Blizzard Unveils Completely New Overwatch IP - Update

[Rhykker]

Blizzard Unveils Completely New Overwatch IP - Update

Blizzard has revealed a completely new IP, Overwatch, at BlizzCon 2014.

Blizzcon 2014 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/blizzcon%202014] broke new ground for Blizzard - an entirely new IP was revealed. Overwatch will be a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter "that is completely action-packed." It is said to be "very approachable" to new players, and appears to be a class-based game similar to Team Fortress 2. Development is focused on the PC platform.

All maps are 6v6 and objective-based. Players resurrect in "safe" areas in order to avoid spawn camping.

The original setting is a near-future sci-fi set on Earth. The reveal cinematic trailer had a Pixar-like quality to it and included in-joke references to StarCraft [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/hearthstone?from_search=1]. The visuals are heavily stylized, similar to Heroes of the Storm.

The gameplay trailer revealed the various characters, which range from giant gorillas, to dwarves, to robots, to superheroic humans. Overwatch includes 12 characters to choose from. A press release revealed details about the following four heroes:

· Tracer, a former British test pilot who shrugs at danger, can execute impossible acrobatic assaults thanks to her ability to teleport, drop energy bombs, and even reverse time.

· Reinhardt, a hulking German soldier in battle armor, can charge great distances and pin his enemies to a wall or slam the ground with his rocket hammer to knock them off their feet.

· Hanzo, a bow-wielding Japanese mercenary, has the ability to scale walls with his bare hands, fire off a tracking device that illuminates nearby enemies for his team, and unleash a huge spirit dragon that does grievous damage to all enemies in its path.

· Symmetra, an Indian architech, manipulates light and energy to shield her allies and damage her enemies-and she can turn the tide of any battle by building a device that instantly transports her teammates to the front lines.

The full roster of heroes, as well as signups for the 2015 beta, can be found here: playoverwatch.com [http://us.battle.net/overwatch/en/].


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[ZeoAssassin]

looks pretty good to me so far. getting some tf2 crossed with league of legends since there were clearly what people would consider ultimate moves going off in that game-play trailer.

I'm just so happy it actually bright and colorful. Serious Incurables vibes as well

 

[Shamanic Rhythm]

Hmmm, colour me interested. Oh, not to mention impressed that they haven't just recycled their existing franchises for once.

 

[Ticklefist]

I was watching the live feed. I'm ridiculously excited right now. To the point of embarrassment. Blizzard FTW.

 

[Weaver]

Why do I get the feeling someone is still mad at Valve for DOTA 2?

 

[walrusaurus]

when i saw the cinematic i was thinking 'o, its a giant middle finger to wildstar'
then i saw the gameplay and i was thinking 'o its a giant middle finger to valve'

either way i approve xD

 

[Aetrion]

Oh look, all the support characters are women. How original.

 

[Guffe]

The cinematics were awesome!
This looks pretty cool, but as for online multiplayer shooters my first choice will be Splat00n since I don't own a PC that most likely would be able to run this

 

[Ferisar]

Oh look, all the support characters are women. How original.

Sniper, High-mobility blinker, Defensive turret user, Offensive Rocket/Explosion's expert... Oh, and one Support who is a paladinesque flying mecha-angel

Yeah, right, definitely, all support. Fuck Blizzard for being a bunch of stereotypical hacks.

Fucking Christ.

OT:
Watched it, looked really cool. They have a website up and operational now.
http://us.battle.net/overwatch/en/

The cinematics were awesome!
This looks pretty cool, but as for online multiplayer shooters my first choice will be Splat00n since I don't own a PC that most likely would be able to run this

Honestly, given Blizzard's track record, your potatoes can run the game. They're usually decent about that. That's not similarly said about optimization for max-settings, but that's details.

 

[Eric the Orange]

but does it have hats?

 

[hickwarrior]

Oh look, all the support characters are women. How original.

Sniper, High-mobility blinker, Defensive turret user, Offensive Rocket/Explosion's expert... Oh, and one Support who is a paladinesque flying mecha-angel

Yeah, right, definitely, all support. Fuck Blizzard for being a bunch of stereotypical hacks.

Fucking Christ.

The being said, just look at their models. They might differ in height, but something tells me they're kind of the same in body build... I'd be more mad at that than the 'typical' support character being female.

As for the topic... I'd have to play it to see if it's any good. Problem is, it's another multiplayer shooter. Anything multiplayer kind of makes it harder for me to want to play it. At least it has a sci-fi ish element to it, so that's cool.

 

[Ferisar]

The being said, just look at their models. They might differ in height, but something tells me they're kind of the same in body build... I'd be more mad at that than the 'typical' support character being female.

Sure! You can be as angry as you feel like at things that are actually real. You can't say shit like "oh, all the supports are deh wehmenz" when there's a total of 12 characters, 3 of which are "hard support" and two of them are female. Oh no. Their incomplete roster features two female supports... Let's also completely ignore the other ones that are offensive or defensive characters.

captcha: nut case

NO I'M NOT CAPTCHA

LEAVE ME ALONE

 

[Fdzzaigl]

Doesn't look like a very original concept coming from them, it basically looks like TF2 with a whole lot more heroes.

That said, if there's anything I trust Blizzard with, it's with making fun games. They even managed to make a frekking card game fun. Can't say they've ever let me down on that one in the past either.

 

[Absolutionis]

Especially with that shield and the art style, this reminds me of what Overstrike could have been had it not gotten EA'd.

Regardless, this looks fun. It's like TF2 with more casual-level high-mobility and a slower speed. The scout's reversal of time looks like tons of fun. I'm just sad they forgot to rip off the Pyro.

Unfortunately, the accents are a bit too much. If everyone has a heavily indistinguishable accent, then nobody does.

 

[Furbyz]

It looks fun, though multiplayer shooters and such aren't my style, but I have to ask...could they have spouted anymore cliches? Is it possible?

One shot one kill...Hammer time...Did someone call a doctor...

Come on, Blizz, you can do better one liners than that.

 

[Scarim Coral]

While I do like the look to it but I am suspicious toward Blizzards. I guess time will tell if the game will be any good.

 

[Isalan]

Whether or not I want to play this will depend entirely on the business model. If they go free-to-play, all characters available, cosmetic or progression only real money items then I'm in. If they charge for it, but everything is unlocked, then I'm in. If they go free-to-play, buy new characters or play the free rotation, then I'm out.

 

[Catherine Williamson-Wingate]

TF2/Monday Night Combat clone, it's a bit dissapointing. It shows that Blizzard has all but abandoned their gritty style and wants to focus on a younger audience.

Pardon me, but "Blizzard's gritty style"? When I think Blizzard games, "Gritty" is hardly the first word that comes to mind. Diablo perhaps, but Warcraft? Starcraft? Hearthstone, or even their older fare, such as the Lost Vikings or Rock and Roll Racing? Blizzard has always favored more colorful, stylized looks.