LectureMaster
Or is it just one of Adam's balls in my throat?
Blizzard wants 1–2 major game launches every year under Xbox
Under Xbox, Blizzard is pushing for more consistent output — including one or two major game launches annually
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Blizzard Entertainment president Johanna Faries wants the game developer to put out a couple of big launches every year, while focusing on its existing roster of franchises.
That's according to an interview with Bloomberg, where Faries discussed the studio's work under Xbox and how planning is happening for the next few years. Faries stepped into her role in January 2024, joining from the Activision side of Activision Blizzard King, where she formerly managed the Call of Duty franchise.
Faries notes that she is thinking in "five-year terms," and that she wants Blizzard to continue expanding its lineup of games across established worlds.
"We have iconic IP and in many ways it still has a lot of room to scale, so let's focus in on the cards we have to play. It doesn't mean we won't go into new places and territories, but for right now, let's home in on all the iconic stature that we have in the tank for Blizzard," she says. "That's number one."
Faries also wants the teams to have a "reliable cadences of launches" that can see Blizzard putting out a big launch or two every year.
"Our fans are hungry. They want to get involved. They want to feel reliability as well. They want us have a sense of what's right around the corner. Let's look at it as a portfolio, and let's make sure that every — let's say calendar year — there are at least one to two really big things that Blizzard is pumping out."
When asked about the 30% margin that is reportedly being imposed on Xbox by Microsoft, Faries doesn't give specific details, but notes that while Blizzard is being held to high standards, she considers it a credit to Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer and president of game content and studios Matt Booty.
"They want to see Blizzard thrive, and I think they trust in the talent that we have here to be able to write our future," she says. "I think we have our house very in order. I feel very confident about what's coming up."
Blizzard already has two big launches set for the first half of 2026
Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred is slated to launch in April 2026. (Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)
Looking ahead, Blizzard already seems set with two big launches coming fairly early next year. World of Warcraft: Midnight is set to arrive on March 2, 2026.
Meanwhile, Diablo 4 is getting its second expansion with the launch of Lord of Hatred on April 28, 2026, bringing new story and two new classes, including the Paladin, which is available now for anyone that preorders the expansion.
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