Activision Blizzard Plans to Buy Studio to Boost World of Warcraft Game

Activision Blizzard Inc. subsidiary Blizzard Entertainment plans to acquire the studio Proletariat Inc. and bring on 100 of its workers, according to a report in VentureBeat. Those employees are expected to work on Blizzard’s online role-playing game World of Warcraft.

“We are putting players at the forefront of everything we do, and we are working hard to both meet and exceed their expectations,” Blizzard President Mike Ybarra told VentureBeat. “Proletariat is a perfect fit for supporting Blizzard’s mission in bringing high-quality content to our players more often.”

One of the most recognized games, World of Warcraft has been popular since its initial debut in 2004. But Blizzard has come under criticism for the long periods between releases. In April, it announced the game’s upcoming Dragonflight expansion, which doesn’t yet have a release date.

Blizzard Entertainment, also known for popular franchises Overwatch and Diablo, rarely acquires studios. The company brought on two studios over a decade ago, and last year, merged with Activision studio Vicarious Visions. 

Proletariat’s latest game was a wizard-themed battle royale called Spellbreak, which received positive reviews after its 2020 debut. On Tuesday, Proletariat, which is based in Boston, announced it would discontinue the game after 2023.

“A big part of caring for our teams is making sure we have the resources to produce experiences our communities will love while giving our teams space to explore even more creative opportunities within their projects,” Ybarra said in the VentureBeat report. 

Activision Blizzard, which itself is in the process of being acquired by Microsoft Corp., and Proletariat did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.