Currently facing lawsuit from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DEFH) due to allegations of widespread harassment of and discrimination against employees, Activision Blizzard has been in the midst of a firestorm of controversy. Large numbers of the company’s employees have spoken out against it and stood up in protest against its practices, while CEO Bobby Kotick recently said in statement that the company would take action against employees engaging in egregious behavior and management-level staff impeding such action.
In the midst of all of that, there have been a number of high profile departures from the company. Kotaku recently reported that Diablo 4 game director Luis Barriga and lead designer Jesse McCree have been let go from the company, as has World of Warcraft designer Jonathan LeCraft. While no reason has been provided as to their terminations, an Activision Blizzard spokesperson did provide a statement to confirm their departures.
“We can confirm Luis Barriga, Jesse McCree, and Jonathan LeCraft are no longer with the company,” the spokesperson said. “We have a deep, talented roster of developers already in place and new leaders have been assigned where appropriate. We are confident in our ability to continue progress, deliver amazing experiences to our players, and move forward to ensure a safe, productive work environment for all.”
Earlier this month, Blizzard Entertainment president J. Allen Brack also stepped down from his role and left the company, and was replaced by co-leads Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra. Read more on that through here.