In a poignant moment for the gaming community, the passing of Bill Petras, a long-time Blizzard Entertainment staff member, has left a significant mark on those who knew him. The news was shared by Harley D. Huggins II, a fellow veteran of the company, who described Petras’s departure as “unexpected.” Over nearly two decades, Petras dedicated his talents to Blizzard, contributing to iconic titles such as StarCraft, World of Warcraft, and both iterations of Overwatch.
Legacy of Creativity and Friendship
Huggins reflected on Petras’s remarkable contributions, stating, “Billy was an amazingly gifted artist who worked at Blizzard Entertainment for almost two decades. He was immensely proud of the work he did there, most notably as the art director for World of Warcraft and Overwatch.” Their shared journey began in the same week at Blizzard, forging a friendship that spanned an impressive 28 years.
The bond between the two was characterized by deep conversations that traversed a variety of topics, from game development and art to comic books and monster movies. Huggins expressed his sorrow, saying, “I will miss our regular, long, rambling conversations about life, game dev, games, art, comic books, toys, monster movies and Conan.” The sentiment resonates with many in the industry, as Petras’s influence and warmth will be profoundly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.
