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Diablo IV Gets New Director Following Former Director’s Departure Amid Misconduct Allegations

Blizzard Entertainment has named Joe Shely as its new game director for Diablo IV following the departure of Luis Barriga amidst company-wide misconduct investigations.

Barriga’s departure was confirmed by Activision Blizzard back in August, and while the company didn’t explain the circumstances surrounding the development, he left at the same time as designer Jesse McCree and World of Warcraft designer Jonathan LeCraft, both of whom were named in the allegations. Barriga did not appear in the infamous “Bill Cosby photo” and it’s not clear what involvement, if any, he had in the fiasco.

“We can confirm Luis Barriga, Jesse McCree, and Jonathan LeCraft are no longer with the company,” Activision Blizzard said in August. “We have a deep, talented roster of developers already in place and new leaders have been assigned where appropriate. We are confident in our ability to continue progress, deliver amazing experiences to our players, and move forward to ensure a safe, productive work environment for all.”

A statement from Shely, previously a design lead, reads:

Like many of you, our team has been reflecting upon recent events. A lot has happened since our last blog and the hard work of practicing the values we aspire to must continue. In parallel with that important work, development of Diablo IV continues too.

Over the past few years, we’ve assembled a strong team with incredible passion for Diablo IV. You, Diablo’s fans, are a critical part of this team. With the help of your valuable feedback, we’ve steadily refined and deepened the game experience. We have ways to go, and while much has changed, our commitment to the game is unwavering.

Diablo IV is currently in development. A release window has not been announced.

[Source: Blizzard Entertainment]

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