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Picture: Activision Blizzard / Kotaku / Emmanuel Dunand (Getty Pictures)Jen Oneal, who assumed joint duties of the highest place at Blizzard in August, will step down from the corporate on the finish of the 12 months, she wrote in a press release right now. Within the meantime, she’ll transition to a brand new however unspecified position at Activision Blizzard. Her co-lead, Mike Ybarra, will take over the remainder of her tasks efficient instantly.Employees, together with these a part of the ABK Alliance, discovered about Oneal’s departure throughout an investor name this afternoon.“It is a unhappy second for many people at ABK, who had been excited to have a brand new expertise with a Girl of Shade heading our firm,” the ABK Alliance wrote on Twitter. “We came upon throughout our Shareholder assembly—and want Jen nicely in her future endeavors.”Throughout that very same shareholder assembly, Activision Blizzard introduced the delays of Overwatch 2 and Diablo IV. In August, Diablo IV’s director and lead designer had been let go from the corporate within the wake of widespread allegations of harassment and discrimination, plus damning proof of a so-called “Cosby suite” at 2013’s BlizzCon occasion.“There’s clearly been a change in management,” Ybarra stated on right now’s name in response to the delays, however demurred on sharing particular launch dates.G/O Media might get a commissionAmid a landmark lawsuit towards the corporate over allegations of harassment, former Blizzard president J. Allan Brack stepped down from his position, a place he’d held since 2018. Oneal and Ybarra rapidly took over his place.“I would like you to listen to from me personally that I’ve made the choice to step away from co-leading Blizzard Leisure and can transition to a brand new place earlier than departing ABK on the finish of the 12 months,” Oneal wrote right now. “I’m doing this not as a result of I’m with out hope for Blizzard, fairly the alternative. … This power has impressed me to step out and discover how I can do extra to have video games and variety intersect, and hopefully make a broader business impression that can profit Blizzard (and different studios) as nicely.”Within the wake of Oneal’s departure, Activision Blizzard, which earned $8.1 billion in income final 12 months, will donate $1 million to the nonprofit group Ladies in Video games Worldwide.Extra reporting by Ian Walker.
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