Johanna Faries takes Blizzard’s reins after Mike Ybarra’s departure

Former Call of Duty manager at Activision

Johanna Faries has been appointed as the new president of Blizzard Entertainment to replace Mike Ybarra, who left the company last week when Microsoft announced its intentions to lay off around 1,900 employees related to its gaming operations and canceled Blizzard’s upcoming survival game.

Faries previously worked at Activision as the general manager of the Call of Duty franchise after initially getting started at the company as its head of esports in 2018 (which included a short stint at Blizzard’s now defunct Overwatch League in 2020). Before that, she worked at the NFL. Her close association with Activision and Call of Duty might not sit especially well with her new subordinates, who’ve been at odds with Activision executives under previous CEO Bobby Kotick influencing their work for many years now – a situation that Faries tried to address in her first email to Blizzard employees, which was released to the public as well.

Blizzard's new president is a former Call of Duty and NFL manager / Blizzard Entertainment

“The news of my appointment may no doubt bring up a range of reactions, questions, even concerns. Activision, Blizzard, and King are decidedly different companies with distinct games, cultures, and communities,” she wrote. “It is important to note that Call of Duty’s way of waking up in the morning to deliver for players can often differ from the stunning games in Blizzard’s realm: each with different gameplay experiences, communities that surround them, and requisite models of success. I’ve discussed this with the Blizzard leadership team and I’m walking into this role with sensitivity to those dynamics, and deep respect for Blizzard, as we begin to explore taking our universes to even higher heights.”

Faries will be officially starting her job at Blizzard on February 5, 2024. She wrote that she’d use her first week to schedule meetings with as many employees as possible, respond to anyone emailing her, and organize a company town hall to address the future.

“I am committed to doing everything I can to help Blizzard thrive, with care and consideration for you and for our games, each unique and special in their own right. I’m optimistic about our ability to serve our current and future player communities, and to further amplify the shared passion for greatness, polish, and creative mastery that is a hallmark of Blizzard’s approach to game-making,” Faries wrote further.

Faries will report to Microsoft’s Matt Booty, who’s been given oversight of the tech giant’s game studios during last year’s reorganization.