Following Overwatch League commissioner Nate Nanzer’s departure from Blizzard, many more experienced and important employees, including global product director of Blizzard Esports Kim Phan, have reportedly put in their two-week notice, according to a report by Richard Lewis on Dexerto.
Morale in the company has reportedly been lowering as time has gone on. Employees seemingly don’t enjoy working under the current CEO of Activision Blizzard Esports, Pete Vlastelica, according to Dexerto. Vlastelica comes from FOX Sports, which worries many. Apparently, the disconnect between traditional sports and esports can be seen and felt by many employees, including some senior staff members. Some even believe that the disconnect is so large that the decisions that are being made are hurting the company instead of helping it.
Another reason morale may be low is the lack of financial success for Blizzard. Fiscal reports were mixed for the whole company, but it was fairly apparent that Blizzard wasn’t in control of the market anymore, with a 50-percent drop in stock value at one point. Staff may be anticipating further failure, resulting in them wanting to find a more successful venture instead of waiting until the pink slip is on their desk.
The loss of two significant industry figures in such a short time span, coupled with a schism between employees and senior staff and financial stress indicate that Blizzard might be in trouble. The question is: What will the company do in response?
