Blizzard Entertainment
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Epic Games hires former head of Blizzard's Battle.net
Martin Keely, formerly the senior vice president of Battle.net and technology services at Blizzard Entertainment, has joined Epic Games as VP/GM of the Epic Games Store and Epic Online Services. Keely expressed excitement about contributing to player and developer experiences and fostering an open gaming ecosystem. This move follows other leadership changes at Epic Games, including the departure of Steve Allison, who previously led the store organization.
Blizzard avtäcker sina kosmetiska Blizzcon-paket
Blizzard Entertainment will host BlizzCon on September 12-13, 2024, and will livestream the event for free. Instead of digital tickets, the company is selling cosmetic bundles for games like World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo 4, with prices ranging from $25 to $50.
World of Warcraft sends players to the Coiled Isle when the Curse of Ula’tek arrives August 11
World of Warcraft is releasing the Curse of Ula'tek patch on August 11th, introducing the Coiled Isle with a new localized talent system and challenges. The update includes new bosses, a three-boss dungeon, and the Venomous Abyss raid. Additionally, players can engage with new Delves, housing additions, and pet roaming features.
Double Fine Announces Layoffs For 23 Employees Following Xbox Split
Double Fine Productions, developer of Psychonauts, has laid off 23 employees following its separation from Xbox. Studio founder Tim Schafer stated the move was necessary for the studio's sustainability as an independent company. Xbox confirmed the return of intellectual property and runway for future games to Double Fine and other divested studios like Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs.
Wizards of the Coast President John Hight is Leaving in September
John Hight, President of Wizards of the Coast, will be leaving his role on September 1st after two years with the company. He will transition to an advisory role for Hasbro for one year. During his tenure, Hight oversaw development for tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering, as well as digital projects including Exodus and Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons.
Wizards of the Coast President John Hight Announces Departure from Company
John Hight, President of Wizards of the Coast, announced his departure from the company, effective September 1, 2026, after two years in the role. He will continue in an advisory capacity. The company stated that its core franchises, Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons, remain strong, and its 2027 video game slate, including Exodus and Warlock, is on track despite recent project cancellations and a significant impairment charge.
Wizards of the Coast president is stepping down after just 2 years on the job
John Hight, president of Wizards of the Coast and former general manager at Blizzard Entertainment, is stepping down after two years. He will transition from his role on September 1st to an advisory position with Hasbro, the parent company. This departure occurs amidst Hasbro's reported $56 million impairment from cancelled video game projects and a stated goal to reduce digital spend.
Wizards of the Coast president steps down after only two years in the role
John Hight is stepping down as president of Wizards of the Coast after two years, transitioning to an advisory role on September 1st. This announcement follows a recent $56 million impairment charge and cancellation of several video games by parent company Hasbro. Despite these changes, Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons continue to perform well, and the upcoming 2027 video game slate remains on track.
Wizards of the Coast president John Hight is stepping down
John Hight, president of Wizards of the Coast and former executive producer of World of Warcraft, is stepping down from his role. He will transition to an advisory position with Hasbro, the parent company, until September 1, continuing to receive his salary and a bonus for fiscal year 2026. Hight has overseen the Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons franchises, as well as the digital gaming division, during a period that saw several game cancellations and layoffs.
Final Fantasy XIV’s Yoshida hints at bigger housing overhauls coming to the game during Evercold
Final Fantasy XIV producer and director Naoki Yoshida discussed upcoming housing system improvements during a fan festival. He indicated that major overhauls are planned, including a more accessible UI and a potentially highly-requested feature that could involve more accessible or instanced housing, with some updates expected during the Evercold patch cycles.
Epic Games just hired former Battle.net head, as studio gears up for "the era of Unreal Engine 6"
Epic Games has hired Martin Keely, former Senior Vice President of Technology and Services for Battle.net at Blizzard Entertainment, as the new Vice President/General Manager for the Epic Games Store and Epic Online services. CEO Tim Sweeney stated this move is part of Epic's preparation for the era of Unreal Engine 6 and the development of an open, interoperable gaming ecosystem across platforms and stores.
John Hight steps down as Wizards of the Coast president
John Hight, president of Wizards of the Coast, will step down on September 1 after two years in the role. He will continue with the company as an advisor. Hight previously served as general manager for the Warcraft franchise at Blizzard. During his tenure at Wizards of the Coast, he oversaw Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering.
RTS games aren't dead yet - but nothing hits quite like Starcraft 2
Despite the rise of newer RTS titles and the enduring popularity of Starcraft 2, the genre's current state is questioned, with many modern games failing to match Starcraft 2's campaign quality. The article highlights Starcraft 2's exceptional mission design, narrative integration, and accessible free-to-play model as reasons for its continued relevance, while acknowledging the struggles of newer RTS projects like Stormgate and Battle Aces.
Epic taps Blizzard's Battle.net lead to fix the Epic Games Store as Steam dominates
Epic Games has appointed Martin Keely, formerly of Blizzard Entertainment's Battle.net, as the new VP and GM of the Epic Games Store. This move aims to improve the storefront's competitiveness against Valve's Steam. Keely expressed his excitement to enhance player and developer experiences within an open gaming ecosystem.
Ion Hazzikostas on World of Warcraft’s Ula’tek story, PvP, and griving himself a B or B- grade on addons
World of Warcraft game director Ion Hazzikostas discussed the upcoming Curse of Ula'tek story, which continues the narrative of The Midnight expansion. He also shared his self-assigned grades for the expansion's progress, noting that Player vs Player content needs more attention despite a shrinking player base, and that housing has been successful. Hazzikostas also addressed the handling of addons, giving himself a B or B-.
MMO Week in Review: FFXIV in Berlin, Black Desert in SoCal, and Jimothy saturation
This week's MMO news covers Final Fantasy XIV's Fan Festival in Berlin, Black Desert's Heidel Ball, and the early access launch of SEED. Updates were also provided for Dungeons & Dragons Online, Aion 2, and The Guild reunion movie. Several games saw controversy including World of Warcraft staff cheating, Elder Scrolls Online capacity issues, and Microsoft layoffs.
What does GTA Online 2.0 even look like—and, more to the point, what do we even want from Grand Theft Auto 6…
This opinion piece speculates on the future of GTA Online, questioning what "GTA Online 2.0" might look like given the increasing focus on user-generated content and live service platforms. The author considers how Rockstar Games might evolve the multiplayer experience for Grand Theft Auto 6, drawing parallels with other games like Fortnite and Roblox, while also acknowledging the potential challenges in balancing creativity with the core essence of the Grand Theft Auto series.
Final Fantasy 14 is planning 2 major overhauls to its housing system to catch up with World of Warcraft: 'It's probably the number 1 thing on the list a lot of people are requesting'
Final Fantasy 14 director Naoki Yoshida revealed plans for two major overhauls to the game's housing system, inspired in part by World of Warcraft's new system. The first overhaul will focus on making the UI more accessible for casual players, while the second, more secretive overhaul is also planned and is highly requested by the player base.
Task Bar Hero has normalized real money item auction houses, and Blizzard must be raging
Task Bar Hero, a popular side-scrolling RPG on Steam, features a real money auction house where players can buy and sell in-game items for very low prices. This mechanic draws parallels to Diablo 3's controversial real money auction house, sparking debate within the community. The article questions the normalization of such systems in modern gaming, especially given the game's design that encourages long playtimes and potential pay-to-progress elements.
World of Warcraft is reportedly getting a crossover with Dungeons & Dragons according to a hastily deleted article
A deleted post from Roll20 suggests that World of Warcraft is planning a crossover with Dungeons & Dragons, though neither Wizards of the Coast nor Blizzard Entertainment have made an official announcement. This potential collaboration follows D&D's recent surge in popularity and its history of cross-media ventures.
