Geoff Goodman, the lead hero designer for the Overwatch franchise, left developer Blizzard Entertainment earlier this year. The news was initially reported by PC Gamer. Goodman previously worked on World of Warcraft and the Titan project before it became Overwatch.Â
The news comes shortly after the newest hero announcement for Overwatch 2, the support hero Kiriko. A full statement was given to PC Gamer from Blizzard Entertainment:
“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.”
Goodman likely had a handle on several Overwatch 2 hero designs and reworks, including Sojourn and Doomfist. His departure comes at a tumultuous time for the game’s future.
The Overwatch 2 beta was not entirely well received, and the title seems to lack the hype of other projects from Blizzard Entertainment, such as World of Warcraft: Dragonflight and Diablo IV.
The studio itself has seen plenty of controversies, too. Activision Blizzard has been dealing with accusations and reports of sexism, misogyny, and hostile work environments for over a year. The company settled a lawsuit for $18 million earlier this year.
Overwatch 2 will release on October 4th, 2022. It will be available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC. The franchise will eventually be available on Xbox Game Pass, but it is unsure if Overwatch 2 will be there on day one.
