Former Xbox exec Mike Ybarra joins Blizzard Entertainment
Ybarra only left Xbox two weeks ago, will start as EVP and GM at Blizzcon
Former Xbox executive Mike Ybarra has joined Blizzard Entertainment as executive vice president and general manager.
In a statement on Twitter, Ybarra said only that he will start in the new role on November 4, and confirmed that he will be attending the company's annual fan convention, Blizzcon.
"We will work with all our energy to serve gamers with incredible content and experiences," Ybarra said. "I can't wait to be part of this team."
Ybarra only announced his departure from Xbox two weeks ago. He spent 20 years at Microsoft, working on titles like Gears of War, Age of Empires, and Sunset Overdrive, and ultimately taking the lead on Xbox Live, Xbox Game Pass, and Mixer.
He arrives at Blizzard in the midst of a great deal of controversy, which stemmed from actions taken against Hearthstone player Chung 'Blitzchung' Ng Wai and two commentators for the former's statements about liberating Hong Kong from Chinese control -- widely seen as being motivated by its relationship to Tencent, an accusation that Blizzard has denied.
Blizzard subsequently reduced the penalty against Chung 'Blitzchung' Ng Wai, but the situation now has a momentum of its own. It has sparked multiple public protests, and even resulted in a letter of condemnation from legislators in the US.