If Blizzard’s former president Mike Ybarra had stayed with the company, fans may have seen drastic changes to two of the studio’s most beloved games.
In Jason Schreier’s upcoming book, Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment, he reveals that Mike Ybarra planned to drastically reduce microtransactions in Diablo 4 and even soft-reboot Overwatch.
Unfortunately, Ybarra left before implementing these changes, as he departed around the time Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard in early 2023. What impact might these changes have had on players and Blizzard’s future?
Mike Ybarra's Plans for Diablo 4 and Overwatch
Ybarra could have been the game-changer who reduced microtransactions in Diablo 4. Since the game’s release, criticisms flooded in because of the expensive cosmetic items and grind-heavy battle passes, which many players found overpriced.
Fans were particularly frustrated by the high price tags and how some bundles were marketed. A $30 portal recolor pack, which only included $10 worth of in-game currency, sparked outrage. Ybarra apparently wanted to move away from this pricing model, which could have been a hugely popular decision among fans tired of being nickel-and-dimed.
Ybarra planned to take things further by re-releasing Overwatch even after launching Overwatch 2 as a free-to-play game. By this time, Overwatch 2 had entirely replaced the original game, and while a full reboot may have seemed extreme to some, Overwatch 2 faced a rocky launch with delays in its PvE mode and a live-service model that players criticized.
These issues likely influenced Mike Ybarra’s decision to rethink the approach, which could have led to fresh dynamics in Overwatch 2. Since his plans were never realized, we can only speculate on what his reboot vision for a revamped Overwatch might have been.
Could These Changes Have Saved Blizzard’s Reputation?
Blizzard has faced significant controversy in recent years, and Mike Ybarra’s plans to restore the company’s lost reputation might have been a smart move. Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2, two of Blizzard’s biggest franchises, suffered from a loss of goodwill due to aggressive monetization, which gamers have consistently pushed back against. The live-service model, central to Blizzard’s business, played a major role in these issues.
Had Ybarra succeeded in reducing microtransactions in Diablo 4, it would have dramatically altered Blizzard’s revenue strategy. Paid cosmetics reportedly brought in over $150 million, so cutting back on this could have been a tough sell to the higher-ups. However, it would have won over players, who might have enjoyed the game more without feeling pressured to spend on cosmetic items.
Rebooting Overwatch would have been an even riskier move. Overwatch 2 had only recently hit the market, and Ybarra’s plan to remake the game raised serious questions. Would a reboot have wiped out all the progress players had made in Overwatch 2?
How would Blizzard convince fans to focus on a rebooted version after they had already invested time and money into the sequel? These are questions Ybarra never got to answer, but his plans suggest there were internal doubts about the live-service model of Overwatch 2.
What Could Have Been for Blizzard’s Future?
Blizzard fans are now left speculating about what might have happened if Mike Ybarra’s ideas had been implemented. The company remains committed to its live-service model, and with Microsoft now at the helm, a drastic shift in direction seems unlikely. However, Ybarra’s departure, combined with the Microsoft acquisition, hints at some internal pressure to reconsider the long-term sustainability of live-service games.
Ybarra may have aimed to reduce microtransactions and revive Overwatch as a way to mend Blizzard’s tarnished reputation. Fans have long complained that monetization and live-service features have overshadowed thoughtful game design. Perhaps Ybarra’s shift away from that model could have marked a turning point in Blizzard’s relationship with its community.
While it’s almost too late to ponder the “what if,” Ybarra’s plans offer a rare glimpse into the internal conflicts Blizzard faced before the Microsoft buyout. He clearly recognized fan dissatisfaction and sought ways to address it, but without his leadership, these changes remain only a missed opportunity in Blizzard’s history.
What’s Next for Diablo 4 and Overwatch Without Mike Ybarra?
Now that the company operates under Microsoft’s wing, the future of Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 remains uncertain. Will they further increase microtransactions, or will they consider Ybarra’s approach and scale back monetization? For now, it’s all speculation.
What we do know is that Ybarra’s vision diverged from the path Blizzard has taken since his departure. Only time will reveal if this is a positive change, but it’s clear that how the company responds under new ownership is something to watch.
For Blizzard fans, Ybarra’s plans represent a major “what if” moment. Whether it was fewer microtransactions in Diablo 4 or a reboot of Overwatch, these potential changes would have offered a different direction for the company. At the time of Microsoft’s $69 billion buyout, Blizzard was at a crossroads, and Ybarra’s vision could have altered the gaming landscape dramatically.
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