Editing Blizzard Entertainment (section)

=== Change of leadership (2018–2022) ===
By 2018, a rift had developed between Kotick and Morhaime on how Blizzard should continue developing its games, with Morhaime wanting to allow the developers the freedom to experiment while Kotick was focused on generating profit. Morhaime had considered resigning in 2017 but Kotick convinced him to stay on. Morhaime announced his plans to step down as the company president and CEO On October 3, 2018, while remaining an advisor to the company. Morhaime stated publicly that he felt it was time for someone else to lead Blizzard, but those close to him said he had become tired of the conflicts with Kotick.<ref name="schreier play nice chap24">Schreier, 2024, Chapter 24: Changing of the Guard</reF> Morhaime formally left on April 7, 2019, and was replaced by J. Allen Brack, the executive producer on ''World of Warcraft''.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181003005928/en/Activision-Blizzard-Names-World-Warcraft%C2%AE-Executive-Producer |title=Activision Blizzard Names World of Warcraft Executive Producer J. Allen Brack As New President of Blizzard Entertainment |date=October 3, 2018 |access-date=October 3, 2018 |work=[[Business Wire]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003234812/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181003005928/en/Activision-Blizzard-Names-World-Warcraft%C2%AE-Executive-Producer |archive-date=October 3, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/mike-morhaime-is-leaving-blizzard-for-good-in-april/ |title=Mike Morhaime is leaving Blizzard for good in April |last=Chalk |first=Andy |date=January 10, 2019 |magazine=[[PC Gamer]] |language=en-US |access-date=January 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111011926/https://www.pcgamer.com/mike-morhaime-is-leaving-blizzard-for-good-in-april/ |archive-date=January 11, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 2019, Kotick announced a company-wide layoff of 8% of Activision Blizzard staff, around 800 total positions, due to lower revenues in 2018; this included a significant portion of Blizzard Entertainment, which had been since as having bloated head count over the years.<ref name="schreier play nice chap25">Schreier, 2024, Chapter 25: Cost Reduction</ref> Blizzard was planning for the announcement of ''Diablo IV'' and ''Overwatch 2'' at the 2019 Blizzcon, and to keep the company focused, two other projects, codenamed ''Ares'' and ''Orion'', were cancelled.<ref name="schreier play nice chap25"/>

Frank Pearce announced he would be stepping down as Blizzard's Chief Development Officer on July 19, 2019, though will remain in an advisory role similar to Morhaime.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/blizzard-frank-pearce |title=Blizzard co-founder Frank Pearce steps down after 28 years |last=Capel |first=Chris J. |date=July 19, 2019 |work=[[PCGamesN]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719224447/https://www.pcgamesn.com/blizzard-frank-pearce |archive-date=July 19, 2019 |access-date=July 19, 2019}}</ref> Michael Chu, lead writer on many of Blizzard's franchises including ''Diablo'', ''Warcraft'', and ''Overwatch'', announced he was leaving the company after 20 years in March 2020.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.polygon.com/2020/3/11/21174947/overwatch-lead-writer-michael-chu-leaves-blizzard | title = Overwatch lead writer leaves Blizzard after 20 years | first = Michael | last = Chu | date = March 11, 2020 | access-date = March 11, 2020 | work = [[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] | archive-date = March 12, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200312132745/https://www.polygon.com/2020/3/11/21174947/overwatch-lead-writer-michael-chu-leaves-blizzard | url-status = live }}</ref>

On January 22, 2021, Activision transferred [[Blizzard Albany|Vicarious Visions]] over to Blizzard Entertainment, stating that the Vicarious Visions team had better opportunity for long-term support for Blizzard.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-01-22-vicarious-visions-merged-into-blizzard | title = Vicarious Visions merged into Blizzard | first = Brendan | last = Sinclair | date = January 22, 2021 | access-date = January 22, 2021 | work = [[GamesIndustry.biz]] | archive-date = January 22, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210122204139/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-01-22-vicarious-visions-merged-into-blizzard | url-status = live }}</ref> Vicarious had been working with Blizzard for about two years prior to this announcement on the planned [[remaster]] of ''[[Diablo II]]'', ''[[Diablo II: Resurrected]]'', and according to Brack, it made sense to incorporate Vicarious into Blizzard for ongoing support of the game and for other ''Diablo'' games including ''[[Diablo IV]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-22/blizzard-absorbs-activision-studio-after-dismantling-classic-games-team| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/RfvZw?kreymer=false&url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-22/blizzard-absorbs-activision-studio-after-dismantling-classic-games-team | archive-date=2021-09-28 | title = Blizzard Absorbs Activision Studio After Dismantling Classic Games Team | first = Jason | last = Schreier |author-link=Jason Schreier| date = January 22, 2021 | access-date = January 22, 2021 | work = [[Bloomberg News]] }}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://venturebeat.com/2021/02/22/blizzard-leaders-j-allen-brack-and-allen-adham-on-leaks-reforged-lessons-mobile-and-more/| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20210928/https://venturebeat.com/2021/02/22/blizzard-leaders-j-allen-brack-and-allen-adham-on-leaks-reforged-lessons-mobile-and-more/| archive-date=2021-09-28 | title = Blizzard leaders J. Allen Brack and Allen Adham on leaks, Reforged lessons, mobile, and more | first = Mike | last = Minotti | date = February 22, 2021 | access-date= February 22, 2021 | work = [[Venture Beat]] }}{{cbignore}}</ref> Vicarious was completely merged into Blizzard by April 12, 2022, thereby being renamed Blizzard Albany.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/tony-hawk-studio-vicarious-visions-is-no-more-as-it-completes-merger-with-blizzard/|title = Tony Hawk studio Vicarious Visions is no more as it completes merger with Blizzard|date = April 12, 2022}}</ref>

In celebration of the company's 30th anniversary, Blizzard Entertainment released a compilation called ''Blizzard Arcade Collection'' in February 2021, for various video game platforms. The collection includes their three classic video games: ''[[The Lost Vikings]]'', ''[[Rock n' Roll Racing]],'' and ''[[Blackthorne]],'' each of which containing additional upgrades and numerous modern features.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

Activision Blizzard was the subject of [[California Department of Fair Employment and Housing v. Activision Blizzard|a lawsuit]] from the [[California Department of Fair Employment and Housing]] in July 2021, asserting that for several years the management within Blizzard as well as Activision promoted a "frat boy" atmosphere that allowed and encouraged sexual misconduct towards female employees and discrimination in hiring practices.<ref name="bloomberglaw DFEH">{{Cite web|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/activision-blizzard-sued-by-california-over-frat-boy-culture|title=Activision Blizzard Sued Over 'Frat Boy' culture, Harassment|last=Allsup|first=Maeve|date=July 21, 2021|website=Bloomberg Law}}</ref> The lawsuit drew a large response from employees and groups outside of Activision Blizzard. In the wake of these events, Brack, one of the few individuals directly named in the suit, announced he was leaving Blizzard to "pursue new opportunities", and will be replaced by co-leads Jen Oneal, the lead of Vicarious Visions and the first woman in a leadership role for the company, and Mike Ybarra, a Blizzard executive vice president.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.gamespot.com/articles/blizzard-president-j-allen-brack-is-leaving-the-company/1100-6494696/| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20210928/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/blizzard-president-j-allen-brack-is-leaving-the-company/1100-6494696/| archive-date=2021-09-28 | title = Blizzard President J. Allen Brack Is Leaving The Company | first= Eddie | last = Makuch | date = August 3, 2021 | access-date = August 3, 2021 | work = [[GameSpot]] }}{{cbignore}}</ref> Oneal announced in November 2021 that she would be leaving the company by the end of 2021, leaving Ybarra as the sole leader of Blizzard.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://venturebeat.com/2021/11/02/jen-oneal-leaves-blizzard-co-leader-role-mike-ybarra-becomes-sole-boss/ | title = Jen Oneal leaves Blizzard co-leader role, Mike Ybarra becomes sole boss | first= Mike | last = Minotti | date = November 2, 2021 | access-date = November 2, 2021 | work = [[Venture Beat]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=A Message From Jen Oneal|url=https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/blizzard/23738005/a-message-from-jen-oneal|access-date=2021-11-02|website=news.blizzard.com|language=en}}</ref>

As a result of the California lawsuit and of delays and release issues with their more recent games, Activision Blizzard's stock faced severe pressure. Subsequently, [[Microsoft]] seized the opportunity to become one of the largest video game companies in the world and announced its intent to acquire Activision Blizzard and its subsidiaries, including Blizzard, for {{USD|68.7 billion|long=no}} in January 2022. This exchange marks the largest acquisition in tech history, surpassing the $67 billion [[Dell EMC|Dell-EMC]] merger from 2016. The deal closed on October 13, 2023, and Activision Blizzard moved into the [[Microsoft Gaming]] division.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Microsoft to buy embattled Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/microsoft-activision-blizzard-acquisition/|access-date=2022-01-19|website=www.cbsnews.com|date=January 18, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Blizzard acquired [[Proletariat (company)|Proletariat]], the developers of ''[[Spellbreak]]'', in June 2022 as to help support ''World of Warcraft''. The 100-employee studio remained in Boston but will shutter ''Spellbreak'' as they move onto ''Warcraft''.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://venturebeat.com/2022/06/29/blizzard-acquires-spellbreak-studio-proletariat-to-bolster-world-of-warcraft/ | title = Blizzard acquires Spellbreak studio Proletariat to bolster World of Warcraft | first = Dean | last = Takahashi | date = June 29, 2022 | access-date = June 29, 2022 | work = [[Venture Beat]] }}</ref>