Ion hazzikostas leaving in 10.0 (leak)

[shoc]

Who cares, the only difference is that the name of the 'wow bad' scapegoat changes.

[Ersula]

So I was watching the shill show on you tube by Accolonn. He was saying there is a leak that Ion hazzikostas is leaving with 10.0 and moving up to a new position with Activation Blizzard. Now this is a "leak and could be total BS. but what impact do you think this would have on everything if true?

Perhaps since he seems to be the one member of upper management who hasn't molested or harassed anyone, but my doubt is because his core credentials are being a lawyer & being a high tier raider: That's how he got the job. He has no game expertise outside of MMOs, unlike say, Holinka. And he's not a programmer, but that has caused what some call his "backseat developing" style to be why every expansion has just been a sad rehash of Legion systems.

[McNeil]

I wouldn’t be surprised. We haven’t even heard anything from Ion for some time

[Azxza]

i believe it

[Aggressive]

So I was watching the shill show on you tube by Accolonn. He was saying there is a leak that Ion hazzikostas is leaving with 10.0 and moving up to a new position with Activation Blizzard. Now this is a "leak and could be total BS. but what impact do you think this would have on everything if true?

Good. I hope he gets the fuck out. He is a shit developer.

Two shit expansions. Well 3 if you count WoD. But I hope he gets the fuck out. WoW needs a whole new fresh crew.

The game is shit now with shit systems and boring as hell. It needs a whole damn revamp. So if he leaving, then Bye Bye.

[EbaumsTipster]

Muffinus for game director.

Game will die if you don’t pivot to collecting shit anyway, it’s what all the casuals want. The old players are leaving to go have kids or die.

[rhorle]

Two shit expansions. Well 3 if you count WoD. But I hope he gets the fuck out. WoW needs a whole new fresh crew.

Why do you think WoW would be any better with a fresh crew? I recently have been playing New World from Amazon Games Studio and it highlights some of the problems from "fresh" developers. The real issue with WoW lately is simply content. The Pandemic (and likely now lawsuit/internal stuff) really has slowed down things. Blizzard has always had a problem delivering content faster and a new team likely won't fix that. As the team has had replacement over the years but Blizzard has never got better in that aspect.

It isn't even just a WoW problem.

[Nyel]

If Ion gets fired ("promoted"), who does the great content announcements and interviews for WoW then?

[rhorle]

If Ion gets fired ("promoted"), who does the great content announcements and interviews for WoW then?

They can just have a PR intern do that once or twice a year at this rate.

[Moozart]

I hope it's not total BS. Would be the best leak ever.

How's that saying go about sticking with the devil you know or something?

[Jester Joe]

4chan as a source, heh.


But with the current situation actually, it would make sense that they have higher spots to fill now.

Which in that case, good for him. He deserves a raise and better position than scapegoat. And best of luck to whoever fills the position. Honestly if blizzard learned anything, they shouldn't let who fills the spot be a public face since that just leads to hate mobs and more scapegoating.

[Aggressive]

Why do you think WoW would be any better with a fresh crew? I recently have been playing New World from Amazon Games Studio and it highlights some of the problems from "fresh" developers. The real issue with WoW lately is simply content. The Pandemic (and likely now lawsuit/internal stuff) really has slowed down things. Blizzard has always had a problem delivering content faster and a new team likely won't fix that. As the team has had replacement over the years but Blizzard has never got better in that aspect.

It isn't even just a WoW problem.

I'm not trying to be a dick I promise. But the game isn't doing all the phenomenal right now. I highly doubt I speak alone when I say this expansion is boring as hell. Choreghast is boring and got old fast as fuck, World quests were boring, got tired of running Mythic +'s (15-18), Even the dungeons and raids seemed boring and trying to get gear seemed to be a dman headache.

[qwikz]

The leak itself is most likely bullshit, but it's not a farfetched notion, considering all that's been going on at the studio.

That said, if it was to happen, i'd be upset, since i think he was great for the game, i've been playing since early betas and besides vanilla\tbc, i've had the most enjoyment in this modern iterations (Legion-BFA-SL) of WoW.

Would wish him all the best, and thank him for his contributions, whilst hoping (yet not expecting) the game doesn't go in a worst direction for my liking.

Pretty sure people will just direct their frustration and anger towards the 'new face', whilst eventually acknowledging that Hazzikostas actually did a good job, or actually missing him.

Completely agree. Under Ion we got Battle for Azeroth, which featured azerite armor, island expeditions, warfront, war campaign. All well made features that were actively updated with more content as the expansion went on and did not at all get abandoned half way through. Then they reflected and took everything they learned from BFA and used it to give an even better experience in Shadowlands, with really quick content updates on top of that. He will also be remembered for all the feedback he took to heart and acted upon to give players a better experience, all the PTR feedback, al the non-evasive interviews. He totally did not ship his games with crap features that players had to endure for months before they tried to apply band-aid fixes, until they finally removed them completely.

Yeah, he will be remembered fondly!

/s

[Kumorii]

Makes sense, he's probably more suited to manage the studio in a more broader sense.

[OokOok]

"higher position" he's the director of game development, the only higher position would be a VP position which is held by john hight for WoW.

NO matter who they replace Ion with the game won't change. The only reason why FFXIV is so good at listening to players is because YoshiP is on the board so he can essentially do whatever he wants. But if Ion sees players want torghast removed, he can't remove it. He's literally bound in chains by the chain of command which means the next one will be too

[willtron]

the guy should be fired. the guy has overseen THE WORST overall design in wows history and while he may not have actively been a creep, he did nothing to stop it. as the guy in charge for the main issue of the state lawsuit, he needs to be accountable.

You clearly weren't here when it was Ghostcrawler. Everything thats being said can just replace Ion with Ghostcrawler. Whoever come next will get the same treatment.

[Thage]

I wouldn’t be surprised. We haven’t even heard anything from Ion for some time

On the extremely small chance this "leak" is accurate, it would cause several things to fall into place. His total radio silence on social media since the lawsuit hit, the Associate Game Director position listed, the sudden about-face on numerous things the dev team is suddenly able to push through after allegedly years of stonewalling. If he's training up a replacement and moving elsewhere in the company--either being kicked upstairs, promoted to a position better suited to his skillset, or moved laterally to another department--it would explain why we've heard so little out of him.

[bledgor]

So the next person can come in and be shit on for not delivering the perfect personally tailored content that each person desires to them?

Ion hasn't been perfect, but at least he has tried new things and isn't afraid to leave them behind (infinite farm AP, Island expeditions, etc). I honestly find a director that is willing to try shit that could very well bomb a solid choice for director.

Now the lore/story team on the other hand, they could use a replacement.

[Lolites]

Yeah, he will be remembered fondly!

/s

it will be EXACTLY the same as with ghostcrawlwer - he was the worst when he was "current" lead and now he is saint, Ion wont be different when (if) he leaves

[Stabbyfists]

I'd be happy if Ion stepped down as lead and went back to Encounter and Raid designer - which is what he excelled at

Lets not forget, he had a hand in designing the encounters in ICC, he designed Throne of Thunder, and many more memorable and fun raids / encounters

Its another classic case of "He's amazing at this one thing! he just should not have been promoted"

He's an awful leader, but an amazing raid / encounter designer. He should go back to that.