Overwatch 2 is prepping for its big free-to-play release in just a few weeks, adding three new heroes (including the recently revealed Kiriko) to the roster. However, the man behind many of these heroes, including Sojourn and Junker Queen, is no longer at Blizzard Entertainment.
Lead hero designer Geoff Goodman left Blizzard earlier this year, the company confirmed to PC Gamer. It stated, “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 has been with the team since the Project Titan days. Along with hero design, he would also openly discuss balance changes with the community. After Jeff Kaplan departed from the company last year, followed by executive producer Sonny Chacko few months later, Goodman was one of the few veterans left. Speaking to USA Today this past April, Goodman said, “The morale hit is real. People leaving is never gonna feel good.”
No reason was provided for his departure. As for Overwatch 2, it’s out on October 4th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The original game is playable until October 2nd, after which servers will go down for the sequel.