According to leaked internal emails obtained and verified by Jez Corden from Windows Central, Blizzard President Johanna Faries told employees that the studio ended up over-delivering in FY 2026.
Sent to employees only a month before BlizzCon 2026, Faries remarked about the event that, “the weekend will reflect the bold and collaborative work of everyone reading this. […] It’s my hope that the event can shine a light on the work underway at Blizzard, and that it can serve as a powerful springboard into a new era of momentum and excitement behind our mission to bring joy and belonging for communities worldwide.“
When talking about performance, Faries revealed that 2026 was the “third highest fiscal for top line revenue in Blizzard’s history” and the first year since the launch of Overwatch in 2016 that the studio has seen consecutive quarters of growth.
Blizzard’s performance has been attributed mostly to the release of Diablo IV’s recent expansion, Lord of Hatred, and Overwatch’s newfound success. Overwatch has seen its best year since 2022, according to the same email.
You can read more about the email on Windows Central’s full article:
A Different Scene from the Rest of Xbox
Blizzard’s situation, however, is different from other Xbox studios, which have had much news of cuts and layoffs over the past months. It is uncertain if these announcements mean Blizzard is shielded against future cuts and layoffs by Xbox, but it certainly puts the studio in a good position for the upcoming 2027 FY.
