A recent job listing for developer and publisher Blizzard Entertainment shows that the company is looking for a qualified public relations manager to help with a number of tasks. It seems that Blizzard is looking for a candidate with experience in crisis management at a time when the company is facing constant public relations problems.
Blizzard Entertainment is a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard and is behind some of the most popular franchises in the gaming industry. His Warcraft series of real-time strategy games, which began in the 1990s, led to World of Warcraft, an extremely popular MMORPG that has held the genre firmly since its inception. Blizzard is also responsible for real-time StarCraft strategies, which boasts a huge esports community. Blizzard’s Diablo series of action role-playing games is also one of its most iconic franchises, although the latest game, Diablo Immortal, has recently become a source of much controversy.
The list of vacancies is aimed at hiring a global communications manager who will be responsible for many public relations issues. The qualification requires a candidate with at least eight to ten years of experience in the field of PR games, who will develop public relations strategies, advise internal stakeholders, form strategic relationships with influencers and write press materials. Special attention should be paid to the requirements according to which the candidate must have experience working with crisis communications and crisis management, as well as the ability to give an idea of how the gameplay will affect the global audience. As Blizzard faces waves of criticism over the predatory monetization of Diablo Immortal, crisis management is understandably a priority.
Diablo Immortal was a welcome addition to the Diablo franchise, especially because of its free model and availability for both mobile and PC. Unfortunately, the free-to-play model has adopted some of the worst aspects of mobile gaming, with incessant demands for players to pay to get a chance in player-versus-player content. The monetary investments required to obtain the most powerful items are incredibly large: streamers spend thousands of dollars on the Diablo Immortal money store. The game was also banned from being released in the Netherlands and Belgium due to violations of the gambling laws of these countries.
This comes after last year’s controversy over sexual harassment complaints at Activision Blizzard, which led to lawsuits and a negative public reaction. As Blizzard Entertainment once again faces the hostility of the gaming community, the need for a talented public relations manager is obvious. However, it will likely take more than influencers and advertising to repair the damage, as players will expect meaningful changes to support any public relations campaign.
