Following the departure of Mike Ybarra from Blizzard just last week, Microsoft has announced that Johanna Faries has now been appointed as the new President of the formidable subsidiary.
Faries is currently serving as General Manager for the Call of Duty franchise, with her new role at Blizzard effective from February 5th, 2024. She has also held multiple roles at the NFL for over 11 years before joining Activision Blizzard in 2018 as Commissioner for Call of Duty eSports.
In a message delivered to Blizzard employees, Faries stated the following:
"Though my official first day with you all is February 5, I want to let you know immediately that it is an honor to join you next week in this new capacity. I do so humbly and in awe of all that Blizzard has stood for and delivered to the world for over thirty years. Today also brings some mixed emotions. The loss of talented teammates in recent days is hard to hold side-by-side with the immense excitement I feel about joining Blizzard – and building on the momentum you’ve created for Blizzard’s next chapter.
"I am committed to doing everything I can to help Blizzard thrive, with care and consideration for you and for our games, each unique and special in their own right. I’m optimistic about our ability to serve our current and future player communities, and to further amplify the shared passion for greatness, polish, and creative mastery that is a hallmark of Blizzard’s approach to game-making."
Blizzard has been a moderate supporter of the Nintendo Switch over the years, bringing titles such as Overwatch and Diablo III: Eternal Collection to reasonable critical reception. As for Call of Duty, Microsoft pledged to bring the FPS franchise to Nintendo systems for at least 10 years should regulators approve its acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
As we know, Microsoft managed to close the deal in October 2023.