Industry veteran Rod Fergusson is bidding farewell to Blizzard after five years at the Microsoft-owned studio.
Fergusson joined the company in March 2020 to oversee and revitalize the Diablo franchise, having previously served as executive VP of development at Irrational Games and studio head at The Coalition.
Announcing his departure on Linkedin, Fergusson suggested he achieved his goals at the studio after steering Diablo IV to a “record-breaking launch” and helping the franchise make its mobile debut with the release of Diablo Immortal.
“When I joined Blizzard five years ago, I had two main goals (besides getting my sword): to revitalize one of my favorite franchises of all time, and to have a meaningful impact on the company I admired,” he wrote.
“And it is with great pride and gratitude that I can now look back on this period of my career and say that not only did I achieve those goals, but having the privilege of leading this team alongside some of my favorite people in the world and shipping amazing experiences for our players helped me to grow—as a leader, and as a person.”
Fergusson said Diablo has “never been stronger and more relevant that it is right now” and indicated the foundations for future success have been put in place.
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“I am extremely grateful for the honor of playing some small part in this extraordinary franchise. And as I prepare to leave Blizzard, and Microsoft, I do so with full confidence in Diablo’s plans, teams, and leadership,” he added.
Fergusson’s departure comes shortly after Microsoft laid off 9,000 people, including a number of employees within its video game division. The company said the cuts, which included studio closures and project cancellations, were being made to enhance efficiency.