J. Allen Brack, BlizĀzardās presĀiĀdent for the past 15 years, is leavĀing the comĀpaĀny is the wake of the ongoĀing lawĀsuit over the sexĀuĀal harassĀment and disĀcrimĀiĀnaĀtion claims against women. This was offiĀcialĀly announced on BlizĀzardās webĀsite.
Jen Oneal and Mike YbarĀra will now be the co-leadĀers of BlizĀzards going forĀward (neiĀther will carĀry title of presĀiĀdent or CEO). Oneal forĀmerĀly led the team at VicĀarĀiĀous Visions, which recentĀly became part of BlizĀzard. She had been the execĀuĀtive vice presĀiĀdent of develĀopĀment at BlizĀzard since January.
As for YbarĀra, he joined BlizĀzard in 2019 after an extendĀed career at Xbox and more recentĀly served as execĀuĀtive vice presĀiĀdent and genĀerĀal manĀagĀer of platĀform and techĀnolĀoĀgy for Blizzard.
āJen and Mike have more than three decades of gamĀing indusĀtry expeĀriĀence between them. MovĀing forĀward, they will share responĀsiĀbilĀiĀties over game develĀopĀment and comĀpaĀny operĀaĀtions,ā BlizĀzard said. āBoth leadĀers are deeply comĀmitĀted to all of our employĀees; to the work ahead to ensure BlizĀzard is the safest, most welĀcomĀing workĀplace posĀsiĀble for women, and peoĀple of any genĀder, ethĀnicĀiĀty, sexĀuĀal oriĀenĀtaĀtion, or backĀground; to upholdĀing and reinĀforcĀing our valĀues; and to rebuildĀing your trust. With their many years of indusĀtry expeĀriĀence and deep comĀmitĀment to integriĀty and incluĀsivĀiĀty, Jen and Mike will lead BlizĀzard with care, comĀpasĀsion, and a dedĀiĀcaĀtion to excelĀlence. Youāll hear more from Jen and Mike soon.ā
Brack said in his own stateĀment: āI am conĀfiĀdent that Jen Oneal and Mike YbarĀra will proĀvide the leadĀerĀship BlizĀzard needs to realĀize its full potenĀtial and will accelĀerĀate the pace of change. I anticĀiĀpate they will do so with pasĀsion and enthuĀsiĀasm and that they can be trustĀed to lead with the highĀest levĀels of integriĀty and comĀmitĀment to the comĀpoĀnents of our culĀture that make BlizĀzard so special.ā
Brack is leavĀing BlizĀzard to āpurĀsue new opporĀtuĀniĀties,ā ActiviĀsion BlizĀzard said in its own stateĀment.
A sepĀaĀrate stateĀment givĀen to GamaĀsuĀtra said āIt became clear to J. Allen Brack and ActiviĀsion BlizĀzard leadĀerĀship that BlizĀzard EnterĀtainĀment needs a new direcĀtion and leadĀerĀship givĀen the critĀiĀcal work ahead in terms of workĀplace culĀture, game develĀopĀment, and innovation.ā
This leadĀerĀship change arrives shortĀly after CalĀiĀforĀniĀaās DepartĀment of Fair EmployĀment and HousĀing launched a lawĀsuit against ActiviĀsion BlizĀzard over claims of equal pay vioĀlaĀtions, sex disĀcrimĀiĀnaĀtion, and sexĀuĀal harassment.
A sepĀaĀrate lawĀsuit was also filed by a shareĀholdĀer, which alleges that ActiviĀsion BlizĀzard gave āfalse and misĀleadĀingā stateĀments in regards to the invesĀtiĀgaĀtion. The comĀpaĀny failed to give them notice of the two-year invesĀtiĀgaĀtion which is now responĀsiĀble for a dip in stock prices.
ActiviĀsion BlizĀzard employĀees walked out last week in protest of the comĀpaĀnyās response to the sitĀuĀaĀtion. HunĀdreds of Ubisoft employĀees wrote an open letĀter in supĀport as they have been in a simĀiĀlar scenario.