Hearthstone game director Ben Brode announced on the game’s forums on Friday that he was leaving Blizzard to work on a new project. Brode spent a total of 15 years with Blizzard, 10 of which were with the Hearthstone team.
Brode’s influence will surely be seen throughout the next two Hearthstone expansions, which are already in the works less than two weeks after The Witchwood’s release. He did not say who will take over his position as game director.
Today is my last day at Blizzard. ? Thank you for all the laughter and fun we shared. I will miss you.https://t.co/YKfNpg6WUs
— Ben Brode (@bdbrode) April 20, 2018
“I get too much credit by virtue of being a public face, but the 80+ people on the development team are still there, and they are the ones actually making the cards, brawls, events, missions, and features,” Brode wrote. “I am confident the game is in the best possible hands, and I’m excited to see where a new generation of leaders takes Hearthstone from here.”
Brode said he is leaving Blizzard to help start a new company that will make games. He’ll be “designing, programming, and actually creating things again.”
Since the announcement, Hearthstone fans have been sharing their memories and fan art to celebrate Brode’s departure. Given his long tenure with Blizzard, Brode was much more than just a game director – he was a huge part of the community. He was well-known and well-loved thanks to his positive personality and his trademark laugh.
Just a quick peek at r/Hearthstone, the biggest community site for Hearthstone players, can really illustrate the painful loss the community is experiencing. Fans have been sharing all their best memories and fan art of Brode and some have even been suggesting ways Hearthstone could honor his contribution to the game.
The pouring of love and gratitude toward Brode has taken over Hearthstone’s online community. The Twitter hashtag “#FlannelsForBrode” has become a place for fans to don Brode’s iconic shirt style as a tribute. Ben Brode cosplays have also been shared.
One Reddit user created a pretty cool animated Ben Brode card back concept (complete with flannel!) that would definitely be a pretty awesome and fitting way to honor Brode’s contributions to Hearthstone.
Brode led the Hearthstone charge not just through the game’s development, but also through its release and publicity to the community. Some might argue that he was the most iconic figure connected to the game, even more so than any streamer.
Unfortunately, Brode isn’t the only one leaving the Hearthstone team. Executive Producer Hamilton Chu is also departing. Interestingly, Chu’s Twitter bio suggests he will be accompanying Brode on his next project.
There is no official news yet on who will fill in Brode’s shoes as game director, but senior designer Mike Donais, production director Jason Cheyes, and senior designer Peter Whalen would all be good candidates.