Another important member of the World of Warcraft team is leaving. One of the most popular authors is no longer working for Blizzard.
The long series of departures of key figures at Blizzard shows no signs of ending. Now another important writer for World of Warcraft has left and announced on Twitter that it was his last day. He was responsible for some of the best stories surrounding World of Warcraft.
Who left? We are talking about Robert Brooks. He was a “Story Developer” at Blizzard and wrote for all major franchises – including Diablo, Overwatch, StarCraft, and Warcraft.
On Twitter, he explained that last Friday was his last day at Blizzard. After nearly 10 years, his work for the Blizzard universes has come to an end.
What did he write? Although the name may not immediately ring a bell for many WoW players, Robert Brooks is responsible for some of the best and most emotional stories in and around World of Warcraft as a writer. His works included:
- Warbringer: Jaina
- Warbringer: Azshara
- Afterlife: Ardenweald
- World of Warcraft: Chronicle (1-3)
He was also responsible for the two audio dramas that were released before and during the “Legion” expansion. Many fans consider “The Tomb of Sargeras” and “Thousand Years of War” to be some of the best Warcraft stories created over the years.
Why did he leave? Brooks did not specify the exact reasons for his departure. On Twitter, he simply stated that he had worked alongside some of the “best designers, artists, and technical wizards in the universe” for 10 years. He will “always be grateful, both to his colleagues and to the Blizzard community” for the countless wonderful memories.
Some fans speculate about why Brooks left. It is suspected that he was simply dissatisfied with how his “definitive” account of the story of World of Warcraft was later devalued and presented from the Titans’ perspective. However, Brooks already responded to this speculation on Twitter, stating that there was no conflict among employees:
Does it have to do with the scandal? Blizzard has been reeling from the aftermath of the major sexism and discrimination scandal for several weeks now. This raises the suspicion that Brooks’ departure is related to this issue. He himself writes a few words about all the incidents:
The last two months have been painful.
But remember: The victims have carried this burden alone for years. Abuses, bullying to silence them, loss of career opportunities due to prejudices… too much has been tolerated for far too long.
Believe their stories – both the abuses AND the cover-ups.
Reporting incidents could feel like facing a firing squad. I suspect the people in HR felt the same way when trying to bring the issues to the bosses.
However, Brooks does not see everything negatively. He has hope for Blizzard’s future and believes that real change is underway. He writes:
The good news? I am hopeful about Blizzard’s future. The talented people I have had the privilege of working with across all teams are incredible. They could make the next 10 years some of the best [for Blizzard] the company has ever seen.
To support them, you should support the folks from AbetterABK [a group of employees advocating for improvements].
They are doing a really good job of making the right people nervous.
Currently, the series of departures at Blizzard seems to show no signs of stopping. Just a few days ago, the executive producer of Overwatch 2 left.
What did you think of Robert Brooks’ works? Did you enjoy the stories he told? Or were you never that interested?
