Jeff Kaplan, Vice-President of Blizzard Entertainment and Game Director for Overwatch, announces his departure after almost two decades with Blizzard.
JEFF KAPLAN TURNS OVER DIRECTORSHIP OF OVERWATCH 2 TO AARON KELLER
Help us thank Jeff Kaplan for being the Mercy to our Genji. Thank you for always daring to see the world as it could be.
Also, help us welcome Aaron Keller as Overwatch's new Game Director. We can't wait to continue fighting for the future with you.
➡️ https://t.co/119g1mIh4M pic.twitter.com/w2Pmq3sBKn
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) April 20, 2021
Blizzard Entertainment announced the departure of industry veteran Jeff Kaplan from the company. Kaplan will be leaving behind his Vice-Presidency in Blizzard Entertainment, as well as his Directorship for Overwatch and its sequel. “It was truly the honor of a lifetime to have the opportunity to create worlds and heroes for such a passionate audience,” says Kaplan. “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.”
Associate Game Director for Overwatch 2 Aaron Keller will take over the Game Director position. Keller has also served as associate director under Kaplan for the first Overwatch. This makes him probably the second-most experienced person with the franchise, next to Kaplan. “I’ve been lucky to work alongside him and the rest of the Overwatch team for many years in building something that continues to inspire people all around the world,” says Keller. “I’m honored to carry the torch forward.”
Keller worked directly on the King's Row map. On joining Blizzard, Keller worked with the World of Warcraft team.
Kaplan's departure from the company comes as a surprise, as there has been no indication that he will be leaving. His departure will surely affect the development schedule of Overwatch 2. The sequel game still doesn't have a release date set in stone. It also doesn't seem like it will be releasing this year. Its release schedule may even be pushed further back because of this development.
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