New Overwatch 2 Map Has a Jeff Kaplan Tribute

Last week, Blizzard revealed new information regarding Overwatch 2 in a developer livestream. During the livestream, a new map based on New York City was showcased, and it seems to have some interesting tributes to director Jeff Kaplan. Last month, Kaplan revealed his plans to depart Blizzard, and it seems that the developers have found a unique way to honor him in the game. In the trailer, there are multiple references to "Jeph," a misspelling of Kaplan's first name. That spelling might seem like a stretch to some fans, but it actually fits with an in-joke among employees and fans of the publisher.

Back in 2017, then-lead feature designer Jeremy Craig posted a photo to Twitter of Kaplan holding a Starbucks cup with his name incorrectly spelled. The Tweet quickly went viral, with many teasing Kaplan about the spelling. In the trailer for the new map, a coffee cup with the "Jeph" spelling can clearly be seen around the 52-second mark. Immediately after, a restaurant called "Jeph's Corner Pizza" can be seen. The video can be found at the top of this page, while the original Tweet from Craig can be found embedded below.

Starbucks opened on campus today. This made my morning. pic.twitter.com/lDDiVpaGBm

— Jeremy Craig (@Jaerock83) May 12, 2017

Video game in-jokes are a fairly common thing, and this one is a strong one! While the Tweet above got a lot of traction back in the day, many Overwatch fans might not have picked up on the reference; after all, it's been four years! Still, this is a great way for the developers to pay homage to Kaplan, and one that's guaranteed to get a chuckle out of players that are in on the joke!

Overwatch 2 is expected to release on the same platforms as the current version of the game, including PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the game right here.

Are you excited to learn more about Overwatch 2? What do you think of the game's New York map? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

[H/T: Game Rant]