Latest news with #BlizzCon
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How ‘Call of Duty' Says It Is Getting More Veterans Jobs Than the U.S. Government
As Memorial Day approaches and National Military Appreciation Month comes to a close, here's a timely fact: the largest private funder of veteran employment in the United States is a video game. Tied to Activision's long-running military game franchise 'Call of Duty,' the aptly named Call of Duty Endowment (C.O.D.E.) has placed over 150,000 veterans in jobs since 2009 and has been surpassing the federal government's placement efforts since 2022, according to the organization's president, Dan Goldenberg. More from Variety Blizzard's BlizzCon Fan Event to Return in 2026 Under New Owner Microsoft Gaming 'Call of Duty: Black Ops 6' Scores Franchise's Biggest-Ever Launch Weekend, Microsoft Gaming Says Why Activision's Test of 'True Success' With 'Call of Duty: Black Ops 6' Isn't Sales, but Cultural Awareness The initiative has raised $48 million through sales of special accessory packs in 'Call of Duty' games alone (one of which recently launched in collaboration with real-life vets First Sergeant Korey Staley and Captain Florent 'Flo' Groberg), in addition to other donation streams, and 'every cent of which is going to putting vets in jobs,' Goldenberg says. 'The 'Call of Duty' community has been generous. Activision, as partners, have been incredible. They've all kind of come together in this ecosystem,' Goldenberg told Variety. 'And one thing I know for sure is we've had more measurable social impact than anyone I know of in the gaming industry. I can't think of another cause where it's not so much the money raised, it's the impact out. Others may have raised more money, but we've put — including the in-game stuff and other donations and corporate partnerships — close to $100 million against this problem. And as a result, 150,000 vets have jobs, their families are more secure. Meaningful employment is just so core to so many other challenges a vet may encounter. If you have a meaningful job, you probably have health care, you have colleagues, you have purpose.' According to C.O.D.E., it costs $628 per placement of each vet. The average starting salary for vets in these placements is $75,000, and 93% are receiving full-time placement. Goldenberg says the program has seen an 89% retention rate at six months. Additionally, 20% of the program's veterans placed are women. Launched in 2009 by former Activision chief Bobby Kotick and co-chaired by General James L. Jones beginning in 2012, the Call of Duty Endowment started out a time when the unemployment rate for veterans 'was super high,' Goldenberg said. 'It stemmed from this very successful gaming franchise that said, 'We've gotten really big, and we owe a lot of our success to the people who inspired us. We'd like to find a good way to give back to them,'' Goldenberg said, adding that 'initially, we looked like a lot of corporate foundations writing big checks. But the difference was the discipline that had made Activision and 'Call of Duty' so successful was being applied to trying to solve a social problem here.' C.O.D.E. is currently bracing for a higher number of unemployed veterans amid the recent job cuts across government service, a popular sector for vet placement, under the administration of President Donald Trump. But Goldenberg says the techniques the endowment already has in place — methods it has been building on through years of trial and error — will help significantly with this influx. 'A lot of it was vetting our partners, and we insisted on a return on our investment,' Goldenberg said. 'The difference was, it was a social return. We wanted to see a lot of vets put in jobs. And when we started, we were at parity. Our cost per placement was about the same as the federal government's efforts.' And with 'consistent disciplined vetting and accountability of our grantees on a quarterly basis,' Goldenberg says the Endowment has pulled ahead. 'It works. So last year, we placed vets in jobs for 1/15th the cost of placement of the government with much higher quality outcomes in terms of average starting salary, retention rates, and the percentage of those jobs that are for full-time employment,' Goldenberg said. 'And I guess the big lesson out of it is the discipline of business can really make a big difference for social cost. That's been our unequivocal experience. We didn't go in for brands. We looked for nonprofit partners who we thought for the dollar could accomplish the most social impact, and that's what we've gotten.' As for how the actual 'Call of Duty' video games can help vets, a study done by the Entertainment Software Association found that 86% of surveyed U.S. vets said video games provided them with a 'healthy outlet for stress and anxiety.' 'And not surprisingly, 'Call of Duty' is their favorite game,' Goldenberg says of the study's findings. 'When I've talked to friends who've been forward, when I've gone forward, you would think, and people from outside will say, 'Don't you get enough of the military thing?' And no, it's like a great way for them — especially when we were in active combat, people would come back to the forward operating bases, and they use it to decompress and have fun,' Goldenberg says. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Blizzard Entertainment president says 'there's a game for you' no matter what type of player you are
IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — California gaming giant Blizzard Entertainment announced Thursday that its popular event BlizzCon is coming back after several years off. The celebration of all things Blizzard, which will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center, is scheduled for September 2026. Blizzard last held the event in 2023. Next year's BlizzCon will include staples like its opening ceremony — which typically includes big game announcements — as well as panels and other experiences. Johanna Faries, president of Blizzard Entertainment, said BlizzCon is part of Blizzard's role as an entertainment company that stretches beyond the boundaries of making games. BlizzCon, she said, is an entertainment platform and 'an opportunity to create a different kind of gathering well for gamers.' 'There are so many stories at an individual level, just at BlizzCon alone, about how people's lives were changed: I met my partner there. I finally could bond with my son in a way that I couldn't before, thanks to BlizzCon,' said Faries. 'We take that role very seriously.' Faries discussed gaming's growing popularity in pop culture, and why the medium is at the forefront of entertainment, with comedian Conan O'Brien at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in Texas on Tuesday. She recently spoke with The Associated Press. Q: What do you think it is about the last few years that has propelled gaming to the forefront? A: I love that it's happened. I think it's been really just wonderful to also witness that change in conversation and zeitgeist and understanding. A lot of the things we talk about now is it's really less about, you know, who is a gamer. It's really what is anyone playing at any given moment in time. This also goes back to, I think, that the medium is starting to meet people on their terms. If you're a casual gamer of a certain demographic in a certain part of the world, there's games for you. If you only have so many hours in a day to be able to expend escaping into the 'World of Warcraft,' there's a game for you. If you're a mobile player, if you're a PC player, if you're both depending on the room in your house, there's a way for us to be able to meet you — and not only cross platform or cross progression, cross play. That's part of where I think the technology has met this moment of making the consumer experience so personal to them, but also so ready made and more immediate. It's also part of why again, I go back to, I think, this intersection of the best of the best in technology, the best of the best in creativity, the best of the best in what is entertainment today, where we want it to shape into the future, is really where gaming comes at the forefront, as compared to many other mediums. Q: How has the gaming landscape changed from one that was perhaps more focused on Triple-A titles to one that now runs the gamut? A: The models have changed and evolved over time as well. To your point, I think there's a consumer appetite for long form, short form, and there are now, I think, so many skill sets coming into the sector to be able to do that in a world-class way. I'd also say what's been really cool is how hybridized a lot of the play styles and play habits have been. Some of the most followed and renowned creators or streamers are playing multiple games, right? They're not sort of a one-hit wonder, so to speak, even if they may be more fluent in certain Triple-A or Double-A or, you know, different ways that we would sort of ascribe labels. I myself play a ton of different games. Depends on my mood. Depends on, again, how many hours do I have to spend in it? And I love the sort of menu of choices that now we as an industry have been able to deliver for consumers, and not thinking about people in one-dimensional ways. Q: The video game industry globally has generated more revenue than North American sports and movies combined. Where do you see gaming and the gaming experience fitting into broader entertainment? A: It's helped that a lot of our household name celebrities are also avid gamers, right? They've normalized the conversation around when the Kansas City Chiefs aren't on the field, they're playing a ton of games. We've got so many different well-known entertainment names across Hollywood, across film, across music, across fashion, who consider themselves fans of games. And that helps us connect dots. It helps us think about collaborations. Q: How do you balance the use of AI with what the folks who are working on the games want? A: You hit the nail on the head in terms of the word 'balance.' We have wonderful, world-class talent who are always looking at the best in tech, the best in tools, to be able to unlock their creative prowess. What's really wonderful, I think, is we take a lens of being very principled in that, no matter what the new technology is. We have peers and cross functional groups who are always talking about, what is the role of new tech in our work, but how do we make sure that it's coming from the ground up? It's dev-led. It's dev-inspired. These are really emergent technologies, but we have to be principled and responsible about how we steward it, how we collectively mine for new opportunities. But what I love is that there's a real energy around this. That's always been part and parcel of how, I think, Blizzard has approached new tech in game making. But we have a really good balance of being able to absorb what's new, but also think about it from a principled people-first, player-first way, to ensure that, you know, our employees feel good about it. Our games thrive. Again, we're just giving people the tools and the opportunity to do their best work. Q: DEI has been a very big topic of conversation as over the the last couple of months, as some companies have ditched those initiatives. What role do you see DEI playing at your company? A: I find it such a blessing that both Blizzard, but also gaming in general, has been inherently a diverse medium since its founding, and so that's the lens that we were always going to think about it. Not only just at the consumer and the gaming level, in terms of our end results around the communities we forge, but with the people and the talent we want to recruit, retain and advance and empower who make up this organization. That's always when we're operating at our best, that's always been critical to our values and how we see the world. I also think one of the things that's come up in conversation that's really important to me is that kind of value, or values-based approach, is what engenders so much empathy in the stories that we create. Our worlds are nuanced and diverse. Our characters are nuanced and diverse. There is a sensitivity to different abilities, different backgrounds, different lived experiences. Nothing monolithic, nothing too obvious. And so we need people who have diverse, nuanced lived experiences to be able to tell and shape the stories that make us great. And that's always going to be the truth for how we're going to operate. Q: What more can you tell me about what we can expect from BlizzCon? A: I'm just so thrilled to be bringing it back in the fall of 2026 and I think time is on our side. That was a big part of why we wanted to take this longer lens approach to make sure that everybody comes with the best that we have to offer when we get back to Anaheim. But coming back to Anaheim Convention Center is also a key component to the legacy of BlizzCon, right? It will be our 15th BlizzCon in Blizzard's history. So this is a mega moment for us. And you know, I think we're just really energized by the opportunity to not only bring it back, but elevate it and really over-deliver on people's expectations — both, again, the players who play our games and have really high expectations for what BlizzCon needs to look and feel like for them, but also for our employees. Sarah Parvini, The Associated Press Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Blizzard Entertainment president says 'there's a game for you' no matter what type of player you are
IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — California gaming giant Blizzard Entertainment announced Thursday that its popular event BlizzCon is coming back after several years off. The celebration of all things Blizzard, which will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center, is scheduled for September 2026. Blizzard last held the event in 2023. Next year's BlizzCon will include staples like its opening ceremony — which typically includes big game announcements — as well as panels and other experiences. Johanna Faries, president of Blizzard Entertainment, said BlizzCon is part of Blizzard's role as an entertainment company that stretches beyond the boundaries of making games. BlizzCon, she said, is an entertainment platform and 'an opportunity to create a different kind of gathering well for gamers.' See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. 'There are so many stories at an individual level, just at BlizzCon alone, about how people's lives were changed: I met my partner there. I finally could bond with my son in a way that I couldn't before, thanks to BlizzCon,' said Faries. 'We take that role very seriously.' Faries discussed gaming's growing popularity in pop culture, and why the medium is at the forefront of entertainment, with comedian Conan O'Brien at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in Texas on Tuesday. She recently spoke with The Associated Press. Q: What do you think it is about the last few years that has propelled gaming to the forefront? A: I love that it's happened. I think it's been really just wonderful to also witness that change in conversation and zeitgeist and understanding. A lot of the things we talk about now is it's really less about, you know, who is a gamer. It's really what is anyone playing at any given moment in time. This also goes back to, I think, that the medium is starting to meet people on their terms. If you're a casual gamer of a certain demographic in a certain part of the world, there's games for you. If you only have so many hours in a day to be able to expend escaping into the 'World of Warcraft,' there's a game for you. If you're a mobile player, if you're a PC player, if you're both depending on the room in your house, there's a way for us to be able to meet you — and not only cross platform or cross progression, cross play. That's part of where I think the technology has met this moment of making the consumer experience so personal to them, but also so ready made and more immediate. It's also part of why again, I go back to, I think, this intersection of the best of the best in technology, the best of the best in creativity, the best of the best in what is entertainment today, where we want it to shape into the future, is really where gaming comes at the forefront, as compared to many other mediums. Q: How has the gaming landscape changed from one that was perhaps more focused on Triple-A titles to one that now runs the gamut? A: The models have changed and evolved over time as well. To your point, I think there's a consumer appetite for long form, short form, and there are now, I think, so many skill sets coming into the sector to be able to do that in a world-class way. I'd also say what's been really cool is how hybridized a lot of the play styles and play habits have been. Some of the most followed and renowned creators or streamers are playing multiple games, right? They're not sort of a one-hit wonder, so to speak, even if they may be more fluent in certain Triple-A or Double-A or, you know, different ways that we would sort of ascribe labels. I myself play a ton of different games. Depends on my mood. Depends on, again, how many hours do I have to spend in it? And I love the sort of menu of choices that now we as an industry have been able to deliver for consumers, and not thinking about people in one-dimensional ways. Q: The video game industry globally has generated more revenue than North American sports and movies combined. Where do you see gaming and the gaming experience fitting into broader entertainment? A: It's helped that a lot of our household name celebrities are also avid gamers, right? They've normalized the conversation around when the Kansas City Chiefs aren't on the field, they're playing a ton of games. We've got so many different well-known entertainment names across Hollywood, across film, across music, across fashion, who consider themselves fans of games. And that helps us connect dots. It helps us think about collaborations. Q: How do you balance the use of AI with what the folks who are working on the games want? A: You hit the nail on the head in terms of the word 'balance.' We have wonderful, world-class talent who are always looking at the best in tech, the best in tools, to be able to unlock their creative prowess. What's really wonderful, I think, is we take a lens of being very principled in that, no matter what the new technology is. We have peers and cross functional groups who are always talking about, what is the role of new tech in our work, but how do we make sure that it's coming from the ground up? It's dev-led. It's dev-inspired. These are really emergent technologies, but we have to be principled and responsible about how we steward it, how we collectively mine for new opportunities. But what I love is that there's a real energy around this. That's always been part and parcel of how, I think, Blizzard has approached new tech in game making. But we have a really good balance of being able to absorb what's new, but also think about it from a principled people-first, player-first way, to ensure that, you know, our employees feel good about it. Our games thrive. Again, we're just giving people the tools and the opportunity to do their best work. Q: DEI has been a very big topic of conversation as over the the last couple of months, as some companies have ditched those initiatives. What role do you see DEI playing at your company? A: I find it such a blessing that both Blizzard, but also gaming in general, has been inherently a diverse medium since its founding, and so that's the lens that we were always going to think about it. Not only just at the consumer and the gaming level, in terms of our end results around the communities we forge, but with the people and the talent we want to recruit, retain and advance and empower who make up this organization. That's always when we're operating at our best, that's always been critical to our values and how we see the world. I also think one of the things that's come up in conversation that's really important to me is that kind of value, or values-based approach, is what engenders so much empathy in the stories that we create. Our worlds are nuanced and diverse. Our characters are nuanced and diverse. There is a sensitivity to different abilities, different backgrounds, different lived experiences. Nothing monolithic, nothing too obvious. And so we need people who have diverse, nuanced lived experiences to be able to tell and shape the stories that make us great. And that's always going to be the truth for how we're going to operate. Q: What more can you tell me about what we can expect from BlizzCon? A: I'm just so thrilled to be bringing it back in the fall of 2026 and I think time is on our side. That was a big part of why we wanted to take this longer lens approach to make sure that everybody comes with the best that we have to offer when we get back to Anaheim. But coming back to Anaheim Convention Center is also a key component to the legacy of BlizzCon, right? It will be our 15th BlizzCon in Blizzard's history. So this is a mega moment for us. And you know, I think we're just really energized by the opportunity to not only bring it back, but elevate it and really over-deliver on people's expectations — both, again, the players who play our games and have really high expectations for what BlizzCon needs to look and feel like for them, but also for our employees.
The Independent
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Blizzard Entertainment president says 'there's a game for you' no matter what type of player you are
California gaming giant Blizzard Entertainment announced Thursday that its popular event BlizzCon is coming back after several years off. The celebration of all things Blizzard, which will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center, is scheduled for September 2026. Blizzard last held the event in 2023. Next year's BlizzCon will include staples like its opening ceremony — which typically includes big game announcements — as well as panels and other experiences. Johanna Faries, president of Blizzard Entertainment, said BlizzCon is part of Blizzard's role as an entertainment company that stretches beyond the boundaries of making games. BlizzCon, she said, is an entertainment platform and 'an opportunity to create a different kind of gathering well for gamers.' 'There are so many stories at an individual level, just at BlizzCon alone, about how people's lives were changed: I met my partner there. I finally could bond with my son in a way that I couldn't before, thanks to BlizzCon,' said Faries. 'We take that role very seriously.' Faries discussed gaming's growing popularity in pop culture, and why the medium is at the forefront of entertainment, with comedian Conan O'Brien at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in Texas on Tuesday. She recently spoke with The Associated Press. Q: What do you think it is about the last few years that has propelled gaming to the forefront? A: I love that it's happened. I think it's been really just wonderful to also witness that change in conversation and zeitgeist and understanding. A lot of the things we talk about now is it's really less about, you know, who is a gamer. It's really what is anyone playing at any given moment in time. This also goes back to, I think, that the medium is starting to meet people on their terms. If you're a casual gamer of a certain demographic in a certain part of the world, there's games for you. If you only have so many hours in a day to be able to expend escaping into the 'World of Warcraft,' there's a game for you. If you're a mobile player, if you're a PC player, if you're both depending on the room in your house, there's a way for us to be able to meet you — and not only cross platform or cross progression, cross play. That's part of where I think the technology has met this moment of making the consumer experience so personal to them, but also so ready made and more immediate. It's also part of why again, I go back to, I think, this intersection of the best of the best in technology, the best of the best in creativity, the best of the best in what is entertainment today, where we want it to shape into the future, is really where gaming comes at the forefront, as compared to many other mediums. Q: How has the gaming landscape changed from one that was perhaps more focused on Triple-A titles to one that now runs the gamut? A: The models have changed and evolved over time as well. To your point, I think there's a consumer appetite for long form, short form, and there are now, I think, so many skill sets coming into the sector to be able to do that in a world-class way. I'd also say what's been really cool is how hybridized a lot of the play styles and play habits have been. Some of the most followed and renowned creators or streamers are playing multiple games, right? They're not sort of a one-hit wonder, so to speak, even if they may be more fluent in certain Triple-A or Double-A or, you know, different ways that we would sort of ascribe labels. I myself play a ton of different games. Depends on my mood. Depends on, again, how many hours do I have to spend in it? And I love the sort of menu of choices that now we as an industry have been able to deliver for consumers, and not thinking about people in one-dimensional ways. Q: The video game industry globally has generated more revenue than North American sports and movies combined. Where do you see gaming and the gaming experience fitting into broader entertainment? A: It's helped that a lot of our household name celebrities are also avid gamers, right? They've normalized the conversation around when the Kansas City Chiefs aren't on the field, they're playing a ton of games. We've got so many different well-known entertainment names across Hollywood, across film, across music, across fashion, who consider themselves fans of games. And that helps us connect dots. It helps us think about collaborations. Q: How do you balance the use of AI with what the folks who are working on the games want? A: You hit the nail on the head in terms of the word 'balance.' We have wonderful, world-class talent who are always looking at the best in tech, the best in tools, to be able to unlock their creative prowess. What's really wonderful, I think, is we take a lens of being very principled in that, no matter what the new technology is. We have peers and cross functional groups who are always talking about, what is the role of new tech in our work, but how do we make sure that it's coming from the ground up? It's dev-led. It's dev-inspired. These are really emergent technologies, but we have to be principled and responsible about how we steward it, how we collectively mine for new opportunities. But what I love is that there's a real energy around this. That's always been part and parcel of how, I think, Blizzard has approached new tech in game making. But we have a really good balance of being able to absorb what's new, but also think about it from a principled people-first, player-first way, to ensure that, you know, our employees feel good about it. Our games thrive. Again, we're just giving people the tools and the opportunity to do their best work. Q: DEI has been a very big topic of conversation as over the the last couple of months, as some companies have ditched those initiatives. What role do you see DEI playing at your company? A: I find it such a blessing that both Blizzard, but also gaming in general, has been inherently a diverse medium since its founding, and so that's the lens that we were always going to think about it. Not only just at the consumer and the gaming level, in terms of our end results around the communities we forge, but with the people and the talent we want to recruit, retain and advance and empower who make up this organization. That's always when we're operating at our best, that's always been critical to our values and how we see the world. I also think one of the things that's come up in conversation that's really important to me is that kind of value, or values-based approach, is what engenders so much empathy in the stories that we create. Our worlds are nuanced and diverse. Our characters are nuanced and diverse. There is a sensitivity to different abilities, different backgrounds, different lived experiences. Nothing monolithic, nothing too obvious. And so we need people who have diverse, nuanced lived experiences to be able to tell and shape the stories that make us great. And that's always going to be the truth for how we're going to operate. Q: What more can you tell me about what we can expect from BlizzCon? A: I'm just so thrilled to be bringing it back in the fall of 2026 and I think time is on our side. That was a big part of why we wanted to take this longer lens approach to make sure that everybody comes with the best that we have to offer when we get back to Anaheim. But coming back to Anaheim Convention Center is also a key component to the legacy of BlizzCon, right? It will be our 15th BlizzCon in Blizzard's history. So this is a mega moment for us. And you know, I think we're just really energized by the opportunity to not only bring it back, but elevate it and really over-deliver on people's expectations — both, again, the players who play our games and have really high expectations for what BlizzCon needs to look and feel like for them, but also for our employees.
Associated Press
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Blizzard Entertainment president says ‘there's a game for you' no matter what type of player you are
IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — California gaming giant Blizzard Entertainment announced Thursday that its popular event BlizzCon is coming back after several years off. The celebration of all things Blizzard, which will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center, is scheduled for September 2026. Blizzard last held the event in 2023. Next year's BlizzCon will include staples like its opening ceremony — which typically includes big game announcements — as well as panels and other experiences. Johanna Faries, president of Blizzard Entertainment, said BlizzCon is part of Blizzard's role as an entertainment company that stretches beyond the boundaries of making games. BlizzCon, she said, is an entertainment platform and 'an opportunity to create a different kind of gathering well for gamers.' 'There are so many stories at an individual level, just at BlizzCon alone, about how people's lives were changed: I met my partner there. I finally could bond with my son in a way that I couldn't before, thanks to BlizzCon,' said Faries. 'We take that role very seriously.' Faries discussed gaming's growing popularity in pop culture, and why the medium is at the forefront of entertainment, with comedian Conan O'Brien at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in Texas on Tuesday. She recently spoke with The Associated Press. Q: What do you think it is about the last few years that has propelled gaming to the forefront? A: I love that it's happened. I think it's been really just wonderful to also witness that change in conversation and zeitgeist and understanding. A lot of the things we talk about now is it's really less about, you know, who is a gamer. It's really what is anyone playing at any given moment in time. This also goes back to, I think, that the medium is starting to meet people on their terms. If you're a casual gamer of a certain demographic in a certain part of the world, there's games for you. If you only have so many hours in a day to be able to expend escaping into the 'World of Warcraft,' there's a game for you. If you're a mobile player, if you're a PC player, if you're both depending on the room in your house, there's a way for us to be able to meet you — and not only cross platform or cross progression, cross play. That's part of where I think the technology has met this moment of making the consumer experience so personal to them, but also so ready made and more immediate. It's also part of why again, I go back to, I think, this intersection of the best of the best in technology, the best of the best in creativity, the best of the best in what is entertainment today, where we want it to shape into the future, is really where gaming comes at the forefront, as compared to many other mediums. Q: How has the gaming landscape changed from one that was perhaps more focused on Triple-A titles to one that now runs the gamut? A: The models have changed and evolved over time as well. To your point, I think there's a consumer appetite for long form, short form, and there are now, I think, so many skill sets coming into the sector to be able to do that in a world-class way. I'd also say what's been really cool is how hybridized a lot of the play styles and play habits have been. Some of the most followed and renowned creators or streamers are playing multiple games, right? They're not sort of a one-hit wonder, so to speak, even if they may be more fluent in certain Triple-A or Double-A or, you know, different ways that we would sort of ascribe labels. I myself play a ton of different games. Depends on my mood. Depends on, again, how many hours do I have to spend in it? And I love the sort of menu of choices that now we as an industry have been able to deliver for consumers, and not thinking about people in one-dimensional ways. Q: The video game industry globally has generated more revenue than North American sports and movies combined. Where do you see gaming and the gaming experience fitting into broader entertainment? A: It's helped that a lot of our household name celebrities are also avid gamers, right? They've normalized the conversation around when the Kansas City Chiefs aren't on the field, they're playing a ton of games. We've got so many different well-known entertainment names across Hollywood, across film, across music, across fashion, who consider themselves fans of games. And that helps us connect dots. It helps us think about collaborations. Q: How do you balance the use of AI with what the folks who are working on the games want? A: You hit the nail on the head in terms of the word 'balance.' We have wonderful, world-class talent who are always looking at the best in tech, the best in tools, to be able to unlock their creative prowess. What's really wonderful, I think, is we take a lens of being very principled in that, no matter what the new technology is. We have peers and cross functional groups who are always talking about, what is the role of new tech in our work, but how do we make sure that it's coming from the ground up? It's dev-led. It's dev-inspired. These are really emergent technologies, but we have to be principled and responsible about how we steward it, how we collectively mine for new opportunities. But what I love is that there's a real energy around this. That's always been part and parcel of how, I think, Blizzard has approached new tech in game making. But we have a really good balance of being able to absorb what's new, but also think about it from a principled people-first, player-first way, to ensure that, you know, our employees feel good about it. Our games thrive. Again, we're just giving people the tools and the opportunity to do their best work. Q: DEI has been a very big topic of conversation as over the the last couple of months, as some companies have ditched those initiatives. What role do you see DEI playing at your company? A: I find it such a blessing that both Blizzard, but also gaming in general, has been inherently a diverse medium since its founding, and so that's the lens that we were always going to think about it. Not only just at the consumer and the gaming level, in terms of our end results around the communities we forge, but with the people and the talent we want to recruit, retain and advance and empower who make up this organization. That's always when we're operating at our best, that's always been critical to our values and how we see the world. I also think one of the things that's come up in conversation that's really important to me is that kind of value, or values-based approach, is what engenders so much empathy in the stories that we create. Our worlds are nuanced and diverse. Our characters are nuanced and diverse. There is a sensitivity to different abilities, different backgrounds, different lived experiences. Nothing monolithic, nothing too obvious. And so we need people who have diverse, nuanced lived experiences to be able to tell and shape the stories that make us great. And that's always going to be the truth for how we're going to operate. Q: What more can you tell me about what we can expect from BlizzCon? A: I'm just so thrilled to be bringing it back in the fall of 2026 and I think time is on our side. That was a big part of why we wanted to take this longer lens approach to make sure that everybody comes with the best that we have to offer when we get back to Anaheim. But coming back to Anaheim Convention Center is also a key component to the legacy of BlizzCon, right? It will be our 15th BlizzCon in Blizzard's history. So this is a mega moment for us. And you know, I think we're just really energized by the opportunity to not only bring it back, but elevate it and really over-deliver on people's expectations — both, again, the players who play our games and have really high expectations for what BlizzCon needs to look and feel like for them, but also for our employees.
