Posted in: Blizzard, Games, Overwatch, Video Games | Tagged: Blizzard Entertainment, Jeff Kaplan, overwatch

Overwatch Director Jeff Kaplan Is Leaving Blizzard Entertainment

It is the end of an era over at Blizzard Entertainment as Overwatch's director, Jeff Kaplan, has announced his departure today. Kaplan joined the company in May 2002 back when the company was deep in the development of what would become World Of Warcraft, joining the team as a designer and later becoming a game director. More recently, players know him best as the main voice for all things Overwatch as he has been with the project clear back when it was first being developed as Titan in 2013 and later changed into what it became in 2016. For a few years he was the main face you would see on every update video, talking about the latest additions and patches on the way. He became so synonymous with the product, that one year he even sat next to a fireplace for Blizzard's annual Yule Log stream. Whether you liked his reveals or not, he definitely became a fan favorite personality from the company.

No reason was given as to why Kaplan is departing the company, but they did post his last note to fans (which you can read below) and announced that Blizzard vet and founding member of the Overwatch team, Aaron Keller, will be taking over as game director. What impact will that have on the current game's updates as well as the development of Overwatch 2 is yet to be seen. But as someone who has met and chatted with Kaplan more than once over the past few years, it certainly feels like a major loss for the company and the fans.

i am leaving Blizzard Entertainment after 19 amazing years.

it was truly the honor of a lifetime to have the opportunity to create worlds and heroes for such a passionate audience. i want to express my deep appreciation to everyone at blizzard who supported our games, our game teams and our players. but i want to say a special thanks to the wonderful game developers that shared in the journey of creation with me. 

never accept the world as it appears to be. always dare to see it for what it could be. i hope you do the same.

gg,

jeffrey kaplan

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