Daily Briefing: Wednesday 3rd November

Diablo IV and Overwatch 2 possibly delayed into 2023

That's straight from Activision Blizzard's most recent investor presentation held this week. When asked about the expected release slate for the two titles, Activision Blizzard chief operating officer Daniel Alegre said that the company had originally expected to be release both Overwatch 2 and Diablo IV next year, but "as we have worked with new leadership in Blizzard and within the franchises themselves, particularly in certain key creative roles, it has become apparent that some of the Blizzard content planned for next year will benefit from more development time to reach its full potential."

• Alegre went on to note that both Diablo IV and Overwatch 2 are "two of the most eagerly anticipated titles in the industry, and our teams have made great strides toward completion in recent quarters." Nevertheless, Activision Blizzard "believe giving the teams some extra time to complete production and continue growing their creative resources to support the titles after launch will ensure that these releases delight and engage their communities for many years into the future." So there you go.

Blizzard co-leader Jen Oneal announces departure after just three months

In other highly significant Activision Blizzard news Jen Oneal, who took the position of co-leader of Blizzard in August alongside former Xbox bigwig Mike Ybarra, is leaving the company to focus on non-profit and diversity efforts in the wider games industry. Oneal's appointment was a major part of the post-lawsuit reckoning that saw former Blizzard J. Allen Brack dip out. Oneal will certainly be a loss for Activision Blizzard: she had 20 years' experience with the company and previously lead Vicarious Visions before it was assimilated by Blizzard.

• This is some highly curious timing that asks some serious questions of what Activision Blizzard have sought to achieve since the lawsuit broke earlier this summer. Oneal herself attempted to assuage such fears in her farewell email to staff, writing that  “I am doing this not because I am without hope for Blizzard, quite the opposite — I’m inspired by the passion of everyone here, working towards meaningful, lasting change with their whole hearts." Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, meanwhile, told GamesBeat “I had a lot of confidence, and still do, in Jen’s ability to lead. I think she really wants to go and transform the industry. Her mission in life is making great games and transforming the industry so that gaming, as more women enter the workforce, is more inviting and welcoming to women. It will be a great opportunity for us to partner with her as she leads the charge.”

Marvel's Avengers to remove paid XP boosts after backlash

In other, non-Activision Blizzard news, Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix will be walking back an earlier controversial decision to sell paid XP booster "consumables" in Marvel's Avengers' real money store. The move is part of a wider attempt to "rebuild players' confidence in us as a team" and that may certainly be a long road.

• Square Enix faced a particularly furious backlash when this all broke last month, primarily because the inclusion of paid consumables in the shop directly contradicted a lot of pre-launch promises. Many players had feared the paid items were coming though, after Crystal Dynamics announced a similarly unpopular XP gain nerf earlier this week.  At any rate, Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics announced that Hero's Catalysts and Fragment Extractors would be removed by end of day yesterday. So that's progress. Stumbling, bumbling, progress.