Blizzard Entertainment has revealed that Chris Metzen, a prominent creative head behind several World of Warcraft expansions, is assuming a full-time position as an executive creative director for the Warcraft franchise. Metzen has been an essential part of the Warcraft series since its inception, contributing to its various iterations including WarCraft 1, 2, and 3 and also serving as a creative director for the original World of Warcraft and the expansions that followed, notably Wrath of the Lich King, and Mists of Pandaria.

Though he left the company for a brief while to initiate a tabletop gaming venture, he came back to Blizzard last year in a role as “creative advisor". According to the announcement by Blizzard, Metzen's responsibilities will extend beyond World of Warcraft, including the entirety of the Warcraft franchise. This insinuates Blizzard's interest in diversifying its portfolio.

Blizzard’s hint at the “next generation of adventures” might mean more World of Warcraft expansions are in the works, or it could also suggest the introduction of an entirely fresh perspective to the franchise under Metzen's direction. World of Warcraft is presently in the middle of its ninth expansion, Dragonflight, with fans eagerly awaiting the next significant patch due for release sometime before the end of the year.

The news of Metzen's new assignment was shared by senior reporter, Rebekah Valentine. Valentine is accepting tips for future stories via email at rvalentine@ign.com. The article's information was updated post-publication for clarity regarding the current status of Warcraft Rumble.