing and executing team projects that can be nightmare and terrible waste of time with everyone at HO...
and surely SL patches taking longer than usual major patches suggests that WoW team doesnt work as fast from home as from office...

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nope...
some people are more productive from home, some people are less productive, for some it doesnt matter, puting blanket statement on it is incredibly stupid
and while you might be more productive from home, if you work on TEAM project then it doesnt necessary matter, it matters if the whole project can be done from HO without any issues, not if your small part can...
and its kinda hard to pretend WoW team can be as efective from home as from office given how SL patches and pacing went...

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yeah, now the praised moved to square enix and final fantasy, not that anything actualy changed, just people "flocked" elsewhere... bcs FF is often praised for doing the same things wow is hated for, often even worse...
WoW not g etting praised have very little to do with WoW itself and more with people on forums mentality

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and vice versa...just bcs some people and jobs are more productive from home doesnt mean its EVERYONE...
and if wow team is more productive from home explain SL patch pacing?

I've been around since 2007, Blizzard went from great to scum.

[Beet]

Again, productivity increased while people were working from home. So forcing everyone to go back into an office is just a really shitty move. There's absolutely no reason for it. The fact that you're defending toxic employers honestly baffles me.

Do you think these companies don’t know what’s best for themselves? Do you think they actually would choose something that is going to lower their overall efficiency just to be mean? Come on now.

Personally I love this. Maybe my favorite companies can go back to making good games again. Doubtful but hey maybe. I know it sure sucks having to goto work to work.

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I've been around since 2007, Blizzard went from great to scum.

Pretty much. I’ve been even longer. First got into Blizzard games with 2001s Diablo 2. This company was amazing before. Comparing the company of the last few years to the one from then however is night and day. This current Blizzard are just garbage and I sincerely hope most of these people do quit so we can get this company new blood again. I want to see the company that made WC3, D2, WoW, etc come back strong. Staying on the path they’re on now wasn’t gonna cut it.

It’s funny I remember I saw a thread awhile back some creep was bragging on Twitter how when he started working at blizzard everyone was “problematic” and he knew he could change things by getting people fired and promoting those like him if he bided his time. He was so happy he succeeded. Well funny enough by him succeeding the company took a fucking nose dive off a cliff. Make good games. That’s your job. That’s what you’re paid to do. Not paid to feel good. Not paid to have the most fun possible while working. Paid to work.

[cuafpr]

Did you actually read the surveys or did you just pick out the disingenuous headline with in the article with a misinterpretation of said surveys? I did. That article totally misrepreresented what was actually in those surveys. You just took artice that push the narrative you wanted and didn't even bother to read the cited sources. Now you are you are deflecting after I outed the article for what it really was.

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No it isn't. There is ZERO argument against being requirement to work at the office. Only the lazy think otherwise.

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There is nothing wrong with leadership here. Quit acting like requiring people to get off their butts and come into the office is a crime against humanity.

So its lazy to want 1-2 hrs of my day back? Its lazy to think of how it could help the environment if more jobs were remote so less people commuting, and lowering the demand for oil. It's lazy to save to 200+ on gas per month. Office space could be turn into affordable housing or shelters.

when I'm in the office I'm logging into cloud apps, talking on teams, and video calls... when I'm at home I'm logging into cloud apps, talking on teams, and video calls.. nothing changes only the location and my job satisfaction goes up increasing my productivity.. oh and when I get that random idea in the middle of the night my office is at home so I can log in and do whatever then.

I treat my team like adults, they go to school plays, take care of sick kids, go to sports games for their kids.... all during the work day without taking PTO and guess what we are ahead of schedule, and hit every milestone, and people are trying to move to my team. One day other leaders will learn how to treat employees with respect and see the benefits.

[Loveliest]

Yeah...all he had to do was appear like, vaguely sympathetic.

Instead of using that mic, Ybarra broke out the shovel and just started digging away.

But that was not the point. This is downsizing, what is the point, ppl need to be clear on things so they leave.

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The fact there is people bootlicking Blizzard over this is fucken insane.

Because they don't understand what this is about. Most ppl have very very limited understanding or are very hateful against ppl who have it better than them. Blizz did this knowing that this will not put them in a bad light like layoffs would because most ppl don't have the capacity to understand this is about making ppl leave.
I find it silly how clear Blizz made it, yet it flew over almost everyone's head.

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Good for Blizzard. People working at home aren't productive.

This kind of limited understanding is exactly what Blizz was counting on. Why get bad press when you literally tell ppl to leave when you can get praises for it! Blizz move was pure genius, ppl are far far too simple and hateful to understand how simple it is.

As a note, what happens when a company doesnt have expected profit? Cut costs. Easiest way? Fire ppl. But that gets bad press. How do you do it? Change their work cobditions and explain to them they are free to leave - most ppl are frustrated and petty and will praise them for it. But I had to go to work, so should they! But in this day and age in software you need a monitor with a whip to be productive! Sigh...

[Lorgar Aurelian]

I've been around since 2007, Blizzard went from great to scum.

Given the info that came to light with the lawsuit blizzard has always been scum they just mange’s a hot streak of games while hiding it.

[Jester Joe]

Did you actually read the surveys or did you just pick out the disingenuous headline with in the article with a misinterpretation of said surveys? I did. That article totally misrepreresented what was actually in those surveys. You just took artice that push the narrative you wanted and didn't even bother to read the cited sources. Now you are you are deflecting after I outed the article for what it really was.

You didn't out anything, that's the issue.

You're pushing your own cognitive bias without supporting it by any facts besides vague claims of "this generation is so lazy!" while you can't even give any actual proof that they are, outside of you feeling like they are.

But that was not the point. This is downsizing, what is the point, ppl need to be clear on things so they leave.

There's nothing about downsizing anywhere to be seen so I don't know where you got that impression.

Blizzard isn't exactly shy about cutting staff as the last few years have shown so there's no reason to think that's an ulterior motive.

[Zodiark]

Given the info that came to light with the lawsuit blizzard has always been scum they just mange’s a hot streak of games while hiding it.

Maybe but it's my opinion that we are all Scum to some degree by someone's measure.

For example you may think your a good decent person but to another you are a dirtbag.

Not condoning or condemning anything or anyone but it is very popular to trash large companies and wealthy people because wealth and power or position give them privileges that the have-nots don't.

[unfilteredJW]

You didn't out anything, that's the issue.

You're pushing your own cognitive bias without supporting it by any facts besides vague claims of "this generation is so lazy!" while you can't even give any actual proof that they are, outside of you feeling like they are.

It's extra funny because there's like, a lot of info out there showing how work from home has increased productivity and how Millennials and now Zoomers are working more man hours than the boomer's yelling, so he literally can't post anything proving his point.

[arkanon]

They were not prepared for it. When everyone had to go WFH that means they had to set everyone up with a work PC, on top of that who knows what else when it comes to how they conduct business. It is not hard to imagine they had to scramble to get things running again. Not to mention they would of already been balls deep on working on the Shadowlands patches which is probably where they decided just to cut one. I can't speak for every company, but for Blizzard and WoW that is all I can put together.

My question came about because of this one little issue - Blizzard say one thing officially, and fans on this site say something different entirely, but with absolute certainty. The fans on this site also say different things - one person right now is saying it had ZERO impact and was simply used as an excuse, you are saying it was the transition, and others are saying it had a long lasting impact.

I just find it hard to ignore blizzards official line on this while accepting the theory of fans on a fansite, when the fans cant even agree on what happened...

[TheRevenantHero]

Did you actually read the surveys or did you just pick out the disingenuous headline with in the article with a misinterpretation of said surveys? I did. That article totally misrepreresented what was actually in those surveys. You just took artice that push the narrative you wanted and didn't even bother to read the cited sources. Now you are you are deflecting after I outed the article for what it really was.

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No it isn't. There is ZERO argument against being requirement to work at the office. Only the lazy think otherwise.

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There is nothing wrong with leadership here. Quit acting like requiring people to get off their butts and come into the office is a crime against humanity.

Holy fucking shit. The articles didn't misrepresent anything. You're just saying that because you refuse to admit you're wrong. These are some intense mental gymnastics.

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Do you think these companies don’t know what’s best for themselves? Do you think they actually would choose something that is going to lower their overall efficiency just to be mean? Come on now.

Personally I love this. Maybe my favorite companies can go back to making good games again. Doubtful but hey maybe. I know it sure sucks having to goto work to work.

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Pretty much. I’ve been even longer. First got into Blizzard games with 2001s Diablo 2. This company was amazing before. Comparing the company of the last few years to the one from then however is night and day. This current Blizzard are just garbage and I sincerely hope most of these people do quit so we can get this company new blood again. I want to see the company that made WC3, D2, WoW, etc come back strong. Staying on the path they’re on now wasn’t gonna cut it.

It’s funny I remember I saw a thread awhile back some creep was bragging on Twitter how when he started working at blizzard everyone was “problematic” and he knew he could change things by getting people fired and promoting those like him if he bided his time. He was so happy he succeeded. Well funny enough by him succeeding the company took a fucking nose dive off a cliff. Make good games. That’s your job. That’s what you’re paid to do. Not paid to feel good. Not paid to have the most fun possible while working. Paid to work.

It's not about being mean. It's about their toxic desire to utterly control employees. Ybarra's comments pretty much proves that those in charge care more about utterly controlling employees over productivity.