According to MobyGames, Michael Chew's first achievement at Blizzard was as a tester for "Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction" in 2001. And unless he returns, it appears that his last job will be as lead writer for "Overwatch."

"When I walked through the doors of Blizzard Entertainment 20 years ago, my only dream was to help create the games I had spent countless hours playing. From the war between the races of Azeroth in Warcraft to the corruption of humanity as pawns in the eternal conflict in Diablo, I have been fortunate to help tell the stories and bring them to life in these amazing universes. And it has been a great fortune to know and interact with the passionate global community that played our games," Chu wrote in a farewell message on his blog. [He also worked as a writer and world designer on "Diablo III" and "World of Warcraft," but "Overwatch" was the one that garnered him the most attention. He was responsible for much of the lore and origin stories in Overwatch, establishing the game's characters as individuals rather than just a class of surnames.

"We have all these individual characters, we have all these great stories, challenges, powers and stuff, and they all have their own little ecosystems," he said of Blizzard's approach to the Overwatch story, in a 2015 interview He said. 'But when you mix them all together, they start to become relevant. You start to tackle larger worldview issues. I think that's what inspires me."

"'Overwatch' has given us the opportunity to realize a more comprehensive vision of the Earth. We worked together, struggled, and shed tears in support of a universe that features people from all over the world to bring to life the wondrous sights of Earth's past, present, and future, and to empower creators and voices to better represent the breadth of the human experience." We believed that games could show the power of diversity and that with one kiss we could change the world, if only a little."

Chu did not reveal any future plans, except that he hopes to "continue to tell these stories through games and build a world that brings people together." The big question, at least for "Overwatch" fans, is how his departure will affect "Overwatch 2." Overwatch" is a multiplayer shooter, and aside from a deep backstory, the story portion is optional. Overwatch 2 is all about PvE missions, with story missions and hero missions that tell the story of a new battle against the Null Sector.

When the gorgeous cinematic for "Overwatch 2" was unveiled at BlizzCon 2019, we said, "Unlike the disparate hero cinematic we've become accustomed to over the years, it feels like it ties multiple characters into a focused story." It is a complex task, and one that will not be made easier by Chu's departure.

Update: After Chu's announcement, Blizzard released the following statement:

"We are extremely grateful for Michael's contributions and his presence at Blizzard will be missed. We do not expect this to affect our plans for Overwatch 2. The development of this game is a massive collaborative effort involving talented people across multiple teams with a shared commitment to the values of Overwatch and the vision of Overwatch 2. We are working hard to deliver an epic, story-driven experience for our players.