Jeff Kaplan
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Ex-Overwatch Director Says Tracer's Butt Was Never "Nerfed"
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan stated that Tracer's butt was never 'nerfed' in the game, despite a controversy over a victory pose shortly after the original Overwatch's debut. Kaplan also discussed his departure from Activision Blizzard and shared his views on players criticizing games they haven't played.
Buffs, Nerfs, and Bugs
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan clarified that Tracer's character model was never intentionally 'nerfed' in terms of her posterior. The article also touches on the game's ongoing balance issues and bugs.
'We Actually Didn't Nerf Tracer's Butt' — 10 Years On, Former Overwatch Boss is Still Being Asked About That Pose Change
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan continues to be asked about a controversial pose change for the character Tracer, even a decade later. The discussion highlights the lasting impact of community reactions on character design and development decisions within the gaming industry.
'It stayed exactly the same': Jeff Kaplan takes us back to 2016 by confirming that Blizzard did not change the…
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan has addressed the long-standing community discussion about Tracer's character model, confirming that Blizzard Entertainment never altered the size of her posterior. Kaplan stated that only one of Tracer's poses was changed shortly after the original Overwatch's release due to player feedback, and the model itself remained consistent. He also briefly mentioned his new multiplayer action-survival FPS game, The Legend of California.
10 years later, Overwatch co-creator Jeff Kaplan debunks the game's first controversy: "We actually…
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan addressed a decade-old controversy regarding a victory pose for the character Tracer, often referred to as 'Tracer's butt-troversy.' Kaplan stated that fan recollections of the pose being altered were a Mandela Effect, as Blizzard never changed it.
Perfect Ten: MMOs and other online projects created by ex-Blizzard devs
This article highlights ten notable projects created by former Blizzard Entertainment developers and leads, focusing on MMORPGs and other online games. It details various ventures, including Jeff Kaplan's 'The Legend of California,' Greg Street's 'Project Ghost,' and Ben Brode's successful 'Marvel Snap.'
Former Overwatch lead Jeff Kaplan has "over 5,000 hours" in Rust and calls it "the pinnacle of PvP games," but his own survival game takes cues from World of Warcraft
Former Overwatch lead Jeff Kaplan expressed his deep admiration for Rust, calling it the "pinnacle of PvP games" after accumulating over 5,000 hours of playtime. While his new survival game, The Legend of California, draws inspiration from the genre, it will focus more on base-building and open-world multiplayer elements reminiscent of World of Warcraft, rather than Rust's intense PvP.
MMO Week in Review: EverQuest’s legacy, Camelot out of chains
This week's MMO news includes Daybreak's announcement of EverQuest Legacy, a spinoff of the classic game, and the surprise early access launch of Camelot Unchained after eight years in beta. Several other MMOs received updates, including V Rising, New World, and EverQuest II, while Epic Games faced significant layoffs due to overspending and a slump in Fortnite's performance.
Massively Overthinking: Should gamers shut up about MMOs they don’t play?
Former Blizzard developer Jeff Kaplan stated that gamers should refrain from commenting on games they have not played, a sentiment echoed by some and debated by others. While some agree that uninformed criticism is detrimental, others argue that feedback from non-players can still be valuable for game development and community discourse.
Former Overwatch lead Jeff Kaplan says he wants to put "Rust-like mechanics" in his new survival game "someday," but for now base-building is more like "Valheim and Subnautica"
Jeff Kaplan, former lead of Overwatch, is developing a Wild West survival game called The Legend of California with his studio Kintsugiyama. While he intends to add Rust-like PvP mechanics to optional servers in the future, the current base-building system is more akin to Valheim and Subnautica, focusing on utility and aesthetics rather than defense.
Overwatch creator tries showing off his new Rust-like open-world game but finds fellow dev stuck in a T-pose instead:…
During a 10-hour stream showcasing their upcoming open-world cowboy game, The Legend of California, Kintsugiyama co-founders Jeff Kaplan and Tim Ford encountered a humorous bug where a character model was stuck in a T-pose. The developers, including former Blizzard engineer Tim Ford, joked about the situation, with Kaplan humorously asking if Jira or the server would crash faster.
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.
