Microsoft Gaming Layoffs: Ybarra and Adham Leave Blizzard
On January 25, 2024, Microsoft cut about 1,900 gaming jobs. Blizzard president Mike Ybarra and co-founder Allen Adham left; Johanna Faries stepped in.
By:
John Langan
Key Takeaways
- On January 25, 2024, Microsoft announced it was cutting roughly 1,900 jobs across Activision Blizzard, Xbox, and ZeniMax, about 8% of Microsoft Gaming's ~22,000 employees.
- Blizzard president Mike Ybarra announced his departure the same day; Microsoft's Matt Booty said Ybarra left on his own terms and was not part of the layoffs.
- Blizzard co-founder Allen Adham, then the studio's Chief Design Officer, also chose to leave.
- Johanna Faries was named the new president of Blizzard on January 29, 2024, moving over from her role as general manager of Call of Duty.
- Blizzard's unannounced survival game, codenamed Odyssey, was cancelled in the same wave of cuts.
- World of Warcraft itself kept running through the shake-up, with Patch 10.2 Guardians of the Dream and the Amirdrassil raid live at the time.
With the headlines covered, here is what Microsoft actually said, who left, and how the leadership gap was filled.
What Microsoft Announced
On January 25, 2024, Microsoft told staff it would lay off about 1,900 employees across Activision Blizzard, Xbox, and ZeniMax. That figure represented roughly 8% of Microsoft Gaming's total workforce of around 22,000, and it landed just three months after the Activision Blizzard acquisition formally closed. Coverage at the time, including Forbes, framed the cuts as the merged organisation trimming overlap.
In a memo to employees, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer wrote that "the leadership of Microsoft Gaming and Activision Blizzard is committed to aligning on a strategy and an execution plan with a sustainable cost structure that will support the whole of our growing business." He acknowledged the people affected across the Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax, and Xbox teams, said Microsoft would provide severance in line with local law, and asked colleagues to treat departing staff with respect. He closed by saying that, difficult as the moment was, he remained "as confident as ever" in the teams' ability to make the games and worlds that bring players together.
Mike Ybarra's Departure
Alongside the layoffs, Blizzard president Mike Ybarra, known to the community as "Qwik," confirmed on social media that the day was his last at the company. Ybarra had joined Blizzard in October 2019 after more than two decades at Microsoft, and rose to president in February 2022.
He framed the exit as a personal decision rather than a casualty of the cuts. Ybarra wrote that "leading Blizzard through an incredible time and being part of the team, shaping it for the future ahead, was an absolute honor," and that after 20-plus years at Microsoft it was "time for me to (once again) become Blizzard's biggest fan from the outside." Matt Booty, president of Microsoft Game Content and Studios, publicly confirmed that both Ybarra and Adham chose to leave on their own terms and were not included in the layoffs.
Allen Adham's Departure
Allen Adham, one of the three people who founded Blizzard in 1991, also stepped away. Adham had originally left the company in 2004, returned in 2016, and by the time of his 2024 departure was serving as Blizzard's Chief Design Officer. His exit closed a rare direct link back to the studio's earliest days, from the original Warcraft through decades of Blizzard design.
Who Replaced Them and What Followed
The leadership gap did not stay open long. On January 29, 2024, Blizzard named Johanna Faries as its new president, with a start date of February 5. Faries came from inside the newly combined company: she had been the general manager of Call of Duty at Activision, and before games she spent around 12 years at the NFL. Her appointment put a Call of Duty leader at the head of the World of Warcraft studio.
The same wave of cuts also claimed an unannounced project. Blizzard's survival game, worked on under the codename Odyssey, was cancelled as part of the restructuring, with staff redirected to other projects. Through all of it, World of Warcraft kept shipping: the game was mid-way through Patch 10.2 Guardians of the Dream, with the Amirdrassil, the Dream's Hope raid live, and content continued on schedule under Microsoft's ownership.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Microsoft announce the 2024 gaming layoffs?
Microsoft announced the cuts on January 25, 2024, affecting about 1,900 employees across Activision Blizzard, Xbox, and ZeniMax. It was roughly 8% of Microsoft Gaming's ~22,000 staff and came about three months after the Activision Blizzard deal closed.
Was Mike Ybarra laid off?
No. Ybarra announced his own departure the same day, and Matt Booty publicly confirmed that Ybarra, along with Allen Adham, chose to leave on his own terms and was not part of the layoffs.
How long was Mike Ybarra at Blizzard?
Ybarra joined Blizzard in October 2019 and became president in February 2022, leaving in January 2024. Before Blizzard he had spent more than 20 years at Microsoft.
Who is Allen Adham?
Adham is one of Blizzard's three co-founders from 1991. He left in 2004, returned in 2016, and was serving as Chief Design Officer when he departed in 2024.
Who became Blizzard president after Mike Ybarra?
Johanna Faries, announced on January 29, 2024, with a February 5 start. She had been general manager of Call of Duty at Activision and previously spent about 12 years at the NFL.
Did the layoffs affect World of Warcraft?
WoW development continued. At the time the game was in Patch 10.2 Guardians of the Dream with the Amirdrassil raid live, and content kept releasing on schedule. Blizzard's unannounced survival game, codenamed Odyssey, was the notable project cancelled in the same wave.
Last reviewed 2026-07-20 against Patch 10.2 Guardians of the Dream. Maintained by WowCarry's WoW team.