The head of Diablo Rod Fergusson leaves Blizzard after a 5 year stint
Rod Fergusson, the seasoned general manager who spearheaded Blizzard’s Diablo franchise’s four big launches through many releases, announced on Friday that he would be stepping away from the company after five years.
In a post on X, Fergusson shared:
“After five years of driving the Diablo franchise forward with four big launches, it’s time for me to step away from Blizzard/Microsoft, sword in hand, and see what’s next. The teams are set up for success, with an exciting slate of releases ahead. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built together and looking forward to what comes next for Diablo, and for me.”
It’s worth noting that Fergusson didn’t provide a reason for his departure from the company and declined requests from the press, offering no further comments. Blizzard President Johanna Faries praised his contributions to the company and replied:
“Guiding a franchise like Diablo takes rare talent, vision, and collaboration. Thank you, Rod, for bringing all of those in spades. Sanctuary’s future is brighter because of the impact you’ve had!”
Joining the bandwagon, Xbox Studios head Phil Spencer replied in a heartfelt note as well:
“Fergusson brought strength, hellfire, and vision to one of gaming’s most iconic franchises. Playing Diablo IV with you was a blast - thanks for everything you gave to the game and the community.”
Rod Fergusson joined Blizzard in February 2020, fresh off a 15-year run with the Gears of War franchise, where he was responsible for shaping the original trilogy that we know and love today. He later took on duties at The Coalition on games like Gears 5 and the mobile spin-off title Gears Pop. He also dipped his toes into Bioshock Infinite, and gained rep as a “closer” for over-the-top ambitious projects.
At Blizzard, he spearheaded four major launches, including Diablo 2: Resurrected in 2021, the mobile hit Diablo Immortal in 2022, which generated $500 million, Diablo IV in 2023, which shipped more than 12 million copies in the first month, and the Vessel of Hatred DLC for Diablo IV, which introduced new classes and locations.
Fergusson's departure from the company does raise a few eyes given its timing, as the company was lambasted for allegedly using AI-generated art in promotional work for Diablo Immortal and the Hearthstone crossover event in July. His exit also comes amid Microsoft’s layoff of over 9000 employees in July and 40 subsequent at the beginning of August at its Redmond campus.
Source(s)
