Rod Fergusson announced on his X profile that he is leaving Blizzard. He spent five years there as the head of the Diablo franchise and vice president of the company.
He started his career as a programmer at Microsoft, then moved to Epic where he worked on Gears of War, later going to 2K and Black Tusk Studios before returning to Microsoft where he was the head of The Coalition studio responsible for work on Gears of War 4 and Gears 5.
"When I joined Blizzard five years ago, I had two goals (besides getting a sword!): to revitalize one of my favorite franchises of all time and to leave a mark in a company I have always admired. And with great pride and gratitude, I can now look back on this period of my career and say that not only did I achieve those goals, but I had the privilege of leading this team with some of my favorite people in the world and creating incredible experiences for our players that helped me grow – as a leader and as a person."
"The Diablo franchise in its 30 years has never been stronger and more significant than it is now, thanks to the work of a dedicated and talented team over these five years. From the return of classics in D2R, to the bold leap into mobile with Immortal, to the record launch of Diablo IV and its first expansion Vessel of Hatred, each of these games lays the foundation on which the teams will continue to build a bright future for the franchise."
"I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have had a small role 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. As for me, stay tuned, details about my next adventure are coming soon."
