Two weeks before the launch of Overwatch 2, Lead Hero Designer Geoff Goodman has Blizzard. His departure follows a trend of veteran Blizzard employees leaving the company.
The road to Overwatch 2’s launch has been a long one. Multiple delays and heated controversy around the introduction of a battle pass have made Overwatch fans skeptical of how smooth Overwatch 2’s launch would be.
Now that Overwatch 2 is almost out the door, lead hero designer Geoff Goodman has left the studio.
Lead Overwatch 2 Hero Designer has left Blizzard
The latest in a series of departures from Blizzard Entertainment, Geoff Goodman has officially left Blizzard Entertainment.
This is no time for standin' around! Overwatch 2 is #hiring artists, designers, engineers & more!Ready to take the objective? Clock's ticking! Apply here: https://t.co/zy0SdpyR7S pic.twitter.com/DDByMWR4NN
— Life at Blizzard (@LifeatBlizzard) August 24, 2022
Fans were concerned after this ad for a lead hero designer came out in late August. It stood out from the other job postings considering that Geoff was still lead hero designer at the time.
Now, those skeptical about how long Geoff would remain at Blizzard have been proven right.
According to the original report from PC Gamer, Geoff Goodman’s departure was set in stone for a while. While it’s hard to say how long, a Blizzard spokesperson told PC Gamer that he made the decision to leave “earlier this year”.
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Goodman’s journey didn’t start with Overwatch, either. Far from it. He got his start at Blizzard working on World of Warcraft, and then swapped to working on Titan, the prototype for Overwatch that was eventually canceled, before working on Overwatch proper.
Blizzard has been steeped in controversy over recent years. From CEO Bobby Kotick’s alleged mistreatment of employees and insider trading to various other workplace issues, Blizzard has lost a lot of reputation among fans as a company.
A Blizzard spokesperson had this to say about both sets of allegations: “No court has ever found the allegations about the Company or Mr. Kotick to be true. The California DFEH filed its allegations without completing its investigation and failed to follow its own investigative requirements and conciliation procedures. Our commitment has always been to a workplace that is inclusive and safe.”
Additionally, Overwatch will be replaced by Overwatch 2. Once the sequel is out, the original Overwatch and its 6v6 gameplay will be inaccessible.
Kiriko is the last hero that was unveiled with Goodman being the lead hero designer. Fans are certainly hyped to have a new support hero in Overwatch, but that excitement has certainly been stifled by the departure of this long-standing designer at Blizzard.