Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan has left Blizzard | PC Gamer - gemmillyouser

Overwatch theatre director Jeff Kaplan has left Blizzard

(Image credit: Blizzard)

Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan, one of the highest-visibility figures at Rash Entertainment who's well known to many an fans as "Papa Jeff," has remaining the fellowship.

"IT was truly the honor of a lifetime to have the opportunity to create worlds and heroes for such a emotional audience," Kaplan wrote in his parting message. "I want to express my in depth grasp to everyone at Blizzard who buttressed our games, our game teams and our players. Merely I neediness to say a special thanks to the wonderful spunky developers that mutual in the journeying of creation with me."

"Ne'er accept the creation as information technology appears to be. Forever dare to see it for what it could be. I hope you do the same."

Help us give thanks Jeff Kaplan for being the Mercy to our Genji. Thank you for always daring to see the world as it could be.Likewise, supporte U.S.A welcome Aaron Keller as Overwatch's late Game Theater director. We can't await to continue war-ridden for the future with you.➡️ https://t.co/119g1mIh4M pic.chitter.com/w2Pmq3sBKnApril 20, 2021

Imag Sir Thomas More

Kaplan was at Blizzard for 19 years (here's the whole story, as atomic number 2 told it in 2017), and prior to Overwatch also worked atomic number 3 a designer and director on World of Warcraft and respective expansions. He became known arsenic the face of Overwatch through the regular community update videos posted to YouTube, but his best bring on—in video, at any rate—surely occurred in the annual Overwatch Yule log specials, in which he would sit stone still in front of a blazing give the axe and Christmastide tree, staring blankly into the photographic camera while occasionally sipping from an Overwatch umber mark.

Kaplan's function on Overwatch will be assumed by Aaron Helen Adams Keller, currently the assistant game director.

"Jeff's been a great leader, wise man, and friend, and he knows how practically we're going to young woman him. I've been lucky to work alongside him and the rest of the Overwatch team for many years in construction something that continues to invigorate people whol around the world, and I'm honored to carry the blowtorch forward," Keller said in his own message.

"While I suffer no pretenses all but filling Jeff's shoes, I'm excited to dance step into the game director role and continue to be part of a team that's putt all of its heart, talent, and focus into the next iteration of Overwatch, and I'm honored to continue serving this undreamed community."

Keller likewise noted that maturation of Overwatch 2 is "continuing at a good pace," and that Blizzard will commence sharing more frequent updates on the game's status presently. We knowledgeable more astir the subsequence's concentrate on cooperative PvE missions and new sub Sojourn at BlizzCon 2021.