Thirty-two years is a heckuva run at any studio, especially when you’ve been one of the artistic inspirations for some of that studio’s most iconic characters and races. This is the legacy that Blizzard Senior Art Director Samwise Didier leaves behind as he departs the company after three decades.
Didier announced his retirement on Twitter last night, saying, “Blizzard was never just a job for me. I joined the company in 1991 and it immediately became my second home […] To top it all off, I got to work on some of the greatest games this here ol’ world has ever known.”
His impact on World of Warcraft cannot be denied. Didier came up with the name “Warcraft,” wholesale created the Pandaren race, and contributed endless music, art, and voice work for the MMO.
Chris Metzen sent him off with well wishes: “My ‘creative big brother’ forever. Thank you for everything you taught me — and all the adventures (both real and imagined) we’ve shared over the years. You are the mighty heart of the Storm. Always were. Always will be.”
What lies beyond the storm? pic.twitter.com/iQh9B2DLBZ
— Sam Are I (@SamwiseDidier) November 10, 2023
