Jeff Kaplan reveals in the forum how many people work on Overwatch , how work is prioritized, and what complications there were.
There is a plan that is constantly changing
In recent weeks, Jeff Kaplan has repeatedly spoken in the Overwatch forum to share some details about the game’s development. He has now taken the time to address some “general” questions about the creation of the hero shooter. The user Lackofname asked in the official game’s forum how large the Overwatch team actually is and how long it takes for an idea to be realized in the game.
Kaplan provided a comprehensive answer. We have compiled his most important statements:
“The Overwatch team (internally known as “Team 4″ at Blizzard) consists of nearly 100 developers. They break down into different disciplines: audio, art, technology, production, and design.”
However, the size of the team has been constantly changing and has apparently grown again since the launch.
“Our size fluctuated during development from 40 to 75 at launch. At launch, the audio team was fully integrated (previously it was a “shared” team for multiple games at Blizzard). We love this group too much to share them with anyone!”
Additionally, there are many individual roles for people who handle marketing or esports. Lawyers also have a more or less fixed place on the team to address various questions:
“We have a fantastic team of lawyers who ensure that all our “real-life” representations in the game are lawful and legal (such as the “Hollywood” symbol on the map Hollywood).”
Overwatch: The danger of “death by a thousand cuts”
The time it takes for something to go from an “idea” to actual implementation depends on many factors. Small changes, such as showing health bars of friendly players, can be implemented in a few days. However, we try to avoid burdening developers only with “small tasks,” as this means the big things will never get completed.
“If developers are only allowed to handle small tasks, they will soon fall into a “death by a thousand cuts” syndrome, where the large tasks never get finished because there are always small things to address.”
Furthermore, there is always a plan for Overwatch regarding where the game should be in one, two, or even three months, but often adjustments must be made based on feedback or other factors. For example, much more work has gone into the competitive mode than originally planned, causing other things to be pushed back.
The complete statements from Kaplan can be found in the original English version from our sources.
For more news and articles about Blizzard’s hero shooter, visit our Overwatch game page.
