BlizzCon is about to return in 2023 after three years with out an in-person occasion.
That is in line with Blizzard president Mike Ybarra who instructed the LA Instances the agency needs to return to a dwell occasion.
“We beforehand introduced we’re taking a pause on BlizzCon whereas we reimagine it for the longer term however do wish to return to a dwell occasion that permits us to have fun the neighborhood,” stated Ybarra (thanks, GI.biz).
“We not too long ago employed a brand new chief of BlizzCon, April McKee, who is tough at work on that plan. We’re dedicated to bringing again BlizzCon in 2023.”
The final in-person BlizzCon was held in 2019 and went digital in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid pandemic. Plans for the 2022 model of BlizzCon, each in-person and on-line, had been utterly scrapped because of the present points the corporate is dealing with. On the time, Blizzard stated as an alternative of planning BlizzCon, it wished to place its power towards supporting its groups and progressing the event of its video games and experiences.
Activision Blizzard has confronted numerous authorized points for the reason that California Division of Truthful Employment and Housing introduced a lawsuit towards it over reviews of selling a “bro-culture,” a number of accounts of sexual harassment, bullying, unfair pay, and cases of gender discrimination.
Ybarra instructed the LA Instances Blizzard’s had a “robust two and a half years,” and the lawsuit and subsequent public fallout “impacted morale” on the firm. That stated, the studio is dedicated to altering its tradition.
“We’re listening to our staff, stated Ybarra. “I’ve at all times firmly believed that when there’s a great tradition throughout groups, artistic excellence flows.”