Overwatch co-creator and former director, Jeff Kaplan, has revealed that he left Activision Blizzard in 2021 after a former executive threatened to lead to 1,000 layoffs if the game didn't meet financial targets. Kaplan, who was a significant figure in the game's community and was instrumental in its success, recalls a meeting with the CFO's office where he felt in control of the team and direction of the game. He also recalls another meeting with an unnamed executive who suggested that the game could make Fortnite money if it went free-to-play and hired 1,400 developers. Despite this, Kaplan expressed his love for the game and its characters and never thought he would retire from Activision Blizzard.