John Hight leaves Blizzard Entertainment
World of Warcraft general manager "excited to explore new opportunities" following departure
John Hight has left Blizzard Entertainment after being with the company for over a decade.
Hight, who joined Blizzard in 2011, announced the news on social media in which he shared he is "excited to explore new opportunities."
"After 12 incredible years at Blizzard, I've decided to step away and start a new quest," Hight wrote. "It was a tough decision, but I feel like now is as good a time as any: Warcraft is in an amazing position as the universe turns 30. I've been so honoured to serve all of the heroes of Azeroth."
He continued: "As for what's next in my journey, I don't have any specifics to share quite yet, but I am excited to explore new opportunities and challenges in the industry, and continue making great games with talented people."
Hight joined Blizzard as senior producer on World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria. He became executive producer and vice president of the franchise during his tenure, before becoming general manager in November 2021.
He also directed production on Diablo 3 and its Reaper of Souls expansion.
Hight started his career in 1993 as creative director of internal development startup The 3DO Company. He joined Electronic Arts in 1996 as executive producer and director of design before moving to Atari in 2002 in another executive producer role.
In 2005, Hight joined Sony as director of product development, working on God of War 3 and the launch of the PlayStation Network.