Blizzard has lost another experienced developer. Geoff Goodman, who was the lead hero designer for the Overwatch franchise, has left the company just before the sequel’s launch.
Goodman left Blizzard earlier this year, the company told PC Gamer. The reasons for his departure remain undisclosed, as well as his future endeavors.
“We thank Geoff for his many years of service at Blizzard and wish him all the best. His ability to bring to life Overwatch’s diverse hero roster through gameplay has been incredible, and the mark he’s left on the Warcraft and Overwatch teams will be felt for years to come,” a statement reads.
The departure’s announcment comes just less than two weeks before Overwatch 2 launches on October 4.
Who is Geoff Goodman?
He has been involved in the franchise ever since Blizzard was working on Project Titan, a secret MMO that was eventually canceled and turned into what we all know now as Overwatch.
Goodman remained one of the most active developers in the public space, talking to the press and and discussing different balance changes and new characters. “I’ve pretty much been the one designing all the heroes up to now, so you can blame me for everything,” he once jokingly said.
How many devs have left the Overwatch team?
- In 2020, Overwatch lead writer Michael Chu left Blizzard after 20 years. His writing credits also include World of Warcraft and Diablo 3.
- Last year, the team lost game director Jeff Kaplan, who worked at Blizzard for 19 years. The studio later removed a reference to him from one of Overwatch 2’s maps.
- In September 2021, Overwatch 2 executive producer Chacko Sonny left Blizzard. He was well-respected by colleagues and a “stabilizing force on the Overwatch team,” especially after Kaplan’s departure.
- Most of these high-profile departures occurred amid the ongoing harassment scandal at Activision Blizzard. However, none of them is directly connected to it.
- Blizzard has lost several key employees since the beginning of the harassment scandal, including HR head Jesse Meschuk, the company’s president J. Allen Brack, and a few senior developers of Diablo and World of Warcraft.