Jeff Kaplan
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Overwatch co-creator Jeff Kaplan says Breath of the Wild is "the greatest game ever made" – "How can Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time exist and somebody make an even better Zelda game?"
Overwatch co-creator Jeff Kaplan has declared The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as the greatest game ever made, surpassing even The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Kaplan praised Nintendo's consistent quality and highlighted Breath of the Wild's exceptional game design.
MMO Week in Review: EverQuest celebrates 27 years and a lawsuit settlement in its favor
EverQuest celebrated its 27th anniversary with a lawsuit settlement that favors Daybreak Game Company, keeping emulators offline. This week also saw layoffs at Amazon for Lost Ark developers, Facebook scaling back VR metaverse ambitions, and discussions around various MMORPG updates and industry trends.
'Is Marathon a success? Unfortunately, no, not yet' — Former Xbox exec says Bungie's new extraction shooter was built at a scale and cost that the current market 'simply isn't rewarding'
Former Microsoft executive Laura Fryer believes Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon, despite having a dedicated player base, has not yet achieved success due to its high development cost and scale not being rewarded by the current market. She notes that while player numbers are decent for a $40 game in a crowded genre, the studio faces a significant challenge to justify the investment, especially considering Sony's acquisition of Bungie and the underperformance of Destiny 2.
Is Jeff Kaplan's The Legend Of California Coming To PS5 Or Xbox? Here's What We Know
The Legend of California, a new project from former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan and developer Kintsugiyama, is currently confirmed for PC with an alpha test starting March 26. While console releases for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are still to be determined, the game is targeting an early-access launch on Steam and the Epic Games Store in 2026. Controller support will be available during the alpha test.
Overwatch was originally called "Monetized Shooter" because you had to buy each of its heroes, says co-creator Jeff Kaplan: "F***ing terrible, but at the time, I actually thought that was a good idea"
Overwatch co-creator Jeff Kaplan revealed that the game was initially pitched with the working title "Monetized Shooter." The concept combined elements of League of Legends and Team Fortress 2, with a focus on monetizing heroes. Kaplan ultimately proposed "Overwatch" as the official name.
Jeff Kaplan’s Legend of California demos multiplayer, opens signups for March 26 Steam alpha
Jeff Kaplan's studio Kintsugiyama has opened signups for a Steam alpha test of their upcoming multiplayer title, The Legend of California, scheduled for March 26th. The game, inspired by California's gold rush history, will feature FPS action multiplayer with survival sandbox elements, cooperative play, and optional PvP zones. Monthly server resets will occur, but legacy unlocks will persist.
New open world, action-survival shooter from the creator of Overwatch gets its first public Steam playtest next week
Kintsugiyama, an independent studio founded by former Overwatch lead Jeff Kaplan, has announced its debut game, The Legend of California. The open-world action-survival shooter will have its first public Steam playtest next week, with a larger beta planned for this summer before Early Access.
Ex-Overwatch Dev's New FPS Action Game Opens For Testing Soon, How To Sign Up
The Legend of California, a new first-person shooter from former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan and developer Kintsugiyama, will hold its first public playtest from March 26-30 on Steam. While not everyone who requests access will be accepted, players invited to the alpha test will be able to share content freely. Future tests, including a larger beta, are planned before an early-access launch.
Overwatch co-creator Jeff Kaplan's new open-world FPS probably won't be free-to-play because "you need 8 billion players and 2 thousand devs cranking out f***ing keychains like a sweatshop"
Jeff Kaplan, co-creator of Overwatch, stated that his new open-world FPS, The Legend of California, will likely not be free-to-play. He expressed skepticism about the model, citing the immense player base and development resources required. Kaplan made these remarks during a livestream of the game.
Massively OP Podcast Episode 558: The Legend of Justin’s Gold
The Massively OP Podcast episode 558 covers various MMORPG topics including Palia's content expansions, Star Wars: The Old Republic's new story, Jeff Kaplan's upcoming Wild West game, and previews for Final Fantasy XIV and World of Warcraft. Hosts Bree and Justin also discuss playing Guild Wars 2 on the Steam Deck.
Jeff Kaplan Tells Gamers to ‘Shut Up’ About Games They Won’t Play
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan has sparked controversy by telling gamers to "shut up" about games they won't play, arguing that developers receive excessive criticism from non-players. While some developers and gamers support his stance against bad-faith feedback, others criticize his unprofessional and dismissive approach, fearing it could stifle important conversations about game design and accessibility.
Jeff Kaplan recounts development of Project Titan as a game that ‘could never ship and would never exist’
Former Blizzard director Jeff Kaplan discussed the troubled development of Project Titan, an MMORPG that was eventually scrapped and reformed into Overwatch. Kaplan revealed that he recognized the project's insurmountable issues as early as 2009 and urged management to shut it down in 2010 to prevent further financial loss.
Our idea of Azeroth could have looked very different, because Jeff Kaplan said he 'really wanted WoW to be first-person' in its early days: 'I argued a lot for that'
Former Blizzard vice president Jeff Kaplan revealed that he strongly advocated for World of Warcraft to be a first-person game during its early development. He believed a first-person perspective would have fostered a greater appreciation for character art and player interaction, drawing parallels to his experience with EverQuest.
Jeff Kaplan is sick of hearing you demonize games you weren't going to play anyway: 'Shut the f**k up. No one…
Former Blizzard VP Jeff Kaplan expressed frustration with online discourse surrounding games, stating that people who haven't played a game should not voice negative opinions about it. He believes such criticism is unproductive and stems from 'nerd baby rage.' Kaplan, now leading his independent studio Kintsugiyama, also reflected on his departure from Blizzard and his newfound freedom to speak candidly.
"Shut the f*ck up, no one cares" - former Overwatch boss Jeff Kaplan slams "nerd baby rage"
Former Overwatch boss Jeff Kaplan has criticized what he calls "nerd baby rage" from game communities, urging players who dislike a game they haven't played to "shut the f*ck up, no one cares." Kaplan, now working on his new game The Legend of California, stated that developers often ignore overly hostile feedback, finding it unproductive.
World of Warcraft would've been a first-person MMO in the EverQuest-inspired world of Overwatch's Jeff Kaplan:…
Former Blizzard director Jeff Kaplan revealed that he advocated for World of Warcraft to be a first-person MMORPG during its development. He views his upcoming game, The Legend of California, as an indirect realization of that original vision, drawing inspiration from his experience with EverQuest.
Jeff Kaplan's new game, The Legend of California, may have big Rust energy, but don't think it's a cowboy-filled clone
Jeff Kaplan's upcoming game, The Legend of California, draws inspiration from Rust but is not a direct clone. Kaplan has emphasized the distinctions between the two titles, suggesting a unique gameplay experience despite shared influences.
Quoteworthy
Jeff Kaplan argues that players should refrain from complaining about games they have no intention of playing. He suggests that this behavior is unproductive and detracts from the enjoyment of the gaming community.
Morning Postmortems/Retrospectives
Jeff Kaplan described the development of Blizzard's unreleased MMO Titan as a "disaster" that ultimately led to its cancellation. The article also references a video detailing the collapse of Disco Elysium's development.
"You've got to shut this down" - Jeff Kaplan recalls the "disaster" of Blizzard MMO Titan's development
Former Blizzard designer Jeff Kaplan described the cancelled MMO Titan as a "disaster" born from hubris following World of Warcraft's success. The ambitious project, intended to feature a dual-world structure with secret agent and business simulation elements, suffered from a lack of cohesion and clear direction, ultimately costing Blizzard an estimated $83 million before its cancellation in 2013. Kaplan admitted leadership, including his own, was ultimately responsible for the failure, with elements of Titan later influencing Overwatch.