Rod Fergusson, ex-Microsoft’s Epic Games, ex-2K’s Irrational Games, ex-Microsoft’s again at Coalition Games is now also ex-Blizzard/Activision project leader.
Fergusson announced on social network that he’s stepping away from Blizzard Entertainment as project lead, sword in hand.
With 4-ish titles released within his 5 years of tenure at Blizzard (Diablo II Resurrected, Diablo Immortal, Diablo IV and its DLC Vessel of Hatred), Rod Fergusson says he can look back on his time with the franchise with pride and asks people to look forward to his new adventures.
“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,” Fergusson said. “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.”
He elaborated further on his LinkedIn profile:
When I joined Blizzard five years ago, I had two main goals (besides getting my sword!): to revitalize one of my favorite franchises of all time, and to have a meaningful impact on the company I admired. And it is with great pride and gratitude that I can now look back on this period of my career and say that not only did I achieve those goals, but having the privilege of leading this team alongside some of my favorite people in the world and shipping amazing experiences for our players helped me to grow—as a leader, and as a person.
The Diablo franchise, in its almost 30 years, has never been stronger and more relevant than it is right now, thanks to the hard work of the many passionate and talented Diablo team members over these five years. From the return of a classic in D2R, to the bold leap into mobile with Immortal, to the record-breaking launch of Diablo IV and its first expansion Vessel of Hatred: each of these games form the foundation upon which the teams will continue to build the franchise’s’ bright future.
I am extremely grateful for the honor of playing some small part in this extraordinary franchise. And as I prepare to leave Blizzard, and Microsoft, I do so with full confidence in Diablo’s plans, teams, and leadership.
