A Letter From President and Chief Operating Officer Daniel Alegre Regarding Blizzard Entertainment

Rhea-AI Summary

Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced the appointment of Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra as co-leaders of Blizzard Entertainment, effective immediately. Oneal, an 18-year veteran and former head of Vicarious Visions, and Ybarra, with over 20 years in technology and gaming, will share operational responsibilities. Their leadership focuses on fostering an inclusive workplace and maintaining high game development standards. This change follows the departure of J. Allen Brack, who is leaving to pursue new opportunities.

Positive

• Appointment of experienced leaders Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra expected to enhance Blizzard's operational effectiveness.
• Commitment to an inclusive and inspiring workplace environment may improve employee morale and productivity.

Negative

• Departure of J. Allen Brack may indicate internal challenges at Blizzard.
• -

Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) President and COO Daniel Alegre today sent the following letter to all employees regarding Blizzard Entertainment.

August 3, 2021

I am pleased to announce that, effective immediately, Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra have been appointed co-leaders of Blizzard. Jen and Mike will share responsibility for development and operational accountability for the company. Both are leaders of great character and integrity and are deeply committed to ensuring our workplace is the most inspired, welcoming environment for creative excellence and to upholding our highest game development standards.

Many of us already know Mike and Jen and have experienced their leadership, their empathy and their unwavering sense of accountability:

• Jen is an 18-year company veteran and the former head of Vicarious Visions studio. As Executive Vice President of Development at Blizzard, she has been providing senior development leadership and support to the Diablo and Overwatch franchises.

• Mike has been in the technology and gaming industries for over 20 years, including 7 years as a senior executive at Microsoft’s XBOX division. Most recently Mike was Executive Vice President & General Manager of Platform and Technology at Blizzard overseeing Battle.net and our Development Services organizations.

With their many years of industry experience and deep commitment to integrity and inclusivity, I am certain Jen and Mike will lead Blizzard with care, compassion and a dedication to excellence.

With Jen and Mike assuming their new roles, J. Allen Brack is leaving the company to pursue new opportunities.

Daniel

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We may, in some cases, use terms such as “predicts,” “believes,” “potential,” “proposed,” “continue,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “might,” “will,” “should” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to numerous important factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from the Company’s current expectations. These and other risks are described in the Company’s periodic reports, including the annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov. Any forward-looking statements that the Company makes in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210803005609/en/

FAQ

Who are the new leaders of Blizzard Entertainment?

Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra have been appointed as co-leaders.

When was the leadership change at Blizzard announced?

The announcement was made on August 3, 2021.

What roles did Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra hold before their new positions?

Jen was previously the head of Vicarious Visions, and Mike was Executive Vice President & General Manager overseeing Battle.net.

What does the leadership change mean for Activision Blizzard's future?

The new co-leaders are expected to focus on inclusivity and high development standards, which may influence Blizzard's future projects.