Chris Metzen | |
|---|---|
 Metzen at the 2009BlizzCon | |
| Born | Christopher Vincent Metzen (1973-11-22)November 22, 1973 (age 52) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1993–2016 2022–present |
| Employer(s) | Warchief Gaming Blizzard Entertainment |
| Title | Executive Creative Director |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
Christopher Vincent Metzen (born November 22, 1973)[1] is an Americangame designer, artist, voice actor, and author known for his work creating thefictional universes and scripts forBlizzard Entertainment's three major award-winning media franchises:Warcraft,Diablo andStarCraft. Metzen was hired by Blizzard Entertainment as an animator and an artist, his first work for the company was with the video gameJustice League Task Force.[2]
Metzen was the Senior Vice President of Story and Franchise Development at Blizzard Entertainment and assisted the company's projects by providingvoice talent for a number of characters, most notably the orc characterThrall, as well as contributing to artisticcharacter design. Metzen retired in September 2016 to spend more time with his family, but returned to the company as a creative advisor in December 2022. He was made the executive creative director of Warcraft in September 2023.[3]
In his most recent work, Metzen co-authored graphic novels,Transformers: Autocracy andTransformers Monstrosity with authorFlint Dille and artist Livio Ramondelli.[4]
Metzen began his career in design after applying toBlizzard Entertainment, then known as Chaos Studios, on the recommendation of a friend impressed by hisnapkindoodle of adragon.[5] He was quickly recruited by the company, although Metzen states that at the time he did not really know what Blizzard Entertainment dealt with, assuming it was agraphic design studio rather than avideo game developer.[2]
Metzen's first work for the company was with the gameJustice League Task Force, in which he provided artwork and character animation.[2] Around the same time, Metzen also contributed to 1994'sWarcraft: Orcs and Humans by working on artwork, illustrations and the game'sdocumentation.[6] Later video games by Blizzard Entertainment would frequently include Metzen's work in manual design, illustration andconcept art. However, Metzen's role in developing laterWarcraft games increased significantly with 1995'sWarcraft II: Tides of Darkness, which gave him the opportunity to work on the game's fantasy-basedfictional universe in addition to designing the game's variousscenarios and missions.[7]
In 1996, Blizzard Entertainment launched its second major franchise with the role-playing gameDiablo.Diablo's fictional universe was created byDavid Brevik, Metzen, andBill Roper. Metzen also providedvoice acting for some of the game's characters.[8] On occasion, Metzen would provide voice talent for later video games. In 1998 he took the role of lead designer on the science fictionstrategy gameStarCraft. Along with James Phinney, Metzen again provided the game's extensive story and script, as well as organizing thevoice casting for the game.[9] In 1999, Metzen wrote a short story set in theStarCraft universe with fellow Blizzard Entertainment employee Sam Moore. The story, entitledRevelations, was published in the spring issue ofAmazing Stories with cover artwork bySamwise Didier.[10] Returning to theDiablo series in 2000 withDiablo II, Metzen worked on the game's story, script and artwork.[11] In 2001, he published a novel set in theWarcraft universe, entitledOf Blood and Honor.[12]
With 2002'sWarcraft III: Reign of Chaos, Metzen was the creative director, a role he would hold in all of Blizzard's later video games, and provided the game's story concept and script.[13] Metzen's work with 2004'smassively multiplayer online role-playing gameWorld of Warcraft was not as extensive as his earlier work, but he still contributed with script writing, artwork and voice work.[14]
Metzen announced in early 2005 that he was working on agraphic novel series independent of Blizzard Entertainment. The series, entitledSoldier: 76, is set in a second American civil war in 2010, with increased domestic and global terror threats and the increase in power for theUS federal government over that of local state governments serving as a background. Metzen wrote the series' script, while Brazilian artist Max Velati was responsible for the illustration and painting of the book.[15] Soldier: 76 would later appear as a character inOverwatch, Blizzard's online first-person shooter game, released in May 2016.[16][17]
Chris Metzen teamed with authorFlint Dille and artist Livio Ramondelli to create the 12-part, bi-weekly digital comic seriesTransformers: Autocracy.Autocracy was published byIDW Publishing in 2012. The series focused on the days just before the Great War. It is set afterMegatron Origin, and presents the Decepticons as an established force, sowing dissent across Cybertron primarily through terrorist actions. The series focuses onOrion Pax, an Autobot commander charged with rooting out these cells.Transformers: Autocracy was released as a collected Trade Paperback in July 2012 with a bonus foreword authored by Metzen.Autocracy was followed byTransformers: Monstrosity in 2013[18] andTransformers: Primacy in 2014.[19][20]
Metzen made a cameo appearance in the 2016Warcraft film, as a turbaned perfume vendor in Stormwind.[21] On September 12, 2016, Metzen announced that he was retiring from Blizzard Entertainment after nearly twenty-three years with the company.[22] In November 2018, Metzen made an appearance at Blizzcon 2018 in the World of Warcraft Q&A line, where he inquired about the return of the Horde's "true Warchief". Afrasiabi responded that if a fictional job board opening were to be posted needing a Warchief, that he (Afrasiabi) would give Metzen a call.[23] He returned to the role ofThrall for the "Safe Haven" cinematic, released in May 2019,[24] and voiced Thrall inWorld of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth.[25] Metzen voiced the Dragon-King Avizandum in the third season of theNetflix's animated seriesThe Dragon Prince.[26] He reprised his role as Thrall once again inWorld of Warcraft: Shadowlands. Blizzard announced Metzen's return to the company in December 2022, as a creative advisor for theWarcraft franchise. His focus at Blizzard is planned to expand to other properties in the future.[27] In September 2023 it was announced on the Warcraft Facebook page that Chris Metzen has transitioned into the role of Executive Creative Director of the Warcraft universe.[citation needed]
He first started creating comics at the age of twelve, but he held an interest in drawing since at least six.[2] A fan ofDungeons & Dragons, Metzen cites theDragonlance series of novels andStar Wars as the primary inspirations for his fantasy and science fiction creations,[2] and names fantasy and comic book artists such asWalt Simonson andKeith Parkinson as his artistic inspirations.[28]
He defines his artistic style as having been "heavily influenced by Walt Simonson's andJim Lee's pencilling styles for form" while preferring the "costuming, themes and general feel ofLarry Elmore and Keith Parkinson's fantasy paintings".[28]
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