Source: Jon Kopaloff / Getty / Johanna Faries
Blizzard Entertainment has a new president, Johanna Faries.
Effective February 5, Johanna Faries will succeed Mike Ybarra, who left the company last week after news of Xbox and Activision laying off 1,900 employees.
Fairies has been a part of the Blizzard family since 2018, first as commissioner of Call of Duty esports before being promoted to general manager of Call of Duty.
Before bringing her talents to the video game space, Faries was the club business development vice president for 11 years at the NFL.
In her announcement, Faries spoke on becoming President while acknowledging the massive layoffs at the company.
“I want to let you know immediately that it is an honor to join you next week in this new capacity. I do so humbly and in awe of all that Blizzard has stood for and delivered to the world for over thirty years. Today also brings some mixed emotions,” Faries said.
“The loss of talented teammates in recent days is hard to hold side-by-side with the immense excitement I feel about joining Blizzard – and building on the momentum you’ve created for Blizzard’s next chapter.”
She continued, “I am committed to doing everything I can to help Blizzard thrive, with care and consideration for you and for our games, each unique and special in their own right.”
Power Moves For Women of Color In The Video Games Space
Fairies is the latest woman of color to land a high-ranking video game industry position. In a shift of its leadership structure, Xbox promoted Sarah Bond to President.
In an exclusive interview with HHW Gaming’s Bernard “Beanz” Smalls, Faries discussed the importance of seeing someone like her in prominent roles in the gaming industry.
It’s an honor in every way to be able to occupy this chair and this role. I know that it represents a lot for a lot of different people, beyond just being a business executive. People who have the ambition to be a part of great franchises and also be a part of tech and gaming, generally speaking, but also for women and minorities and underrepresented communities who are still coming up the ranks within our industry in particular.
Congrats to Johanna Faries. We’re looking forward to seeing what her leadership brings to Blizzard.