IN a recent development, Activision Blizzard has announced the delay of the release of both Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4. these two are Blizzard’s most anticipated releases of this year, and this is a very disturbing announcement; however, the development studio has announced that both games will launch later “than originally envisioned.”
“These are two of the most eagerly anticipated titles in the industry, and our teams have made great strides towards completion in recent quarters,” the statement said. “But we believe giving the teams some extra time to complete production and continue growing their creative resources to support the titles after launch will ensure that these releases delight and engage their communities for many years into the future.”
In its statement, the studio also stated that this would also delay an anticipated “financial uplift” for the company next year. “But we are confident that this is the right course of action for our people, our players, and the long-term success of our franchises.”
The studio, however, didn’t announce any new release dates, but given the current situation of Activision Blizzard, the games might not come until 2023, most probably not until April 2023 due to the beginning of the financial year.
In other developments, Blizzard’s Jen Oneal has announced that she should be stepping down as co-lead of the company. This makes Mike Ybarra the sole lead of the company going forward; however, Oneal will be transitioning to a new position at Activision Blizzard, and then she will be leaving the company entirely at the end of the year.
“I am doing this not because I am without hope for Blizzard, quite the opposite–I’m inspired by the passion of everyone here, working towards meaningful, lasting change with their whole hearts,” Oneal said. “This energy has inspired me to step out and explore how I can do more to have games and diversity intersect, and hopefully make a broader industry impact that will benefit Blizzard (and other studios) as well. While I am not sure what form that will take, I am excited to embark on a new journey to find out.”
