Overwatch 2’s lead character designer has left the company

Geoff Goodman is one of the leading developers behind loved OverwatchActivision Blizzard has ceased to employ characters such as Mercy, Tracer and D. Va. Goodman “made the decision to leave Blizzard earlier this year,” a Blizzard spokesperson said to press. PC Gamer was the first to report on Tuesday.

Goodman, a Blizzard Entertainment game designer principal, was responsible for designing and balancing playable characters in Blizzard Entertainment’s team-based multiplayer shooter. Overwatch and the sequel. Before you start working on OverwatchGoodman was an encounter designer. World of WarcraftHe designed boss battles at the University of California, Berkeley.

The complete Activision Blizzard statement to PC Gamer regarding his departure is here:

Geoff has been a great servant to Blizzard over many years. We are grateful and wish him the very 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.

Another speed bump was made in the news release Overwatch 2. OverwatchJeff Kaplan, the game director for Goodman left the company in 2021. This marked a significant departure from the leadership of the team. And now the news of Goodman’s departure comes just weeks before the scheduled release of Overwatch 2On October 4, His contributions to the creation of playable characters have been a driving force behind interest in stylized shooting games and remain a key aspect to gaming. Overwatch. Most recently, the developers announced the game’s next new hero: Kiriko, a ninja who will help you feel super cool while healing.

Polygon asked Activision Blizzard about their comments and will make any updates as soon as they respond.