Microsoft has ‘let Blizzard be Blizzard’ following its acquisition, studio says

Thats the problem. Blizzard has been shit for years.

Blizzard was (still is?) Activision for a number of years as well, so that didn't help. There is much more to blame and I can't even begin to pretend like I know all of it, though.
My own complaint is similar though. When "profit at all costs" takes over, and knowing how to make a quality game is lost, there is usually little hope left.
- Saying that Blizzard pursues profit at all costs is inaccurate, unfair, and frankly slanderous.
  Blizzard would NEVER sacrifice their rampant misogyny to make more money
- Welcome to Capitalism

im so glad that blizzards internal culture and conduct align with microsofts values enough for them to skip the hands-on approach theyve shown with other subsidiaries

I thought MS was less big on sexual harassment and assault, but maybe I was wrong.
- evidently they dont give much of a shit either way

Interesting thing to say, with lots of the public expecting Microsoft to uproot the abusive work culture. I mean, you probably can't say anything right in that regard, nor is not talking about it going to look good, but yeah...

Too bad they didn’t have this attitude before cutting 1900 jobs, most of them Blizzard employees and making the cut after promising not to make massive cuts.

Oh no

Honestly, Microsoft bought them because they thought it can magically catapult them to #1 in the gaming industry. And they have, in a sense. The advantage of having so much money that you can buy your way into the industry. But the problem is that Microsoft has no idea what to do next.
- MS has been doing that for over 20 years, no news there. The reason for acquiring is to deny acquisition to others, and to ensure MS’s ecosystems have software, I imagine.
Has King even made anything other than Candy Crush? Seems like they're just a shitty mobile game company.
- They are a company that makes shitty mobile games, but the revenue has be look good if you view games as business.
  https://www.businessofapps.com/data/candy-crush-statistics/

In this case I don't know if that's a good thing...

This is just world of war warcraft which is printing money on mtx

Out of the loop here, but my recollection was WOW printed money because they were a subscription service before it was cool. I can't say I'm surprised, but are they really doubling down with MTX?
I feel like the justification for subscriptions is "this way we can afford to keep adding new content." To turn around and go "oh, BTW, you have to pay separately for that new content you're subscribing for" just feels like an extra slap in the face. But I guess you do you WOW players. They'll keep pulling this kind of BS as long as folks keep paying for it ¯(ツ)_/¯
- Remember, that's the third time you have to pay! The first rug pull is when you buy the game and then find out that the entire world is utterly devoid of players because everyone only plays the latest expansion. But you can't access it because you don't have a subscription. On top of a full price game.
  Besides the switcheroo, I also think it's sad for WoW. Its world is massive and beautiful and utterly dead. Everyone is only in the latest zone. The game would be better named "Zone of Warcraft". I love how e.g. Elder Scrolls Online solved it. They made all zones viable. You will see players everywhere. It's a real contrast.