Jeff Kaplan: World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Blizzard, and Future of Gaming | Lex Fridman Podcast

This episode features legendary game designer Jeff Kaplan, known for his work on World of Warcraft and Overwatch. Lex introduces Kaplan as one of the most amazing human beings he's met, praising his kindness, thoughtfulness, and dedication as a gamer and designer. The discussion begins with Kaplan's early life and how he first fell in love with video games, recalling experiences with coin-op arcade games like Pac-Man and Asteroids, as well as home consoles like Intellivision and NES with Super Mario. He also highlights his introduction to PC gaming through text-based adventure games like Zork and early RPGs like Ultima.

The conversation then shifts to Kaplan's journey into online gaming, starting with early first-person shooters like Doom, Quake, and Duke Nukem, where he experienced the magic of connecting with other players. He describes how he discovered EverQuest, a pivotal game that shaped his career, through an id programmer's post on Blue's News. Kaplan also credits id Software, particularly John Carmack and John Romero, for their groundbreaking work on Wolfenstein 3D and Doom, which revolutionized 3D gaming and immersion.

A significant portion of the episode delves into Kaplan's past aspiration to become a writer. With a master's degree in creative writing from NYU, he discusses his literary influences such as Kerouac, Hemingway, Salinger, Bukowski, and Orwell. He recounts the immense challenge and pain of receiving over 170 rejection letters in one year, leading to deep depression, isolation, and an eventual decision to completely abandon his writing career by discarding all his manuscripts and journals. This experience led him to reflect on the importance of knowing when to give up on a dream, despite societal pressures to persevere.

Lex also touches upon Kaplan's departure from Blizzard in 2021, describing it as a deeply painful experience. He reveals that Kaplan has been secretly working on a new open-world online multiplayer game called "The Legend of California," set in the 1800s Gold Rush era. Lex had the opportunity to play the game and describes it as incredibly beautiful, offering a blend of adventure, action, and survival, creating feelings of loneliness, desperation, and awe.