Johanna Faries appointed new president of Blizzard

Johanna Faries has been appointed the new head of Blizzard Entertainment, it was revealed yesterday.

Faries is the former head of the Call of Duty franchise and steps into her new role following the departure of longtime Microsoft and Blizzard employee, Mike Ybarra.

“I want to let you know immediately that it is an honor to join you next week in this new capacity,” Fairies wrote in an email shared to all staff and later published by Blizzard.

“I do so humbly and in awe of all that Blizzard has stood for and delivered to the world for over thirty years,” she continued. “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.”

In the same email, Faries said each brand under the Activision Blizzard King umbrella was “decidedly different” and with “distinct games, cultures, and communities”.

“It is important to note that Call of Duty’s way of waking up in the morning to deliver for players can often differ from the stunning games in Blizzard’s realm: each with different gameplay experiences, communities that surround them, and requisite models of success,” Faries wrote. “I’ve discussed this with the Blizzard leadership team and I’m walking into this role with sensitivity to those dynamics, and deep respect for Blizzard, as we begin to explore taking our universes to even higher heights.”

Faries’ appointment comes after news that Microsoft has laid off 1,900 employees across Xbox, Activision Blizzard, and Bethesda.

Faries’ first official day as president of Blizzard is 5 February.