World of Warcraft is a very treasured memory for many PC gamers. Alas, all good things must come to an end, and a rather brutal change has just taken place for the MMO.
World of Warcraft is a video game monument. For many, it is much more than a simple game: it is a platform which has allowed the creation of beautiful friendships, and sometimes even beautiful romances. Many people have fond memories linked to this game. A page is now turning with an important departure.
World of Warcraft and the end of a story
Thus, John Hight, general manager of the Warcraft franchise and senior vice president at Blizzard, announced his departure from the company after twelve years of service. This decision marks a significant turning point for both Hight and Blizzard, particularly at a time when the franchise is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary.
During his career at Blizzard, Hight oversaw the development and operations of major titles such as World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Warcraft Rumble, and the Warcraft real-time strategy games. His management has been crucial over the past three years, a period of renewal and innovation for the franchise. In announcing his departure, Hight expressed his gratitude to the gaming community: “You are the reason I poured my heart and soul into creating the best games possible. You have inspired, challenged and made me stronger as a developer.“
Before joining Blizzard in November 2011 as Executive Producer and Vice President of World of Warcraft, John Hight accumulated significant experience in the video game industry. In the 1990s, he worked as a creative director at 3DO Company, before becoming an executive producer at Electronic Arts on several Westwood Studios projects. After a stint at Atari and as a board member of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, he joined Sony Santa Monica where he helped develop God of War 3 and launch the PlayStation Network.