Warcraft General Manager John Hight leaves Blizzard
This must be one of the most shocking news of the day as Warcraft Senior Vice President and General Manager John Hight leaves Blizzard.
Key Takeaways
- John Hight is leaving his role as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Blizzard’s Warcraft franchise.
- Since 2011, Hight played crucial roles at Blizzard, including Senior Producer for “Mists of Pandaria” and later as Executive Producer and Vice President of World of Warcraft. His influence extended to overseeing major expansions and the Warcraft film.
- Fans expressed gratitude for Hight’s contributions while expressing concern about Warcraft’s future without him.
- Hight is eager to explore new opportunities in the gaming industry.
Today, Blizzard Entertainment bids farewell to another key figure, John Hight. Hight’s departure marks the latest in a series of notable exits from the company. WoW Composer Russel Brower parted ways with Blizzard in October 2023. November came, and Steve Danuser quietly left Blizzard. This was followed by the January 2024 departures of Blizzard’s former President, Mike Ybarra, and Blizzard’s lead designer and co-founder, Allen Adham. In March 2024, Cinematic Director Marc Messenger also exited the company. And by April, Senior Writer Christie Golden was laid off. Now, after a dedicated 12-year tenure, John Hight has also decided to step down from his post.
Who is John Hight
John Hight is now the former Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Warcraft franchise. His journey with Blizzard began in 2011. Ever since, he has made significant contributions to the gaming giant. Starting as a Senior Producer for Mists of Pandaria, he later served as Production Director for Diablo III: Reaper of Souls, Legion, and Battle for Azeroth. As he ascended through the ranks, Hight assumed roles such as Executive Producer and Vice President of World of Warcraft. In 2021, he took on the broader role of Franchise General Manager, overseeing development and commercial activities for WoW, Hearthstone, Warcraft Rumble, the Warcraft film in 2016, and more.
Before joining Blizzard, Hight also had a distinguished career as he:
- Contributed to over 30 games
- Served on the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences board
- Taught game development at USC School of Cinematics
- Played a pivotal role at Sony Computer Entertainment of America. Here, he contributed to the PlayStation Network and titles like flOw, flower, God of War 3, and Mortal Kombat (2011).
John Hight leaves Blizzard: What’s next?
According to his post on his personal Twitter, Hight has yet to share any specifics. Still, he is excited to explore new opportunities and challenges within the industry:
“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.”
— John Hight
Fans have expressed gratitude for John Hight’s contributions to the franchise and extended their best wishes for his future endeavors. However, his departure has also left them saddened and concerned. After all, over the last few years, John Hight and Holly Longdale have been steering WoW back on course. With one of the duo leaving Blizzard, fans are understandably worried about the future.
As of now, the successor to Hight’s role remains unknown. However, given their close collaboration, there is speculation that Hight may have been preparing Longdale to step into his shoes. What do you think? Let us know in the comments!
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