John Hight, the general manager and senior vice president of Warcraft, is leaving Microsoft Corp.'s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Blizzard Entertainment after working there for 12 years.
Hight announced his departure on X, expressing gratitude for the community's support. "After 12 incredible years at Blizzard, I've decided to step away & start a new quest," Hight wrote.
"It was a tough decision, but I feel like now is as good a time as any: Warcraft is in an amazing position as the universe turns 30," he continued. "I've been so honored to serve all of the heroes of Azeroth."
— John Hight (@JHight_Gamer) June 13, 2024
After 12 incredible years at Blizzard, I've decided to step away & start a new quest.
It was a tough decision, but I feel like now is as good a time as any: Warcraft is in an amazing position as the universe turns 30.
I've been so honored to serve all of the heroes of Azeroth.
He joined Blizzard in 2011 as the executive producer and vice president for World of Warcraft, later becoming the general manager of Warcraft in 2021.
During his time at Blizzard, Hight oversaw the launches of several major World of Warcraft expansions, including Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor, Legion, Battle for Azeroth, Shadowlands and Dragonflight.
He also contributed to the development and release of Hearthstone, Warcraft Rumble and the 2016 Warcraft film. Before joining Blizzard, Hight held significant roles at EA, Atari and Sony, working on projects such as God of War 3.
"As for what's next in my journey, I don't have any specifics to share quite yet, but I am excited to explore new opportunities and challenges in the industry, and to continue making great games with talented people," Hight concluded.
In a recent interview at the Game Developers Conference, Hight discussed the future of the Warcraft franchise, expressing confidence that World of Warcraft could continue to evolve for another 20 years, provided it kept adapting.
