Jeff Kaplan says there was ‘constant fighting’ between him and Blizzard years before he left

Jeff Kaplan says he repeatedly clashed with Blizzard executives over Overwatch’s direction from 2018 onwards, years before he left the company in 2021. He says he had lost influence over the game’s development and disagreed with decisions he believed were harming it, including the announcement of Overwatch 2.

Kaplan says he opposed announcing Overwatch 2 in 2019 before its identity and business model were clear, and objected to pressure to sell heroes. At launch, Overwatch 2 placed new heroes in its battle pass, with free players facing a longer grind; heroes are now unlocked immediately. Kaplan links the disputes to a change in leadership, though he names no one as responsible.