Jeff Kaplan reveals the Overwatch balance triangle
Here's a thing.
Overwatch now boasts more than 30 million players, all of whom want something very particular from Blizzard's highly-competitive, team-based shooter. Some may play a wide variety of heroes, switching between them multiple times per game, while others focus primarily on a single character (looking at you, Hanzo mains). Depending on their rank, playstyle and preferred game mode, players can experience a wildly different kind of game.
And yet, somehow, Blizzard has to cater to all of them. I've always been fascinated by this process, particularly in games that regularly introduce new content, or require near-constant balancing as their communities develop new strategies.
As we approach the first anniversary of Overwatch, I spoke with game director Jeff Kaplan about how his team approaches such a daunting task. Apparrently, he says, they start wtih triangles.
If you'd like to hear my full interview with Kaplan, you can find the audio below. Alongside our discussion on game balance, I also talk to him about some of the personal pressures that have come with taking on such a high-profile, public-facing position at Blizzard Entertainment. That's a pretty drastic change in pace for an interview, I'll admit, but it's well worth a listen.
Thanks for watching this week's episode and as ever, I'll be in the comments answering any questions you might have. Cheers very much!
