Mike Ybarra, former president of Blizzard Entertainment, announced his departure from the company on Twitter today. This coincides with Microsoft’s confirmation of workforce reductions within its gaming division. Ybarra’s message thanked impacted employees and acknowledged their contributions to Blizzard, players, and their teams.
He emphasized his ongoing support and offered assistance with professional connections and recommendations. As seen in the tweet, Ybarra’s departure marks the end of his tenure at Blizzard after leading the company through significant change, including the recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft. In his message, Ybarra described this time as an “incredible honor” and expressed his pride in shaping the team for the future. He cited his extensive history with Microsoft, exceeding 20 years, and the recent acquisition as contributing factors to his decision to step down and become “Blizzard’s biggest fan from the outside.”
A lot of people may assume that he may have been part of the layoffs we reported on, but considering his high-level position, we doubt it. While specific reasons for Ybarra’s departure haven’t been officially disclosed, his message suggests a personal choice influenced by the changing landscape at Blizzard following the Microsoft acquisition and the recent workforce reductions. His future plans remain unclear, though his commitment to supporting former colleagues and remaining engaged with the Blizzard community seems evident.
“As many of you know, Mike previously spent more than 20 years at Microsoft. Now that he has seen the acquisition through as Blizzard’s president, he has decided to leave the company,”
Matt Booty (Statement retrieved by The Verge)
Ybarra’s message also addressed the Blizzard community directly, reiterating his immense respect for the development teams and encouraging them to continue their dedication to player-centric decisions and maintaining the company’s signature identity. He reiterated his support for those impacted by the layoffs and expressed his heartfelt empathy for their situation.
Ybarra’s departure adds another big executive to the list of those leaving during the ongoing transition at Blizzard Entertainment within the larger context of Microsoft’s integration of Activision Blizzard. We’ll have to wait and see how this leadership change and the recent workforce reductions will affect the company’s future direction and development.
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