World of Warcraft boss says Microsoft is happy to 'let Blizzard be Blizzard,' but I'm not sure that's entirely true

Six months after its 2023 acquisition by Microsoft, it sounds like its business as usual at Blizzard. In an interview with VGC, World of Warcraft executive producer and vice president Holly Longdale said being a part of Microsoft has «just been helpful,» and that so far the new owners are taking a light touch.

«We got time with Helen Chang from Mojang, and we were sharing information, so it's almost as if we have access to what worked for them,» Longdale said. «We got to speak to the Elder Scrolls Online team and share what we're up to and what's been working, it's almost like we get a benefit.

»There's no one asking us to do anything. World of Warcraft is doing very well and they're very proud of what it’s been able to accomplish, so it's almost like just let it be, and let it keep being awesome. They've been tremendously supportive and it's like, 'let Blizzard be Blizzard'."

Longdale's statement bears echoes of Microsoft's hands-off approach to Bethesda Softworks, which it acquired in 2021—and which seemingly came to an end a few years later when an Xbox studios reorganization put ZeniMax and its subsidiary studios, including Bethesda, under the direct control of Xbox president of game content and studios Matt Booty. The shift was believed to be driven at least in part by the infamous flop of the co-op shooter Redfall, which Microsoft let slide even though developers at Arkane were reportedly hoping it would either reboot or cancel the project.

A similar scene may be playing out at Destiny studio Bungie, which was acquired by Sony in 2022. Bungie was initially left to operate as «an independent subsidiary,» but Destiny 2's recent struggles have put the pressure on: PlayStation chairman Hiroki Totoki said in February that he wants to see more "accountability" for development budgets and schedules from Bungie leadership, and there's a feeling that Bungie could find its operational independence ended if things don't turn around.

While the proverbial Sword of Damocles