John Hight has long paved the way for the future of one of Blizzard’s core IPs, but after a dozen years, he has decided to leave the company, which has since been acquired by Microsoft.

Hight worked as a creative director at 3DO Company in the 1990s before moving to Electronic Arts, where he served as executive producer on several Westwood-developed games. He then spent three years at Atari before serving a year on the board of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences. From there, he joined Sony Santa Monica Studio as director of product development, working on God of War 3 and the launch of PlayStation Network. From there, he joined Blizzard in November 2011 as executive producer and vice president of World of Warcraft, where he oversaw the development of Diablo III for consoles.

Hight posted his farewell message on Twitter: “After 12 incredible years at Blizzard, I have decided to step away to pursue new opportunities. It was a difficult decision, but I feel now is as good a time as any: Warcraft is in an amazing position as the universe turns 30. It has been such an honor to serve all the heroes of Azeroth. You are the most passionate, dedicated, and creative community in gaming. You’re why I’ve poured my heart and soul into making the best games possible. You have inspired me, challenged me, and made me a stronger developer.

I also want to express my immense gratitude and confidence in the teams and leaders who support all of the games in the Warcraft universe. I know that you will take World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, and Warcraft Rumble to new heights, and I can’t wait to experience your vision with other players. As for what’s next in my journey, I don’t have any specifics to share yet, but I’m excited to explore new opportunities and challenges in the industry and to continue making great games with talented people. Thank you again for making these years so memorable, and I’ll see you in Azeroth – now just as a player,” Hight wrote.

We wish him all the best!

Source: VGC