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Ex-Blizzard VP Bill Roper Leaves Cryptic
History lesson time: Back in the '90s, Bill Roper was the vice president of Blizzard North and was considered by many to be one of the top talents behind the first entries in beloved franchises such as Diablo, Warcraft, and StarCraft. In 2003, he left Blizzard and formed Flagship Studios, the team behind the disappointing Hellgate: London. After Flagship fell apart, Roper joined MMO developer Cryptic and, earlier this year, accepted a position as their chief creative officer. As of today, though, Roper is a free agent once more.
In a post on the Champions Online site today, Roper said goodbye to Cryptic. Though Roper did not reveal any future plans, he said he is going to "look for new opportunities," adding:
"In the months and years ahead, I hope to be able to apply that knowledge and continue to create worlds and games that entertain. Thank you all for both the support and the kicks in the ass that have pushed me to constantly evaluate and grow."
Roper also promised that he will continue playing Cryptic games.
Wherever he ends up next, Roper still has a lot of respect in the industry. His loss likely comes as a blow to the developer. Cryptic is currently maintaining two MMOs, Champions Online and Star Trek Online, and they are rumored to have at least one new project in the works.
[via Massively]
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