Blizzard Entertainment appoints former Call of Duty chief as new president

Blizzard Entertainment has appointed a former 'Call of Duty' boss as its new president.

The gaming giant - whose parent company Activision Blizzard was bought by Microsoft for $69 million - has named Johanna Faries as its next president.

Faries, who previously worked as general manager at Activision for the 'Call of Duty' franchise, will be its first new leader since the acquisition.

She previously spent over a decade as an executive at the NFL (National Football League).

In a note to staff on Monday (29.01.24), she addressed the differences between Activision and Blizzard when it comes to development time and other issues for workers.

Faries wrote: "Activision, Blizzard, and King are decidedly different companies with distinct games, cultures, and communities.

“It is important to note that Call of Duty’s way of waking up in the morning to deliver for players can often differ from the stunning games in Blizzard’s realm: each with different gameplay experiences, communities that surround them, and requisite models of success.

“I’ve discussed this with the Blizzard leadership team and I’m walking into this role with sensitivity to those dynamics, and deep respect for Blizzard, as we begin to explore taking our universes to even higher heights.”

Faries will start on February 5 as when she takes over from Mike Ybarra, whose exit from the company came last week amid mass layoffs.