While theBlizzard’s BlizzCon 2019 opening ceremonyfeatured plenty of surprises for fans of the studio’s many properties, some of the biggest reveals were actually spoiled ahead of time. Leaks had been coming fast and furious in the days leading up to BlizzCon, revealing major unveils likeOverwatch 2,Diablo 4, and more.
As one might expect, theOverwatch 2leaks were hard for the Blizzard development team to deal with. When speaking to Kotaku Australia, Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan acknowledged that the leaks were “extremely demoralizing” for the team.
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Kaplan didn’t mince words when expressing his frustration, explaining that he was like Sylvanas and his phone was the Lich King’s helmet from the newWorld of Warcraft: Shadowlandstrailer. For those that might not have seen it, Sylvanas rips the helmet into pieces with her bare hands.
“That’s the part that bothers us the most, where people are not given all the information and all of the context that they need to understand what we’re doing.”
While we doubt that Kaplan’s anger ripped a portal to the underworld, it’s easy to see his frustration regarding the Overwatch 2 leaks. Fromnew character Sojourn to a PvE componentto redesigns for some of the mainOverwatchheroes, there wasn’t a lot aboutOverwatch 2that wasn’t known ahead of time. Some even doubted the leaks because they were so complete and few could imagine that Blizzard would actually announce a sequel toOverwatchwhen the goal seemed to be to build on the first game as a platform likeWorld of WarcraftorHearthstone. And as a result, what would have been an unexpected reveal – a sequel to a game that seemed to still going strong – was spoiled.
At the same time, Kaplan does acknowledge that leaks only really have an effect on the development team. He cites theBurning Crusadeleaks before theWorld of Wacraftexpansion was announced at BlizzCon and how few (if any) fans remember that leak. All those players remember is that Burning Crusade was one of the more popularWorld of Warcraftadd-ons.
So whileOverwatch 2might not have been kept a secret for as long as Blizzard would have liked, the announcement is only one part of the equation. If the game can deliver what Blizzard plans – an experience that combinesOverwatch 1with a moreDestiny-like experience – then few will care that the reveal was spoiled. Still, it’s always a bummer for teams that have been working so hard on a product to not be able to reveal it on their own terms.
Overwatch 2does not have a release date.
MORE:Why Overwatch 2 Won’t Have As Many Characters As Overwatch 1
