Ben Brode Leaves Blizzard Entertainment
Ben Brode has posted a very important announcement this afternoon. After working at Blizzard for 15 years and developing Hearthstone for almost 10, he has decided to leave the company.
Thank you, Ben, for all the communication you've given the community over the years, the laughs, and most importantly, this game.
Quote from Ben BrodeTo my friends, coworkers, and the Hearthstone community,
After 15 years at Blizzard and almost 10 years working on Hearthstone, I have made the incredibly difficult decision to embark on a new journey.
Man, that was a hard sentence to type.
I was 20 years old when I started here. My first role was ‘Night Crew Game Tester.’
Since then, Blizzard has been good to me. I got to cast esports events, announce BlizzCons, play in Rock Bands, write raps, and work with incredible people. But the biggest opportunity came in 2008 when I joined “Team 5.” The Hearthstone Team.
I am very proud of Hearthstone. I think we made an impact on the industry. People tell me that Hearthstone brought their family closer together, or that they became close friends with people they met at a Fireside Gathering. Others tell me they were inspired by Hearthstone to become game developers themselves. It’s incredible to be a part of something that touches so many people.
But as proud as I am of Hearthstone, I am even more proud of the team.
There is no team like the Hearthstone team. People have come and gone over the 10 years Hearthstone has been in development, but there’s something special about the Soul of the Team. We knew our most important product wasn’t the game, but the team itself. A great team can do great things, and I think the Hearthstone team is the greatest. It isn’t just a job. It’s a shared passion. We get to come to work and focus on the game we love and try to make it better every day.
We frequently check the Hearthstone subreddit looking for opportunities to improve the game. I have loved the silly memes, engaging in spirited debates, or even just being held accountable to our shared high standards for the game. We try to be highly available on social media, and I think our team helped push the envelope in this regard. It has been especially satisfying to me to see the team step up over the last few years and help engage in these ways as I became more focused on direction and less on actual design.
I get too much credit by virtue of being a public face, but the 80+ people on the development team are still there, and they are the ones actually making the cards, brawls, events, missions, and features. I am confident the game is in the best possible hands, and I’m excited to see where a new generation of leaders takes Hearthstone from here.
I am very fortunate to be able to take a crazy risk right now in my life, and I’m excited to be scrappy and a little scared. I’m going to help start a new company. We’ll probably make games, but we haven’t figured anything else out, yet. I’m looking forward to designing, programming, and actually creating things again. I’m going to miss the on-campus Starbucks, though. Dang.
Blizzard, thank you for taking a chance on me, and thank you for taking a chance on Hearthstone. I can’t wait to see what you do next.
And to the passionate community of players – I will miss you, and the laughs we shared together. Thank you for making being a part of Hearthstone so much fun for me. I’ve loved every minute.
Sincerely,
Ben Brode
so THIS is the real reason he quit
source?
Ben is leaving blizzard, but he will never leave our hearts.
How much you dont want this to be true from 1 to i legit though its Apris 1st when i saw title
https://www.hearthpwn.com/news/5514-hamilton-chu-hearthstones-executive-producer-also
PRODUCER LEAVING ALSO. I FELT THAT I GOT SCAMED.
YOU GUYS GUYS SUED VALINT CHAOS THAT HARD.
CAN WE SUED U GUYS NOW FOR SOMEHOW BEING CHEATED ? SERIOUSULY F IT
BEN BRODE BEST LAUGHS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RSkzpbHwR0
I guess him being fired makes sense. They increased the value of the preorder by 40%. They made the quests more profitable and easier. They wouldn't have done that if Hearthstone were performing as well as it used to. The change to the pre-order, especially, seems desperate, even though card packs are obviously way over-priced.
They obviously think someone else will be able to bring profits back up.
Deleted.
Thank you for everything!
Actually, Ben didn't get fired. Blizzard just suggested that he needed a small nerf to help balance the team. But, unfortunately, Ben found out that like so many of he other attempts at balance changes, he made himself completely useless, and he is not completely unplayable.
The fact that he doesn't have ANYTHING figured out yet about his new company basically means he was FIRED.
Pretty sure he wanted to keep it secret for now.
please do it blizz,
The guy didn't leave he was INVITED TO LEAVE. You don't fire GOOD talent, sorry this dude had to go. He will be forgotten about as quick as this post vanishes into obscurity...If they made a card in the game featuring this half-wit I'd stop playing.
why are you this mad? what did brode do to make you get that heated? do you just despise rap music?
I have always found the HS team to be very incompetent, but at least Ben's personality kind of added charm to the trailers.. Good luck Ben!
Think I'm gonna miss BB's laugh more than "By Fire be Purged!"
#SadNewsIndeed
C'Thun: "It was your fault."
Ben Brode: "I get too much credit by virtue of being a public face, but the 80+ people on the development team are still there, and they are the ones actually making the cards, brawls, events, missions, and features."
C'Thun: "Flee, screaming."
Ben Brode: "I’m going to help start a new company."
C'Thun: "Hope is an illusion."
Ben Brode: "We’ll probably make games, but we haven’t figured anything else out, yet."
C'Thun: "Your minions think you are weak. Your minions will abandon you. You have already lost."