Diablo general manager and Gears of War veteran Rod Fergusson has left Blizzard.
Fergusson confirmed the news on his personal Twitter/X account:
After five years of driving the Diablo franchise forward with four big launches, it's time for me to step away from Blizzard/Microsoft, sword in hand, and see what's next. The teams are set up for success, with an exciting slate of releases ahead. I'm incredibly proud of what… pic.twitter.com/Fsh4gjmgVl
— Rod Fergusson (@RodFergusson) August 8, 2025
"After five years of driving the Diablo franchise forward with four big launches, it's time for me to step away from Blizzard/Microsoft, sword in hand, and see what's next," Fergusson wrote. "The teams are set up for success, with an exciting slate of releases ahead. I'm incredibly proud of what we've built together and looking forward to what comes next for Diablo, and for me."
Blizzard confirmed this news to IGN today as well, but declined to offer further comment as to why Fergusson has left the company, or who will run the Diablo franchise going forward.
Blizzard president Johanna Faries responded on Twitter/X, with the following:
Guiding a franchise like Diablo takes rare talent, vision, and collaboration. Thank you, Rod, for bringing all of those in spades. Sanctuary’s future is brighter because of the impact you’ve had! ✨ https://t.co/r479RGDkm3
— Johanna Faries (@Joh_Burg) August 8, 2025
Xbox head Phil Spencer also responded on BlueSky: "You brought strength, hellfire, and vision to one of gaming’s most iconic franchises. Playing Diablo IV with you was a blast—thanks for everything you gave to the game and the community."
Rod Fergusson joined Blizzard in 2020 after leaving Microsoft's The Coalition. Fergusson previously worked on every Gears of War game across his time at both Microsoft and Epic Games. At Blizzard, Fergusson headed up the Diablo franchise, joining shortly after Diablo 4 was first announced. Fergusson has done numerous candid interviews about his vision for the direction and future of the Diablo franchise. In April, Blizzard unveiled a roadmap for Diablo 4 for 2025 that did not go down well with fans. Most recently, Diablo 4 received the Sins of the Horadrim update with new Nightmare Dungeon updates and customizable spells.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.