Former Overwatch Director Jeff Kaplan No Longer Follows the Game

Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan has revealed that he no longer follows the multiplayer shooter after leaving Blizzard Entertainment in 2021, explaining that distancing himself from the game was important for his personal well-being.

Speaking in a recent interview with GameSpot, Kaplan discussed his decision to move on from Overwatch and avoid keeping up with its updates, community discussions, and online content.

The veteran developer explained that his previous experience working on World of Warcraft had taught him how difficult it could be to separate his professional responsibilities from his personal life.

During his time developing World of Warcraft, Kaplan frequently continued thinking about the game outside working hours. Even while playing at home, he would take notes about potential improvements to discuss with his colleagues the following day.

After leaving Blizzard, Kaplan decided not to repeat that pattern with Overwatch. He deliberately stopped watching related YouTube videos and reading online discussions about the game.

Kaplan also revealed that he had adjusted his online recommendations to avoid receiving Overwatch-related content, saying he had informed recommendation algorithms that he was no longer interested in the game.

Despite distancing himself from the franchise, Kaplan still considers the original Overwatch announcement at BlizzCon 2014 one of the most memorable moments of his career.

He also acknowledged that the game now belongs to its players and the development team responsible for its future.

Kaplan is currently working on a new project titled The Legend of California, marking a new chapter in his career following his departure from Blizzard.