With Diablo 4 currently in development, the series’ developer Blizzard looks to be hiring its dream team. The company has had some issues of late, including its banning of a Heartstone player who expressed support for the Hong Kong protests last year. However, with recent Diablo 4 announcements and this new hiring spree, it looks like change is coming.
This started late last year, when Blizzard began hiring some of the gaming industry’s big names. In October 2019, Blizzard hired Mike Ybarra as its new executive vice president. After almost 20 years at Xbox, he brings a wealth of experience to the role. Blizzard’s other recent huge acquisition was Rod Fergusson, formerly the lead of the popular Xbox-exclusive shooter franchise Gears of War. Fergusson has been known for his ability to “bring games home,” such as when he jumped into Bioshock Infinite as a “closer” to get it out the door before returning to Gears of War.
Now, Blizzard is hiring for about two dozen roles across a number of departments, including art, animation, engineering, design, and production, as seen on Twitter. These are full-time positions based at their studio in Irvine, California, although they are willing to hire from other locations. For out-of-area applicants, they say they will help new employees with work visas and relocation if needed.
Blizzard needs a win with Diablo 4. Back in 2012, Diablo 3 had a notoriously rocky launch, as many fans were disillusioned with technical issues and changes to things like the game’s art style. More recently, fans have been upset at the launch of Warcraft 3: Reforged, an unfortunately buggy remake of Warcraft 3 that missed the mark when it not only launched with technical problems, but also left out fan-favorite features like the clan system. To keep fans coming back to its games, Blizzard needs a stellar launch with Diablo 4, especially given how long players have waited for it.
So far, Diablo 4 looks to offer a mix of the well-loved combat and classic art style with an ambitious new design. The latest gameplay trailer reveals a return to the classic Diablo gameplay fans have embraced over the years. However, the environment is greatly expanded, including more than 100 towns and villages in a more open-world design than ever before. The game will even feature customizable horses and mounts, such as ghost and demon horses that players can equip with their choices of armor, saddles, and trophies. Since such an expansive world requires a skilled team, it’s no wonder Blizzard is casting their net for fresh talent.
Next: Improvements Blizzard Really Needs To Make With Diablo 4
Source: Twitter
