Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan says Blizzard’s 2019 announcement of Overwatch 2—made during BlizzCon alongside Diablo 4—was poorly planned and driven by executives without a clear vision. In comments made to Gaming World Interviews and reported by multiple outlets, Kaplan argues Blizzard promised features at the event that were later walked back or not delivered.
Kaplan also describes a period of ongoing friction with Blizzard’s executive leadership from 2018 until his departure, saying disagreements covered game direction, scheduling, and core mechanics. He characterizes the leadership’s approach as lacking a defined business model for Overwatch 2 and claims the company’s direction shifted away from the game director role. He further links the decision to announce Overwatch 2 at the same time as Diablo 4 to what he frames as a major mistake.
Outlets differ mainly in how they headline the remarks, with Polygon and Kotaku foregrounding Kaplan’s blunt language. GameSpot adds more detail about Kaplan’s account of executive interactions and internal decision-making leading up to his 2021 departure.
