One of the industry’s biggest names,Rod Fergussonof The Coalition, is making a big move. The studio head responsible for theGears of Warfranchise is leaving Microsoft Game Studios. Fergusson is only going to be taking on more responsibility from here, however.
Wednesday afternoon Fergusson confirmed that his new destination will be Blizzard, where his new role will be overseeing none other than theDiablofranchise. That includes overseeing not onlyDiablo 4, butDiablo Immortaland any otherDiabloplans Blizzard may have in the future.
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Fergusson has an incredibly storied career, going all the way back toHalf-Life: Counter-Strikein 2000. He’s also been involved with every entry in theGears of Warfranchise, staying with it even through theEpic Gamessale of the property to Microsoft in 2014. With that purchase, Microsoft brought on Fergusson to run the franchise as the studio head of The Coalition. His projects since have included bothGears of War 4andGears 5, as well as spin-offGearsgames including the upcomingGears Tactics.
Having wrapped upGears 5in 2019, it seems Fergusson itched for new opportunities. It’s unclear whether Blizzard’s open position for aDiablofranchise lead was simply a well-timed opening or if Fergusson pursued the position. Fergusson could be aDiablofan, though he’s certain to treat the brand like his own going forward regardless of his past experiences with it. While Fergusson doesn’t clarify when he’ll be starting the new job, he makes it sound like it’ll be a quick turnaround.
There’s no doubt that theDiablofranchise has big things in store in the relatively near future. Fergusson will be joining Blizzard as it’s firing on all cylinders for the development ofDiablo4. Blizzard has already confirmed thatDiablo 4will have robust seasonal content additions, including routine major expansions.Diablo 4’s a live service game, which is certain to keep Fergusson busy on its own. There’s more, though, such as the smartphoneDiablospin-offDiablo Immortal. Those two projects may just be the start of Blizzard’s Diablo plans for the coming several years.
Fergusson did take to Twitter to give his thanks to all of theGears of Warfans that have supported and followed him through the years. “Leaving is bittersweet as I love ourGearsfamily, the fans, and everyone atThe Coalitionand Xbox. Thank you, it has been an honor and a privilege to work with you all,” is Fergusson’s parting message. His fans have filled his Twitter’s replies with messages of thanks in return. There’s a reason why Fergusson’s Twitter handle is “GearsViking”. It can’t have been an easy decision for Fergusson to make, though his fans will undoubtedly continue to follow his work going forward.
Gears 5is available now on PC and Xbox One.Diablo 4has no release date, but is confirmed for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
