Succeeding a very popular Jeff Kaplan as Overwatch Game Director was always going to be a challenge for Aaron Keller, and he’s already moved to reassure fans that the game is in good hands ahead of Overwatch 2.
There’s no denying the impact that Blizzard’s former Director of Overwatch, Kaplan, had on the franchise’s identity.
The announcement that he would be stepping down rocked the game’s universe, and his parting words truly broke the hearts of fans everywhere.
Keller clearly understands the size of the shoes that he’s got to fill, and has been very transparent about how he’ll be approaching the role.
Aaron Keller on replacing Jeff Kaplan
In a Gamestop interview, the Overwatch chief revealed some of the pressures associated with replacing Kaplan, and how he plans to deal with it.
He said: “It’s exciting and it’s overwhelming at the same time. In a good way. The reason that I’m excited to be game director on this project is because I love Overwatch. I love this game.
“I love the universe that we’ve created for people. I love the heroes and the locations in it and so, any chance that I get to be able to make any sort of impact on this project, I jump at it.”
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Praising the team behind the title, noting that they’re “really, really great humans.” He also noted: “I’m just happy that I’m able to play whatever role in it that I can.”
When asked whether or not we’ll be seeing Development Updates in that iconic Jeff Kaplan style, Keller was hesitant to speak about how the team plans to keep the community in the loop.
That said, he did confirm that the team will continue to take an active role in communicating with fans.
So, as much as Kaplan has left a legacy on Blizzard’s flagship FPS, it should be exciting to see how Keller takes the reins on Overwatch 2.
