Justin Richmond, best known as a co-creator of Netflix’s animated series The Dragon Prince, has announced he is joining Blizzard’s Overwatch team as Franchise Creative Director.
Richmond shared the news on LinkedIn, marking a notable hire for the Overwatch franchise as Blizzard continues to develop the IP following Overwatch 2’s launch in 2022.
The Dragon Prince originally premiered on Netflix on September 14, 2018, and Richmond’s move underscores the convergence of experienced narrative creators and live-service game teams.
Background and context
Overwatch was first revealed at BlizzCon 2014 and launched on May 24, 2016, for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Blizzard released Overwatch 2 on October 4, 2022, as a successor and free-to-play continuation of the franchise.
Blizzard Entertainment remains the developer of the Overwatch games under the Activision Blizzard umbrella.
Richmond’s hire arrives as the company continues to invest in the franchise’s future.
Richmond’s LinkedIn remarks, rewritten for clarity
In a LinkedIn post announcing his new role, Richmond said that his first BlizzCon coincided with Overwatch’s reveal and that he was immediately taken with the game’s world.
He recalled repeatedly lining up to play the demo and struggling to master the hero Tracer.
Richmond added that he is excited to serve as the franchise’s creative lead and looks forward to contributing to what he called the “next era of Overwatch,” noting that it is a significant year for both Blizzard and the game.
He closed by expressing enthusiasm for joining the team and hoped to see the community at BlizzCon.
What this means for the franchise
Blizzard has not announced any tied animated projects in conjunction with Richmond’s hire, and Richmond’s post did not make claims about media expansions.
His move does, however, bring a creator with experience in serialized animated storytelling to an established game franchise that has been the subject of fan interest across platforms and storefronts.
Overwatch’s origins at BlizzCon and its multi-year evolution into Overwatch 2 provide a clear production history; Richmond’s appointment adds a creative leadership name with credits in both gaming and streaming animation.
The company and Richmond have not provided further public details about specific projects or timelines.
This article will be updated if Blizzard or Richmond publish additional information.
Richmond shared the news on LinkedIn, marking a notable hire for the Overwatch franchise as Blizzard continues to develop the IP following Overwatch 2’s launch in 2022.
The Dragon Prince originally premiered on Netflix on September 14, 2018, and Richmond’s move underscores the convergence of experienced narrative creators and live-service game teams.
Background and context
Overwatch was first revealed at BlizzCon 2014 and launched on May 24, 2016, for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Blizzard released Overwatch 2 on October 4, 2022, as a successor and free-to-play continuation of the franchise.
Blizzard Entertainment remains the developer of the Overwatch games under the Activision Blizzard umbrella.
Richmond’s hire arrives as the company continues to invest in the franchise’s future.
Richmond’s LinkedIn remarks, rewritten for clarity
In a LinkedIn post announcing his new role, Richmond said that his first BlizzCon coincided with Overwatch’s reveal and that he was immediately taken with the game’s world.
He recalled repeatedly lining up to play the demo and struggling to master the hero Tracer.
Richmond added that he is excited to serve as the franchise’s creative lead and looks forward to contributing to what he called the “next era of Overwatch,” noting that it is a significant year for both Blizzard and the game.
He closed by expressing enthusiasm for joining the team and hoped to see the community at BlizzCon.
What this means for the franchise
Blizzard has not announced any tied animated projects in conjunction with Richmond’s hire, and Richmond’s post did not make claims about media expansions.
His move does, however, bring a creator with experience in serialized animated storytelling to an established game franchise that has been the subject of fan interest across platforms and storefronts.
Overwatch’s origins at BlizzCon and its multi-year evolution into Overwatch 2 provide a clear production history; Richmond’s appointment adds a creative leadership name with credits in both gaming and streaming animation.
The company and Richmond have not provided further public details about specific projects or timelines.
This article will be updated if Blizzard or Richmond publish additional information.