Blizzard new game project

Developer David Gibson, who was a senior animator on Overwatch , started working on a mysterious unannounced Blizzard project in July , according to his LinkedIn page. He worked on this game for about two years before announcing his departure from Blizzard this week, revealing that the game has been canned. Reports have now suggested this was a StarCraft shooter--more on that below--but whatever the case, it's no longer happening. Game development is a highly iterative, fluid process.

It is not uncommon for projects to get canceled midway through development, for a variety of reasons. Gibson did not offer any specifics on why this project was seemingly axed or if his departure from Blizzard is related. According to the site, the move was made so that Blizzard could focus its efforts on Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2.

The studio also shared a statement in which it appears to confirm the cancelation in broad terms that discuss its general approach to game development.

You can read it in full at the bottom of this post]. According to Blizzard executive producer Allen Adham, roughly 50 percent of Blizzard's games are canceled before release.

GameSpot has contacted Blizzard in an attempt to get more details; its response can be read below. Gibson didn't say if he was let go or if he is leaving voluntarily. Whatever the case, Gibson says he has already lined up a new gig. Blizzard's new president, J. Collectively, the new job listings at Blizzard describe an ambitious game built by a small new development team.

The listing for senior 3D environment artist looks for candidates who can "concept, model, and texture highly creative environment art.

We've even got some awesome Associate level design jobs!! This is hands down the best project and team I've ever worked with in my career.

Message me or DM me and I'll toss you job links! Another listing seeks an associate combat designer with "broad, extensive player experience with FPS and action games, both single-player and online. Blizzard is also looking for a level designer who can help make "epic, memorable worlds," suggesting that whatever the studio is working on will have several different maps. At last month's BlizzConline event, Blizzard shared major updates on that game and gave some general progress updates on other franchises, like Diablo.

Though the company has been more open about its development practices and the progression of its franchises in the past few years, it's clear that Blizzard still likes to keep some things hidden. It's not uncommon to find hints and clues about upcoming games, projects, and franchise continuations in job listings.

When hiring developers for projects that aren't yet announced, companies must strike a balance between being honest about the job's requirements and responsibilities while also keeping the game itself a secret.

A few days ago, a job listing was shared that potentially points to a standalone multiplayer title in the universe of The Last Of Us. Even if they aren't interested in applying, sharp-eyed fans can often glean a few details about upcoming titles from these listings. In a similar fashion, a job listing for a senior systems designer at Blizzard has provided details about a game the company hasn't discussed yet.

The listing states that the company is looking for " a talented and passionate senior systems designer to design and develop core systems and mechanics for an unannounced AAA multiplayer project. We've even got some awesome Associate level design jobs!!