Jeff Kaplan, one of Blizzard Entertainment's most recognizable figures and the game director of Overwatch, affectionately known to many fans as "Papa Jeff," has left the company.

"It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime honor to have had the opportunity to create worlds and heroes for such a passionate audience," Kaplan wrote in his farewell message. I want to deeply thank everyone at Blizzard for their support of our game, our game team, and our players." But I also want to say a special thank you to all the amazing game developers who shared their creative journey with me."

"Never accept the world as it is. Always have the courage to see what could be. I hope you will do the same.

Kaplan has been at Blizzard for 19 years (here's the full story he told in 2017), and before "Overwatch," he also worked as a designer and director on "World of Warcraft" and several expansions. He became known as the face of "Overwatch" through regular community update videos posted on YouTube, but at least his best work was the annual "Overwatch" Yule Log special, sitting still in front of a blazing fire and a Christmas tree, He would stare blankly into the camera, occasionally sipping from his "Overwatch" coffee mug.

Kaplan's role in "Overwatch" was taken over by Aaron Keller, who now serves as assistant game director.

"Jeff was a great leader, mentor, and friend. I have been fortunate to work with him and the rest of the 'Overwatch' team to create a work that continues to inspire people around the world for years to come."

"While I'm not intimidated to follow in Jeff's footsteps, I'm excited to step into the role of game director and continue to be a part of a team that has put their heart, talent, and focus into the next version of "Overwatch."

Keller also said that development of "Overwatch 2" continues at a "good pace" and that Blizzard will soon begin sharing more frequent updates on the status of the game. We learned more about the sequel's focus on cooperative PvE missions and new hero Sojourn at BlizzCon 2021.