With just two weeks ahead of the launch of Overwatch 2, lead hero designer Geoff Goodman has left Blizzard.
The Overwatch fandom has been anxiously awaiting the release of Overwatch 2, something that fans thought may not even be happening at one point. Blizzard was having a tough time with gender discrimination lawsuits over the past few years, leaving the company a bit distracted from the promised sequel. Veteran employees leaving the company likely played a part in the game’s repeated delays. Meanwhile, the existing Overwatch game was left with almost no new content or events, frustrating Overwatch players and leaving them skeptical about the future of the IP.
Luckily for fans, an Overwatch 2 alpha was finally announced, followed by two closed betas. There have also been new heroes, including Junker Queen, Sojourn, and
Kiriko. While PvE is still a mystery, the new PvP meta is already being heavily discussed ahead of the launch. Still, it seems there were complications behind the scenes.
Overwatch lead hero designer Geoff Goodman leaves Blizzard after speculation
The news of Geoff Goodman leaving Blizzard hasn’t been the most shocking departure from the company. Fans started whispering about the possibility in August when a tweet went out listing his position as one of the
open roles. Along with a senior enemy designer and associate production director for technology, the role of lead hero designer could be seen under the design category.
Others noticed that a lot of the roles listed were “senior” and other higher-ranking positions. This made it seem like Goodman wasn’t the only one planning to leave Blizzard with just a few months until Overwatch 2’s launch.
Earlier this week, the discussion surrounding Goodman started again. A YouTuber claimed that Goodman was fired from the Overwatch team along with other employees.
This led to a debate about Goodman’s competency in the role, with some feeling he was right to focus on fun while others felt Goodman allowed characters to enter the game broken.
The nature of Goodman’s departure from the company is uncertain at this time. Either way, this has left Overwatch fans a bit wary ahead of the October release of Overwatch 2.
Olivia Richman
About Olivia Richman
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
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