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'It was supposed to be the greatest time ever': Jeff Kaplan only got 6 weeks to come up with and pitch Overwatch: 'We were probably the most demoralised we'd ever been'
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan revealed that the team had only six weeks to develop and pitch the game after the cancellation of the MMO Titan. Despite the immense pressure and demoralization, the team was tasked with creating a game that could ship in two years and achieve World of Warcraft-like revenue. Ultimately, Overwatch was chosen as the most realistic pitch, with elements inspired by old Titan concepts and even Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
How to Play as The Butcher, Bloodied Items, and Slaughterhouses Explained – Expert Game Reviews
Diablo 4's Season of Slaughter, launched March 11, 2025, introduces the ability for players to transform into The Butcher, a new Kill Streak system, Bloodied Items, and a collaboration with DOOM: The Dark Ages. The season features new dungeons, unique items, and a questline focused on mastering these new mechanics.
Overwatch Vet Jeff Kaplan On AI: "The Human Spirit Is Irreplaceable"
Game industry veteran Jeff Kaplan, formerly of Blizzard Entertainment and now leading the development of The Legend of California, shared his views on artificial intelligence in game development with Lex Fridman. Kaplan described current AI as "mostly a hot mess" but acknowledged its potential for handling tedious tasks, citing an example where ChatGPT resized 2,000 images for his studio Kintsugiyama. He emphasized that while AI can assist with mundane work, the "human spirit is irreplaceable" in creative endeavors.
The Daily Grind: What MMO and multiplayer IPs are going ‘underutilized’?
Blizzard's Holly Longdale stated that the Warcraft IP is underutilized, a sentiment echoed by the author regarding the EverQuest franchise. The article prompts discussion on which other MMO and multiplayer intellectual properties are not being fully leveraged and how they could be expanded.
Former Blizzard VP Jeff Kaplan likens AI scraping to "stealing," says "the human spirit is irreplaceable"
Former Blizzard vice president Jeff Kaplan shared his views on artificial intelligence in a podcast with Lex Fridman, likening AI data scraping to theft and emphasizing the irreplaceable nature of the human spirit in game development.
Kolla in The Legend of California – ett överlev guldrushen-fps från Overwatch-folk
The Legend of California, a new western-themed first-person shooter developed by former Overwatch staff including director Jeff Kaplan, is set to enter early access on PC in 2026. The game focuses on survival and crafting during the California Gold Rush era.
$30 Overwatch Skin Missing Iconic Detail Sparks Quality Control Debate
Players are debating the quality control of Blizzard Entertainment's new Kiriko skin for Overwatch, which is a crossover with NieR: Automata's character 2B. The skin is missing 2B's signature facial mole, a detail considered iconic to the character's design. This oversight, coupled with the premium price of the cosmetic, has led to player frustration and questions about the developer's respect for source material.
Gamers think they know why Overwatch is “struggling” against Marvel Rivals, and it’s not gameplay, it’s buttcheeks
Players are criticizing Overwatch's new Project YoRHa collaboration skins for their high cost and perceived lack of aesthetic appeal, particularly the design of the character Kiriko. This has led to comparisons with Marvel Rivals, with some arguing Overwatch is struggling due to its character design choices. The discussion also touches on broader concerns about female character representation and the male gaze in video games.
Overwatch Vet's New Game, The Legend Of California, Won't "Starve The Player" Early On
Jeff Kaplan, former Blizzard veteran and director of Kintsugiyama studio, has shared new details about their upcoming game, The Legend of California. The first-person shooter multiplayer game aims to quickly immerse players in its core mechanics, such as shooting and exploration, without prolonged periods of simple tasks. The game will launch in early access, with developers emphasizing community involvement to refine the experience before its 1.0 release.
Diablo 4's endgame is about to look a lot more like Diablo 2's with low-level loot that can become legendary
The upcoming Lord of Hatred expansion for Diablo 4 will introduce changes to the endgame loot system, making it more similar to Diablo 2. Low-level items will have a chance to drop with greater affixes, a feature previously exclusive to legendary loot. This update aims to diversify item drops in the endgame.
Overwatch co-creator Jeff Kaplan on what led him to leave Blizzard Entertainment
Overwatch co-creator Jeff Kaplan stated that his departure from Blizzard Entertainment was due to the Overwatch League and corporate mismanagement. He believes these factors contributed to the game's decline.
Overwatch co-creator Jeff Kaplan on what led him to leave Blizzard Entertainment
Overwatch co-creator Jeff Kaplan stated that his departure from Blizzard Entertainment was due to the Overwatch League and corporate mismanagement. He believes these factors contributed to the game's decline.
Blizzard vet Rob Pardo closed this year's GDC keynote by urging executives to cool it with the layoffs: 'The game team is more valuable than the game itself'
Former Blizzard executive Rob Pardo delivered the GDC keynote, urging industry leaders to prioritize retaining development teams over short-term gains, especially after successful game launches. He argued that the team's collective experience and ability to navigate development challenges are more valuable than the game itself, citing recent layoffs despite strong sales as a detrimental practice.
New Survival Game The Legend of California Announced and is Being Headed Up by Former Overwatch Lead Director, Launching on PC via Early Access in 2026 | Console Creatures
Kintsugiyama, a studio led by former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan, has announced The Legend of California, a multiplayer-focused action survival first-person shooter. The game is set in an alternate timeline gold rush California and will launch on PC via Early Access in 2026 on Steam and Epic Games Store. The publisher is Dreamhaven, co-founded by former Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime.
"Typical hubris" led to one of WoW's "s**ttiest" quests, admits creator Jeff Kaplan, who thought he was a clever designer but was "actually a dips**t"
Former World of Warcraft designer Jeff Kaplan reflects on the infamous "The Green Hills of Stranglethorn" quest, admitting "typical hubris" led to its widely criticized design. Kaplan, who was inspired by Ernest Hemingway, views the quest as a valuable learning experience despite its negative reception.
How to get Meaty Offering in Diablo 4
This guide explains how to obtain Meaty Offerings in Diablo 4's Season of Slaughter. These consumables allow players to transform into the Butcher by interacting with a Shrine of Slaughter during Helltides. Meaty Offerings can be acquired from Helltide Chests (Tortured Gifts) or by completing Slaughterhouses, which are special mini-dungeons.
WoW's questing system was inspired by a playtest that didn't work out as planned, because the testers didn't play MMOs and had no idea what they were supposed to do: 'I ran out of quests right away!'
Former World of Warcraft quest designer Jeff Kaplan revealed that the game's questing system was inspired by a playtest where testers unfamiliar with MMOs expected a constant stream of quests. Initially, the team aimed to mirror Everquest's design, but feedback from internal testers highlighted the need for a more guided experience, leading to the quest-heavy system present in the final game.
Blizzard veteran Rob Pardo says 'love' is the most important development milestone
Blizzard veteran Rob Pardo stated that a team's 'love' for the game they are developing is the most crucial milestone for success. He explained that when developers become more invested in playing and improving their own game than anything else, it signals a project's potential for widespread player appeal.
PEGI ratings for game releases in Europe will be age-restricted if they contain loot boxes
PEGI, the Pan-European Game Information system, is implementing new age rating rules starting June 2026 that will restrict games containing loot boxes and other gambling-like mechanics. The updated criteria will assign ratings such as PEGI 7, 12, 16, or 18 based on the presence and nature of in-game purchases, random items, and communication features. These changes aim to inform parents about potentially addictive or risky game elements.
Playing World of Warcraft with a controller might become my preferred playstyle thanks to this excellent gamepad-friendly addon that's letting me enjoy Azeroth from my couch
An addon called ConsolePort is enhancing World of Warcraft's native controller support, allowing players to enjoy the MMORPG from their couch. This addon, combined with Blizzard's gradual implementation of gamepad features and game streaming technology, transforms the user experience with features like ability clusters and camera-based targeting, making casual play more comfortable.
