Jeff Kaplan leaves Blizzard, Aaron Keller named Overwatch director

Overwatch

Blizzard veteran Jeff Kaplan has left the company. Kaplan was most recently the director of Overwatch.

Kaplan offered these thoughts on his departure:

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. 

The company has named Aaron Keller – an original member of the Overwatch team – as the game’s new director. Keller is an 18-year veteran at Blizzard, so he knows the company and its people well. The sequel, Overwatch 2, is still in development.

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“Jeff’s been a great leader, mentor, and friend, and he knows how much we’re going to miss him,” Keller said in a statement posted to the game’s official website. “I’ve been lucky to work alongside him and the rest of the Overwatch team for many years… and I’m honored to carry the torch forward.”

My Take

Best of luck to both Jeff as he charts a new course and Aaron in his new role.

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