Diablo Lead Is Once Again Leaving Microsoft, After Previously Leaving Gears of War — “It’s Time To Step Away From Blizzard/Microsoft.”

There's a shake-up at Blizzard Entertainment, as Diablo general manager Rod Fergusson is departing the storied game developer.

Fergusson confirmed his departure on Friday via Bluesky, though he did not say where he was going next.

"After five years driving the Diablo franchise with four big launches, it’s time to step away from Blizzard/Microsoft, sword in hand, and see what’s next," Fergusson says. "I’m proud of what we’ve built and excited for what’s ahead for Diablo, and for me."

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer was quick to respond to Fergusson with well-wishes.

"You brought strength, hellfire, and vision to one of gaming’s most iconic franchises. Playing Diablo IV with you was a blast—thanks for everything you gave to the game and the community," Spencer says.

Notably, this is actually the third time that Fergusson has left Microsoft. The experienced producer led Xbox Game Studios' The Coalition for five years, overseeing multiple games like Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, Gears of War 4, and Gears 5 before leaving for Blizzard Entertainment in February 2020.

Prior to this, Fergusson worked at Irrational Games on BioShock Infinite, as well as working at Epic Games on the original Gears of War trilogy. Before that, he worked as a producer at Microsoft.

What is next for Diablo 4?

I'm curious to see where Fergusson ends up. Over the course of his career, he's build a reputation of being something of a fixer, meaning he has excelled at coming in for troubled projects such as Take-Two's BioShock Infinite and helping the teams figure out what needed to happen in order for the game to launch.

We'll have to wait and see where he goes, but whatever studio or publisher has scooped him up will be benefitting from serious experience.

As for the Diablo franchise, Diablo 4 first launched back in June 2023, with the game growing and evolving across numerous seasons and content updates since then.

In 2024, Blizzard launched the Vessel of Hatred expansion, which continued the main story with a new jungle-themed region and a new character class, the Spiritborn.

Looking ahead, a second expansion for Diablo 4 is planned, and was previously confirmed to be slated for time in 2026. Little else is known, though this new expansion will almost assuredly add another class into the mix. Time will tell if the community's cries for the Paladin will finally be answered.

More immediately, updates this this year will bring another IP crossover. Like Berserk, it's expect to be something dark that fits the world and atmosphere of Diablo 4.

In our review of Vessel of Hatred, editor Jez Corden and freelance writer Jennifer Young joined forces to note that "It's undeniable that the team has built a powerful stage upon which to further flesh out the Mephisto arc, I just hope that the team will continue to listen to feedback. So far, they've done a decent job on that front."

Diablo 4 is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC (via Steam and Battle.net), PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. It's also included in Xbox Game Pass.