Former Overwatch Director Breaks Silence About Sudden Departure From Blizzard Jeff Kaplan, the former director of the original Overwatch, has spoken publicly for the first time since his abrupt departure from Blizzard in 2021. In an interview with Lex Fridman’s podcast, Kaplan detailed the circumstances surrounding his exit, which occurred after nearly two decades at the company. His comments shed light on the pressures faced by the development team during the creation of Overwatch 2, particularly the financial expectations imposed by Activision Blizzard’s leadership. Kaplan described how the situation deteriorated due to the demands of the professional Overwatch League esports competition. When the company failed to meet investor expectations, the responsibility was shifted to the development team, creating intense pressure to deliver Overwatch 2 on time. He recounted a pivotal moment during a meeting with the CFO, who set aggressive financial targets for the game. The CFO informed Kaplan that Overwatch needed to generate a specific revenue figure in 2020, with recurring annual targets thereafter. Failure to meet these goals would result in layoffs, a threat Kaplan called the “biggest f**k you moment” of his career. Despite his deep connection to Blizzard, Kaplan ultimately decided to leave the company. He expressed regret over the situation but acknowledged that the pressure was unsustainable. He also noted that the same CFO, Dennis Durkin, who oversaw the company from 2019 to May 2021, was no longer in his position, which he described as “luckily for Blizzard.” Kaplan’s departure coincided with significant changes to Overwatch 2. The game recently dropped the “2” from its title, with Blizzard president Johanna Faries stating the name should reflect the game’s “timeless” nature.#jeff_kaplan #dennis_durkin #lex_fridman #activision_blizzard #blizzard_president
