Microsoft Names Joanna Faris President of Blizzard Entertainment

Microsoft has named Joanna Faris president of video game studio Blizzard Entertainment. The appointment is the first at the top since parent company Xbox closed its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

Faris will begin his new position on February 5 next year. He will replace Mike Ibarra, the former CEO who left the company days ago as part of a restructuring strategy that included adjustments and staff reductions.

Problems of the new Blizzard president

The new head of Blizzard Entertainment will face various challenges. The purchase of Activision is the most valuable deal in Microsoft’s history and made the company the third-largest company in the industry by revenue, behind only Tencent and Sony. big tech seeks to consolidate in the mobile and cloud gaming business. Blizzard’s assets, their adaptation to the new business orientation, and the unit’s performance will play a critical role in the bet.

Ibarra’s successor acknowledged that “Activision, Blizzard and King are completely different companies with different games, cultures and communities. “I take on this role with sensitivity to these dynamics and deep respect as we begin to take our universes to even greater heights.”

Microsoft Gaming laid off 1,900 people last week. This figure corresponds to 8% of the workforce. Phil Spencer, the division’s chief executive, justified the measure as part of a new “sustainable cost” framework that aims to support the corporation’s business through 2024. He said the company will “continue to invest in areas that will grow our business and support our strategy of bringing more games to more players around the world.” Faris’s challenge is to meet those expectations with a small team.

“It’s hard to reconcile losing talented teammates in recent days with the tremendous excitement I feel about joining Blizzard and building momentum for the next chapter,” he said.

Promoting and demonstrating a more inclusive and safe work environment will be an important part of the responsibility. In past years, Activision Blizzard has been accused of duplicative workplace practices, sexual harassment and pay discrimination against women. After dozens of complaints and lawsuits, the company agreed to pay $18 million to several victims of a toxic work environment. In March 2022, the organization admitted that only 24% of its employees are women. While 29% of hires were of this gender, 26% of layoffs occurred in the same group. There was a noted lack of Hispanic and Black employees.

“I am optimistic about our ability to serve our current and future gaming communities, and to further enhance the shared passion for greatness, excellence and creative excellence that is the hallmark of Blizzard’s approach to game creation,” said the future president of the company. studying.

Who is Joanna Faris?

She has a business degree from Harvard University. He worked in the NFL for almost 12 years. Her last position with the American Football League was as vice president of business development. In 2008, he joined Activision Blizzard as head of video business. cybersport from Call of Duty. She was later named head of the company’s various electronic sports leagues and eventually became the general manager of the aforementioned franchise.

In mid-2022, Activision Blizzard announced that from 2023 to the present Call of Duty sold more than 425 million games and generated $30 billion in revenue. Numbers are converted to battle royale one of the most successful and profitable in history.