WoW producer claims Blizzard is in “crisis” mode as studio continues to bleed talent
BlizzardA World of Warcraft producer has taken to Twitter to vent their frustration at Blizzard, claiming the studio is at a loss of capacity, forcing them to create “crisis maps” of completable projects.
Blizzard has been a point of contention within the gaming space in recent years. The developers have found themselves at the center of plenty of scandals and controversy, causing for some turbulent times at the company.
As such many development teams at Blizzard have felt the echoes of these scandals. From multiple rounds of layoffs to voluntary detachments amid a return to office work, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the WoW, Overwatch, and Diablo developers.
Amid the rough stretch, most recently, a World of Warcraft game producer took to Twitter, venting their frustration after another member of their team left the company. This appears to have been the straw that broke the camel’s back for them.
WoW game producer vents frustration with Blizzard higher-ups
Game producer Adam “Glaxigrav” spoke out about their frustration with losing a team member, pointing the finger at Blizzard’s higher-ups. Glaxigrav claimed that “Blizzard is losing amazing talent because someone in power doesn’t listen to the game directors who make his products.”
They expanded upon their comment by expressing their displeasure in fighting the company, and instead want to focus on making better games and experiences for players.
“I don’t want to fight… I just want to make video games. I want to make amazing best-sellers that are critically acclaimed. I want to make better Dragonflights. I want to make better experiences.”
Unfortunately, due to the loss of talent, Blizzard “Can’t do that if (they) get rid of everyone who made it.” Glaxigrav stated.
To conclude their thread, they provided some insight into what is happening on the WoW team at this point in time.
“We are creating crisis maps of what we can or cannot ship. That is the loss of capacity we’re facing… I literally have a schedule I strike out as people hand in notice.”
Many Twitter users gave their support to Glaxigrav, empathizing with their want to create better experiences for WoW players, but Blizzard has responded to the concerns.
“This is not a team practice for WoW. However, making decisions around priorities, iterating, and ensuring quality are everyday parts of game development,” a Blizzard spokesperson told Dexerto.