Shocking Twist: Longtime Blizzard Technical Director Unexpectedly Departs after 23 Years!

Highlights

Throughout his tenure, Krol achieved great milestones, notably creating innovative programs for World of Warcraft, serving as the esteemed technical director for Warcraft Arclight Rumble, and even lending his vocal talents to bring iconic characters to life.

Krol bid a touching farewell to his friends in the gaming industry, leaving fans intrigued about his upcoming venture.

Monte Krol, the highly respected technical director at Blizzard for a considerable period, has recently revealed his departure from the company. Having dedicated almost 23 years to the development of popular titles like Diablo, StarCraft, and Warcraft, this renowned Blizzard developer is now embarking on a new chapter in his career.

Krol, a devoted fan of Blizzard games since the late 1990s, first fell in love with Diablo and StarCraft. In October 2000, he joined Blizzard Entertainment and steadily advanced his career, becoming a lead software engineer in 2007, and eventually being promoted to technical director in 2020. Throughout his extensive tenure, Krol contributed to numerous Blizzard projects ranging from Warcraft 3 to Diablo 4.

After an impressive 22 years and nine months, Krol recently announced his departure from Blizzard. On his personal Twitter account, he shared a heartfelt photo taken on his final day at the company, standing beside a Jaina statue on the Blizzard campus. In his farewell message, Krol expressed gratitude and affection for his former coworkers and encouraged them to enjoy some excellent coffee, a well-known passion of his.

Krol achieved significant milestones during their tenure at Blizzard, notably by conceptualizing and upkeeping various programs that contribute to the creation of World of Warcraft. This includes WoWEdit, a control program enabling developers to construct the game's immersive universe.

Leading as the technical director of Warcraft Arclight Rumble, Blizzard's highly anticipated tower offense mobile game. Representing Team Alliance in World of Warcraft's 2014 Azeroth Choppers competition.

Voicing various characters in Warcraft 3 and World of Warcraft, including the memorable generic Goblin NPC uttering the famous phrase "Time is money, friend!"

Achieving immortality within World of Warcraft through the inclusion of multiple weapons and NPCs, such as the renowned Krol Blade.

The comments section of Krol’s farewell tweet was swiftly flooded with heartfelt farewells from friends, fans, and family. Prominent figures such as award-winning Blizzard author Christie Golden, senior narrative designer Anne Stickney, and Warcraft creative advisor Chris Metzen—who recently returned from his own departure in 2016—were among those in the crowd, wishing him well. It is uncertain whether Krol is retiring or embarking on another project, but fans can anticipate further updates on his journey in the near future.

Krol’s final significant undertaking was Warcraft Arclight Rumble. The highly anticipated mobile game has been in closed beta testing for more than a year now, without a confirmed release date or much media coverage since its initial announcement in May. Players can reasonably expect to receive more information about Krol’s landmark project at Blizzcon this November, when Blizzard is likely to disclose the launch plan for the title.