Jen Oneal is stepping down from her co-lead position at Blizzard. Responsibility now falls solely on one man, Mike Ybarra.
Just a few weeks ago, J. Allen Brack stepped down as head of Blizzard and was replaced by a new co-lead. Mike Ybarra and Jen Oneal were supposed to lead the company together and ensure that the issues of the past – such as the sexism scandal – do not recur in the future.
Barely 3 months after taking on this job, Jen Oneal is now giving it up. The leadership of Blizzard is now going back to Mike Ybarra.
Where does the info come from? From Jen Oneal herself. She initially reached out to employees and later to everyone. She published a statement on the official Blizzard website, describing her reasons for leaving. She reflects on her past at Blizzard and is confident that Mike Ybarra can handle the task alone.
What else did Oneal say? In her farewell post, she describes that she and Mike Ybarra have done a lot in recent months to make Blizzard a better workplace, so that the company can again be “the creative powerhouse” that has brought millions of players into Azeroth and all the other Blizzard worlds.
She further describes that video games and creating them have been her “lifeblood” and that she has had the fortune to find her passion in being a voice for diversity, equality, and inclusion.
The following is stated:
I wanted you to hear from me personally that I have made the decision to step down from the co-leadership of Blizzard and take on another role before I leave ABK [Activision Blizzard King] at the end of the year. Effective immediately, Mike Ybarra will lead Blizzard. I do this not because I have lost hope for Blizzard, but quite the opposite – I am inspired by the passion of everyone here, who are working wholeheartedly towards meaningful, lasting change.
This energy has inspired me to step out and explore how I can advocate more strongly for the intersection of games and diversity, and I hope to have a larger impact on helping Blizzard (and other studios). While I am not entirely sure what shape that will take, I am excited to embark on this journey.
Blizzard stands behind this decision and supports Oneal by donating 1 million dollars to “Women in Games International”, a non-profit organization that Oneal is also involved with. WIGI advocates for equal opportunities and diversity in the games industry.
“Blizzard’s best days are still ahead of us”
Oneal continues, stating that she trusts Ybarra and expects him to make good decisions for Blizzard’s games and work culture – many of which have already been initiated and partially implemented in recent months.
Blizzard’s best days are ahead of us. I truly believe that.
In conclusion, Oneal thanks all employees who have raised their voices in recent months to bring about improvements. That has inspired her to take a different path, where she can still support these efforts.
How the community reacts: The announcement is also hotly discussed in the community. Many initially found it good that Blizzard was led by a man and a woman in the course of restructuring and equal opportunities. However, that the woman is disappearing just under 3 months later raises some eyebrows. It especially seems that the position of Jen Oneal will not be filled – the leadership completely returns to Mike Ybarra.
Some believe it was a “PR stunt” to feign diversity and then quickly revert to the old pattern. Oneal’s words, however, contradict that.
Others just shrug and wonder if Oneal did anything during her time. After all, Ybarra has been heard much more, actively engaging with the community – for instance, during streams where he played World of Warcraft quite ambitiously.
However, others note that good leadership from outside can be difficult to recognize. Just because Oneal was not as much in the public eye does not mean she had nothing to say or that she did not make decisions.
Many view the departure critically: However, there is also a large part of the community that is discussing in the WoW subreddit, who do not believe the reasons for the departure. Mid22 summed up the entire text like this:
Blizzard inspired me so much that I decided to leave the company and distance myself as much as possible.
More than 2,300 upvoted this comment – a sentiment that apparently resonates.
In a slightly different interpretation, Zoupa7, who also received nearly 400 upvotes, expresses:
Lol. My guess is that this whole co-lead thing was basically a competition between the two, and they concluded that Mike is better suited for the role.
In any case, Oneal’s departure is causing confusion in the community. The message being sent right now dampens the excitement and hope that Blizzard would transform for the better. A dampening that also affects Blizzard itself. Amy Dunham, a Blizzard employee who announced her departure just a few hours ago, spoke to PCGamer magazine:
That Jen is leaving Blizzard is tragic. I have complete understanding for her and her decision, and I respect her immensely. She is a world-class leader. She was also the one thing this entire year that made me feel hopeful about the company.
What do you think of this announcement? Logical and understandable? Or strange that Oneal is already leaving?
