While fans eagerly await the release of Diablo 4’s Vessel of Hatred season and World of Warcraft’s The War Within expansion in 2024, Blizzard Entertainment appears to be assembling an elite development team to bring its “next great game” to life. Job listings have surfaced for a sizable number of key roles on an unannounced project at the legendary developer.
According to the Blizzard careers page, the company is hiring for an array of leadership positions including creative director, narrative director, senior art director, principal gameplay engineer, principal animator, and directors for missions, combat AI, and more. The breadth of senior roles required points to Blizzard ramping up an ambitious, triple-A caliber project in its earliest conceptual stages.
Details are scarce, but the combat-focused listings mention desires to create “memorable” enemy encounters and work closely with level designers on strategic combat scenarios. The mission director role emphasizes guiding players through impactful story moments. This blend of combat mastery and narrative craft has sparked speculation that Blizzard could be developing a uniquely structured PvE experience, perhaps even a Blizzard take on the popular souls-like genre.
While any guesses are mere conjecture for now, Blizzard’s pedigree for pushing gameplay boundaries makes the unannounced title an intriguing prospect. The legendary house of Warcraft, Diablo, and StarCraft revolutionized genres and set new standards for deep, rewarding gameplay systems.
However, expectations will be tempered by Blizzard’s recent canceled survival game after six years of work, as well as new owner Microsoft’s pledge to prioritize “high-impact” releases and its own sweeping studio reductions at Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks.
Still, fans need only look to hits like Overwatch—initially constructed from elements of Blizzard’s scrapped “Titan” MMO—for hope. If the same level of talent and care that brought Azeroth and Sanctuary to life is being poured into this mysterious new IP, it could reignite the developer’s revered reputation for crafting unforgettable experiences.
With Diablo 4 and WoW’s next saga on the near horizon, Blizzard’s unseen passion project is shaping up as its most intriguing wildcard in the long game of reclaiming its former glory. The coming months and years should reveal more about whether this “next great game” can live up to that tantalizing title.
