Vicarious Visions Merged Into Blizzard – Diablo II: Resurrected In Development

According to reports, Vicarious Vision has been merged into Blizzard Entertainment to develop a Diablo II: Resurrected.

“After collaborating with Vicarious Visions for some time and developing a great relationship, Blizzard realized there was an opportunity for [Vicarious Visions] to provide long-term support,” a representative told GamesIndustry.biz without revealing which project will be produced by the remake masters.

Jason Schreier affirms that a Vicarious Vision has been working with Blizzard for a remake of the Diablo franchise. The project was originally handed to Blizzard Team 1, however, due to the disappointing results of Warcraft III: Reforged, the project was given to Vicarious Vision.

Team 1 wanted to avoid repeating the mistakes of Warcraft III: Reforged on its next project, the remake of Diablo II. Shortly after the postmortem, however, Blizzard pulled that project from the team and put the division behind Diablo IV in charge. A group at Vicarious Visions is also working on the remake, which was known as Diablo II: Resurrected.

On Oct. 15, 2020, Blizzard informed members of Team 1 that it was reorganizing the entire division, according to the people who worked on Warcraft III: Reforged. In the following weeks, members of the team were given opportunities to interview for jobs elsewhere within Blizzard.

Those who did not find positions in the company were gradually cut. Others left for independent studios recently started by high-profile company veterans, such as Frost Giant Inc. and DreamHaven Inc., started by Blizzard co-founder and former Chief Executive Officer Mike Morhaime, whose departure widely signaled the beginning of Activision’s takeover.

Acquired by Activision in 2005, Vicarious Vision has consistently worked for the publisher’s biggest projects, including Destiny, Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, Skyladers.

Vicarious Vision successfully revived Crash Bandicoot in 2017, the team later worked on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1-2 Remake. The 200-person team are now employees of Blizzard and will be “fully dedicated to existing Blizzard games and initiatives.

Source: GameIndustry.biz, Bloomberg

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