World of Warcraft has suffered another loss. A long-time developer is leaving Blizzard to start something new.
In recent months and years, there have been repeated reports that key figures in the World of Warcraft team have left one after another – or have been fired. Now another person, who has played a leading role in WoW in recent years, is disappearing.
The next expansion of World of Warcraft will be coming soon:
What did John Hight do? John Hight was at Blizzard for a total of 12 years and most recently served as the Senior Vice President and General Manager of the entire Warcraft franchise – which includes not only World of Warcraft but also Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble.
After joining Blizzard in 2011, he was a Senior Producer for World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria and Production Director for Diablo III: Reaper of Souls. After serving in the same role for WoW: Battle for Azeroth, he then became the Franchise General Manager of the game.
Why is Hight leaving? On X, Hight spoke up and announced that he is leaving Blizzard. He also thanks the community and praises them especially for their passion. He says:
After 12 incredible years at Blizzard, I have decided to step down and begin a new quest.
This was a tough decision, but I believe that now is a good time for it: Warcraft is in a fantastic position as the universe turns 30.
It has been an honor to serve all the heroes of Azeroth.
You are the most passionate, dedicated, and creative community in gaming. You are the reason I have poured my heart and soul into creating the best possible games. You have inspired me, challenged me, and made me a stronger developer.
Where is Hight going now? What Hight plans to do next is still not entirely clear. However, it seems he wants to remain anchored in video game development at least. He continues:
I can’t say exactly where my journey will take me now, but I look forward to exploring new opportunities and challenges in the industry and continuing to create great games with talented people.
In the future, Hight also wants to continue experiencing World of Warcraft – but only as a player and no longer in a leading position. We will surely hear in the coming months and years where he has landed. After all, many other Blizzard employees have gone on to found new studios or join other companies – such as Ghostcrawler, who is working on a new MMORPG.
