Why did Jeff Kaplan leave Blizzard after 19 years? Who is going to take his place now?

Jeff Kaplan has left Blizzard Entertainment after being associated with the brand for 19 years. The American video game designer was the vice president of Blizzard Entertainment. He designed elements of World of Warcraft and was the lead designer of Overwatch.

Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan leaves Blizzard Entertainment

In a letter published on the official website of Blizzard Entertainment, he said:

I am leaving Blizzard Entertainment after 19 amazing years. 

it was truly the honor of a lifetime to have the opportunity to create worlds and heroes for such a passionate audience. i want to express my deep appreciation to everyone at blizzard who supported our games, our game teams and our players. but i want to say a special thanks to the wonderful game developers that shared in the journey of creation with me.  

never accept the world as it appears to be. always dare to see it for what it could be. i hope you do the same. 

gg,

jeffrey kaplan 

Why did Jeff Kaplan leave Blizzard?

It is not clear at the moment as to why did Jeff Kaplan leave Blizzard Entertainment. However, it has been revealed who shall be stepping in as the new game director for the company. Aaron Keller, who is a Blizzard veteran and founding member of the Overwatch team, will be taking Jeff Kaplan’s place.

It has been mentioned on the same website that Aaron has been a critical part of the Overwatch team and a key driver in creating the vision for the game. According to the website, Aaron helped create Overwatch as an original member of the team. Moreover, he has worked for 18 years with the company. Aaron and Jeff had worked side-by-side for a long time, mentions the website. Aaron too published a letter addressing Jeff's departure.

Greetings, Overwatch Community,  

Jeff’s been a great leader, mentor, and friend, and he knows how much we’re going to miss him. I’ve been lucky to work alongside him and the rest of the Overwatch team for many years in building something that continues to inspire people all around the world, and I’m honored to carry the torch forward.  

I love Overwatch. From our first pieces of concept art, to the first maps we built, to the first time I was able to run around as Tracer (who at that early point shot laser beams out of her eyes), this game has just clicked with me. I love its inspiring, hopeful, beautiful world worth fighting for. I love its characters—larger than life, colorful, powerful, and global. And most of all, I love the fast, fluid gameplay requiring teamwork, situational awareness, and quick decision making. 

Jeff Kaplan net worth

• According to Taddlr.com, Jeff Kaplan's net worth is $10 million. This, when converted to INR, amounts to over Rs 75 crore.

DISCLAIMER: The above net worth information is sourced from various websites/ media reports. The website does not guarantee a 100% accuracy of the figures.

Image credits: Jeff Kaplan Fanpage IG (@j.e.f.f_k.a.p.l.a.n)