John Hight
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Hight is an American video game producer and executive. He is the president of Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming at Hasbro.[1] He previously held senior roles at Blizzard Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment, Electronic Arts, and Atari.[2][3] Hight's production and design credits span franchises such as World of Warcraft, Diablo III, God of War, Command & Conquer, and Magic: The Gathering.[2][4]
Hight began his career in the early 1990s at the 3DO Company and joined Electronic Arts in 1996 as executive producer and director of design.[2][5] While at EA and Westwood Studios, he served as director of design, and CG director on Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 and its expansion Yuri's Revenge.[6]
In 2005, Hight joined Sony Computer Entertainment America as director of product development. He led internal development at Santa Monica Studio, overseeing God of War III.[7][8] He also led development on the first generation of games for the PlayStation Network and was responsible for signing early titles from thatgamecompany, including Flow, where he served as executive producer.[9][4][10] In 2011, Hight joined Blizzard Entertainment as senior producer on World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria.[2] He later became executive producer and general manager for the Warcraft franchise, overseeing development and business operations for World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Warcraft Rumble, and Warcraft III: Reforged.[2][11] He also directed production on Diablo III: Reaper of Souls and was involved in the removal of the in-game auction house.[12][13][14]
In 2024, Hight was appointed President of Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming at Hasbro, where he leads strategy and development across tabletop and digital platforms.[15][16][17] Under Hight's leadership, Wizards of the Coast reported its most successful fiscal year in 2025, with division revenue growing 45% year-over-year to approximately $2.2 billion.[18][19] Magic: The Gathering achieved record annual revenues of $1.72 billion, a 59% increase over the prior year, driven by the Universes Beyond product line and crossover sets including Avatar: The Last Airbender and Final Fantasy.[18][19][20]
References
- ↑ Soper, Taylor (2024-07-18). "Longtime World of Warcraft leader John Hight named president at Wizards of the Coast". GeekWire. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Writer, Sophie McEvoy Staff (2024-06-14). "John Hight leaves Blizzard Entertainment". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ "John Hight, God of War III director of product development". Engadget. 2010-03-01. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- 1 2 Chaplin, Heather (2009-03-23). "Video Game Grad Programs Open Up The Industry". NPR. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ "Hoe de ontwikkeling van videogames afgelopen decennium is veranderd". Mashable Benelux (in Dutch). 2019-11-23. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ "Nox Features: Exclusive Interview with John Hight & Mike Booth | Hecubah.com". Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ Beck, Kellen (2019-10-21). "How Video Game Development Has Changed Over The Last Decade". Mashable India. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ "Sony's timing tricky for God of War III". Los Angeles Times. 2010-03-16. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ "The State of PlayStation Network: John Hight Interviewed". gamedeveloper.com. 4 March 2008.
- ↑ Rutkoff, Aaron (2006-11-28). "How a Grad-School Thesis Theory Evolved Into a PlayStation 3 Game - WSJ". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ published, Heather Newman (2024-06-16). "After 12 years at Blizzard, Warcraft general manager John Hight announces departure: 'I've been so honored to serve all of the heroes of Azeroth'". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ "Diablo 3 auction houses are doomed by developer Blizzard". BBC News. 2013-09-18. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ Robertson, Adi (2013-09-17). "Blizzard shutting down 'Diablo III' auction house, wants players to get back to killing monsters". The Verge. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ Moore, Bo. "Why Diablo's Auction House Went Straight to Hell". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ Didymus-True, Mike (2024-07-18). "Hasbro brings in veteran Blizzard senior exec John Hight as Wizards of the Coast, digital gaming president -". Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ Langsworthy, Billy (2024-07-23). "Hasbro welcomes John Hight as President of Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming". Mojo Nation. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ Buckley, Thomas (18 Jul 2024). "Hasbro Names Microsoft's John Hight to Lead Wizards Division". Bloomberg News.
- 1 2 "Hasbro Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results". Hasbro Investor Relations. February 10, 2026. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- 1 2 D'Anastasio, Cecilia (February 10, 2026). "Hasbro's 'Magic: The Gathering' Sales Soar on Popular Tie-Ins". Bloomberg. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ↑ "Hasbro Profit Surges on Wizards of the Coast Strength, Announces $1 Billion Buyback". AlphaStreet. February 2026. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
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