Overwatch fans were taken by surprise when game director Jeff Kaplan announced his departure from Blizzard last week. While Overwatch players were given one last video from Kaplan announcing his resignation, it now seems that he also sent a very touching email to Sombra's voice actor.
Jeff Kaplan was, in many ways, the face of Overwatch. He frequently released candid videos discussion updates and changes for the community will most of the game's larger updates and character releases. His departure was very surprising, especially with the much anticipated Overwatch 2 actively in development, and Overwatch fans took the opportunity to show their appreciation for all of Kaplan's work over the years.
Information on the email comes from voice actress Carolina Ravassa's Instagram account. The image of the email was posted with a caption thanking Jeff Kaplan for his work creating amazing worlds that fans love, and while the email is only one word, it strikes a chord with Ravassa and players alike. The e-mail in question simply reads "boop," a reference to Sombra's iconic cosmetic voice line in Overwatch that won players' hearts when she debuted in the game's cinematic short that revealed the character and her back story for the first time.
As simple as the email is, it's also heart-touching, and the comments both on Ravassa's Instagram as well as a Reddit thread dedicated to the post, show that many players in the Overwatch community are also getting hit in the feels by the email. Many Overwatch fans have called for in-game cosmetics to be released honoring Kaplan, while Kaplan himself has spoken out to encourage Overwatch players to support the development team as well as his replacement Aaron Keller. Whether or not Overwatch will release any special in-game recognition of Kaplan remains to be seen, but his departure has undeniably put the game in a tough position.
Transitioning to a new game director is never an easy task, and Kaplan's departure, while Overwatch 2 is still in development, is particularly worrying. Blizzard has been oddly tight-lipped about Overwatch 2 since its announcement, and some players have been growing concerned due to the lack of information. The community has also been growing frustrated with some of Overwatch's recent developments, with many of them finding the game's recent Archives 2021 event rather disappointing. Hopefully, the popular hero shooter's sequel is able to find some footing with its new director and give fans a sequel well worth waiting for.
Overwatch is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, Switch, and Xbox One.