Mike Ybarra: Microsoft and Blizzard Veteran Takes Up CEO Role at Fantasy Sports Firm

In January, Mike Ybarra left his role as President of Blizzard Entertainment after more than two decades at Microsoft. It came around the time that the tech titan made almost 2,000 layoffs, furthering the damage done to the industry in one of the toughest years on record for redundancies and studio closures.

Now, the veteran who worked in and around Microsoft’s gaming branches since 2009 has announced an entirely new role – CEO of PrizePicks, a ‘skill-based fantasy sports operator’.

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Still Gaming, In a Way

In the words of Matt Booty, Mike Ybarra ‘saw through’ Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard before departing the company. For almost three years, Ybarra sat at the top of the table at Blizzard Entertainment, and before that, he had a hand in managing the strategy driving Xbox Live, Xbox Game Pass, and the failed ‘Mixer’ streaming platform.

On LinkedIn, Mike Ybarra posted a comment about his new role at PrizePicks:

I’m impressed with the talent and capability at PrizePicks. I’m very excited to join this amazing team and build on our great products and business together.

PrizePicks explained that Ybarra is ‘closely aligned with the PrizePicks culture, bringing an unwavering focus on fan experience and constant innovation.’ He is also joining the firm’s board of directors.

The company, which has a focus on operating a fantasy sports market in North America, is an app-based solution that’s headquartered in Atlanta. It’s a platform that offers users the opportunity to make money with a wide range of fantasy sports leagues, including the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. It also offers a relatively unique esports fantasy product centred around CS2, Call of Duty, and VALORANT, among other games, which is a comfortable enough connection for Mike Ybarra.

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