Overwatch: Jeff Kaplan (Game Director) has left Blizzard

News business Overwatch: Jeff Kaplan (Game Director) has left Blizzard

Published on 04/20/2021 8:17 pm, updated on 20/04/2021 at 20:25

During Blizzcon, we received news about Overwatch 2 and the release date has yet to be set. The development team, however, will have to do without a historic Blizzard member entering new horizons.

Overwatch Game Director Jeff Kaplan, whom players have seen regularly announced that he was leaving Blizzard

after 19 years in the studios. However, continuity is assured as it is replaced by Aaron Keller, other company history and Present on the Overwatch team from the start. In a relayed speech the game’s official blogJeff Kaplan explains:

I’m leaving Blizzard Entertainment after 19 and unbelievable years. It was a great honor in my life to have the opportunity to create worlds and heroes for such a passionate audience. I would like to express my deep gratitude to all of the Blizzard members who have supported our games, teams and players. I want to say a big thank you to the wonderful developers who shared this creative journey with me. Never accept the world as it seems to be. Always dare to see him for who he could be. I hope you will do the same.

For his part, Aaron Keller, the new Game Director of the Overwatch license, states:

Jeff was a great leader, mentor and friend and he knows how much he is missed. (…) I also recognize that playing at Blizzard has always been group work and never just one. (…) I am fortunate to have a strong team of development and creative leaders, many experienced artists and designers and extremely talented young people. (…). Speaking of Overwatch 2, development continues at a good pace. We have an extraordinary vision (…) and we have exciting things planned for this year and beyond as we prepare for the title launch. We’ll be sharing more regular updates with you shortly on the progress of Overwatch 2 and the new live features.