Jeffrey Kaplan
Designer · Director · Studio Executive
Jeffrey Kaplan is a video game designer and game director associated with Blizzard Entertainment and Kintsugiyama.
Career
Kaplan joined Blizzard in May 2002 after an EverQuest connection with Rob Pardo and was hired to work on World of Warcraft quests.
Kaplan is credited as a Lead Designer on World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade and as Game Director on World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King.
Overwatch was developed with Kaplan serving as Game Director and launched in 2016.
Blizzard announced Kaplan's departure in April 2021 after 19 years, with Aaron Keller succeeding him as Overwatch game director.
Interesting Facts
- Before entering game development, Kaplan said he received 172 magazine rejections in one year while trying to publish short stories.
- Kaplan has called EverQuest his favorite game of all time and described guildmates from it as closer friends than many old school friends.
