Part 7/10:
Speculation: Firing, Quitting, or Strategic Exit?
There is considerable speculation about whether O’Neill was fired or chose to leave voluntarily. Given she has not publicly announced new employment and plans to stay on through the end of the year, many believe she might have been pushed out due to her dissatisfaction or disagreements with other executives. The timing and nature of her departure suggest it was less an amicable exit and more an internal power shift.
Additionally, Ibarra is now expected to lead Blizzard independently, possibly consolidating control after the apparent sidelining of O’Neill. This consolidations raises questions about Blizzard’s commitment to meaningful change—if any at all—and whether the company is merely doing window dressing to repair its public image.