'Overwatch' News: Director Jeff Kaplan Talks 'Intimidating' Forum Discussions About Game
Director Jeff Kaplan recently shared his thoughts about the toxic player feedback on "Overwatch."
In a message posted on the Blizzard forums website, Kaplan admitted that dealing with extreme fan reactions is no walk in the park. Kaplan's post was in response to a fan asking if the developers do not have enough people to handle communication avenues with fans.
Kaplan explained that while everyone on the "Overwatch" team has the freedom to post on the forums, most of them chose not to "because it's extremely intimidating and/or time consuming." The director worries that anything said by a developer can be considered as an official announcement, leaving no room for any kind of change.
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"... We often times get personally attacked and threatened," reads an excerpt from Kaplan's post. "Most great developers I know just love being head's down making or playing games. The 'public speaking/posting' part of the job is downright scary and intimidating. It often feels like there is no winning."
He added, "It's not exactly what I would call a safe environment for creative people to openly express their thoughts and feelings."
Meanwhile, it seems fans can look forward to another Halloween event soon. Reports note that the upcoming event has been leaked and it is scheduled to start on Oct. 10, for PlayStation 4 (PS4), Xbox One and PC. News about the annual event started when a Reddit user posted a promotional image over the weekend.
Although the retail leak appears to be real, fans are advised to take everything about it with a grain of salt until Blizzard makes a formal announcement. It's worth noting that the event's start date lines up with the previous year's Halloween event, which began on Oct. 11.
Developed by Blizzard Entertainment, "Overwatch" is available for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
