Blizzard veteran Chris Metzen – who retired from the studio again in 2016, solely to rejoin on the finish of final yr – has been made govt artistic director of Warcraft.

Previous to his departure in 2016, Metzen, who had been with Blizzard for 23 years at that time, was head author and lore guru on the firm (extra formally, senior vp of story and franchise improvement) with a hand in all of the studio’s properties.

Since rejoining Blizzard, nevertheless, Metzen has been solely targeted on Warcraft (within the function of franchise artistic advisor), and his new govt artistic director place will proceed in a lot the identical vein, seeing Metzen focus solely on growing the Warfraft universe, initially with a watch on “crafting the following technology of [World of Warcraft] adventures.

Blizzard introduced Metzen’s promotion in a put up on social media, writing, “We’re excited to share that Chris Metzen has taken on a full-time function as govt artistic director of the Warcraft universe. Proper now, his major focus is help our World of Warcraft management in creating the following technology of adventures.”

“Chris was instrumental in growing the foundations of the Warcraft universe,” Blizzard continued, “and we’re thrilled for him to re-join our groups in shaping what’s to return. At BlizzCon, he and the group shall be sharing what we have been engaged on.”

Responding to Blizzard’s put up, Metzen wrote, “It has been wonderful engaged on Warcraft once more. Like coming residence. The tales we’re growing proper now – how the world unfolds over the following few years… Nicely, I can’t look forward to y’all to see the place we’re headed. SOON…”

This yr’s BlizzCon runs from Friday, third November to Saturday, 4th November, and would be the present’s first in-person occasion since 2019.