Rob Pardo responds to negativity on Battle.net forums, takes 'full responsibility' for Diablo 3

In a recent thread dedicated to Diablo 3 director Jay Wilson's departure, chief creative officer Rob Pardo discouraged players from bashing Wilson for Diablo 3's quality, placing blame on himself.

Wilson announced his retirement on the Battle.net Diablo 3 forums on Jan. 17. The response, which spans more than 170 pages, drew some ire from users, prompting Pardo to respond in turn.

"This thread saddens me greatly," Pardo wrote. "I know that the Battle.net forums have earned a reputation for rough justice, but I do not believe justice is being served by how people are speaking about Jay's departure from Diablo 3."

Pardo continued that he's proud of the Diablo franchise and the team's work on Diablo 3, but acknowledged that "the Diablo community deserves an even better game."

"If you still feel the need to dish out blame, then I would prefer you direct it at me," Pardo wrote. "I was the executive producer on the project; I hired Jay and I gave him advice and direction throughout the development process. I was ultimately responsible for the game we released and take full responsibility for the quality of the result."

The team will continue to work on Diablo 3, Pardo said, and hopes to receive continual feedback on how to improve it.

"We have a talented team in place and have no intention of stopping work on Diablo 3 until it is the best game in the franchise," Pardo said.