The recent wave of layoffs at Activision Blizzard left almost two thousand employees without jobs, but a former head of Technology Products, Adam Holisky, found an unusual way to benefit from the situation.
Holisky acted quickly as soon as he learned of his layoff, redeeming all of his remaining annual subscription codes for the multiplayer role-playing game ‘World of Warcraft’ (WoW).
Former developer guarantees 10 years of ‘World of Warcraft’
Holisky got a free ‘WoW’ subscription valid until 2033, before possible changes to Blizzard’s policies or the game itself.
The benefit, known among Blizzard employees, allows free access to the title, excluding expansions, for a period.
Holisky’s gesture, which guaranteed about 10 years of free ‘WoW’, became a symbolic act amid the mass layoffs that occurred not only at Activision Blizzard, but also at Xbox.
The story came to light when Holisky shared his action on social media, explaining that he used subscription codes accumulated over the years he worked at the company.
The former employee revealed that he was not the only one to do this. A colleague at Sledgehammer Games also shared his similar experience of securing benefits before being fired.
Blizzard’s internal system, called Keyring, went down due to high demand from former employees trying to redeem their codes.
Repercussion on social media
Holisky’s story went viral, receiving support and praise on social media. Comments highlighted his foresight in obtaining an unused benefit, while others shared similar experiences.
Blizzard announces new leadership
As some former employees look for creative ways to deal with the layoffs, Blizzard also announced a change in its leadership.
Johanna Faries, formerly of CoD and NFL, will take on the role of president of Blizzard Entertainment in February.
In a statement to employees, Faries highlighted the differences between Activision, Blizzard and King, stating that each is unique in its own right. gamescultures and communities.
