Larger-Than-Life Overwatch Action Figures Pop Up Across the World

[Lizzy Finnegan]

Larger-Than-Life Overwatch Action Figures Pop Up Across the World

Massive boxed Overwatch figures are popping up in Hollywood, Paris, and Busan.

Blizzard is certainly sparing no expense when it comes to hyping its upcoming brand new IP Overwatch. Last month at PAX East, Blizzard teamed up with Uber [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/167239-Overwatch-Uber-PAX-East-Blizzard#&gid=gallery_6170&pid=1] to provide rides to and from the show in specialty vehicles, driven by cosplaying stunt drivers. And now, in three cities across the world, massive boxed action figures have popped up: Tracer, Genji, and Pharah.





Tracer can be visited now in Hollywood, while the Genji and Pharah figures can be found in Paris and Busan, respectively. Unfortunately, it appears that no one has posted images of Pharah yet - and the tweet below from the official Overwatch Twitter account appears to indicate that one will be officially unveiled at around 11pm EDT - but we'll certainly update you as soon as images are available. Meanwhile, there's a collection of images over on Reddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/Overwatch/comments/4k98ha/collected_pictures_of_the_overwatch_statues/].

[tweet t=https://twitter.com/PlayOverwatch/status/733327679739453440]

There's also a shot of the fun "warning" from one of the boxes:

"While there is no physical or legal possibility to "play" with the giant figures, you can play as 21 different heroes in Overwatch, releasing on the 24th of May, 12:00 GMT, on major consoles and PC. CHOKING HAZARD: It is impossible to choke on the figures due to their large size. However, choking during an actual Overwatch match is possible and may result in last-minute defeats, shame, embarrassment and public ridicule, courtesy of your peers. Prices and participation will not vary. The figures are priceless, and participation is not possible."

Overwatch is out May 24 on PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One. Blizzard published stats from the Open Beta [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/167500-Blizzard-Details-Overwatch-Open-Beta] earlier today, showing that 9.7 million people from more than 190 countries, played nearly 38 million matches, spending a whopping 4.9 billion minutes (over 81 million hours) playing.

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[The Enquirer]

Well they're really pushing the hype train on this thing aren't they? Still, that description is awesome.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Okay, score twelve points to the advertising team on this one. Well done, guys.

Any chance these might become real? I'd love to have a Kotobukiya-style statue of some of the characters.

 

[Ambitiousmould]

I genuinely like the aesthetic of Tracer, especially the jacket with RAF roundels on it, but she is fucking irritating. She's so twee and bubbly it makes my teeth itch. And she reinforces my theory that all of Blizzard's knowledge of the UK comes from watching Oliver! one time. I know we're supposed to find her endearing, but I just can't.

Also, if they're going for a Cockney stereotype/accent, they should go barmy with it. Rather than saying "love" (which is more of a Northern thing) it'd be so much better if she ran round calling everyone "darlin'", or better yet, "slag". What's the point in half stereotypes?

On Topic: As much as I like unconventional marketing and advertising, it seems like it's a waste of money for them at this point. Any fucker who's going to give a shit probably already knows, I don't think they need any more publicity for this game.

 

[J.McMillen]

Cool but... call me when they release the characters as 28mm scale mini's. Or the characters from Battleborn. Or both.

 

[LetalisK]

Wow. Reminds me of the big ass Gorehowl crushing a taxi they had to promote Warlords of Draenor. I love their marketing.

Also, this is why they joined with Activision. Activision gets oodles of money and Blizzard gets to fuck around.

 

[Karadalis]

So i see... activisions plan "overwatch the overworld" has been set into motion.. now all thats left is to activate their new superwapons and enslave humanity under their new robot overlords...

I for one welcome our new overwatch overlords!

Over...

 

[The Raw Shark]

How about ACTUAL figures for us to put on our shelves eh Blizzard?

 

[Karadalis]

How about ACTUAL figures for us to put on our shelves eh Blizzard?

That would actually be phase 2 of their plan to take over the world, with the little guys there would be no place left to hide, and the best part? You would gather them all by yourselfe and place them in your home...

And yathzee was worried about the Microsoft overmind's off-world mining complex... seems blizzard is pulling a fast one.

But yeah action figures would be neat.. surprised they havent put tracer in a butt showing pose... what with all the trolling blizz has done with her.

 

[Ambitiousmould]

Cool but... call me when they release the characters as 28mm scale mini's. Or the characters from Battleborn. Or both.

I'd have though that 35mm would be better, something akin to the Marvel and DC models that Knight Models produce. I have to say that Overwatch (Or Battleborn or TF2, or any such arena shooters for that matter) could be translated into a tabletop game similar to the Marvel and Batman ones really well.

 

[J.McMillen]

Cool but... call me when they release the characters as 28mm scale mini's. Or the characters from Battleborn. Or both.

I'd have though that 35mm would be better, something akin to the Marvel and DC models that Knight Models produce. I have to say that Overwatch (Or Battleborn or TF2, or any such arena shooters for that matter) could be translated into a tabletop game similar to the Marvel and Batman ones really well.

The problem is that there is way more stuff in 28mm scale. And not just mini's but loads of vehicles and terrain to place across the battlefield. Especially the terrain for Infinity. it would work real well for either Overwatch or Battleborn. The biggest problem with 35mm is there really isn't anything but those figures in that size. Trying to use 28mm terrain would make the characters too big compared to their environment as they are 125% the size of 28mm minis.

Plus, even if they only made the mini's in 28mm people would stat them up for whatever their preferred tabletop skirmish game happens to be. There might even be groups that works together to establish standard rules for them in one or more different systems.

 

[WindKnight]

No pics of the Pharah one? kind of a shame, of the three characters featured, she was the one I was most interested in playing.

 

[crimsonspear4D]

That Genji figure is badass as fuck; pose that bad boy in my den, make it look like overwatch central up in there. Hopefully they'll make Zarya/Widowmaker (gotta have my TracerXships), 76, Mercy, D. Va, Bastion, and Zenyatta figures for sale.

I AM kinda iffy on the Tracer one though, based on the MANY forums where she's a topic, I know too many sour-ass motherfuckers that would turn her into real doll just out of spite.

No pics of the Pharah one? kind of a shame, of the three characters featured, she was the one I was most interested in playing.

I'm guessing its because Pharah would just look too like some female space marine knock-off from Warhammer or Starcraft, or someone is afraid it would it touch of some kind of cultural firestorm. Huge statue of egyptian (or middle-eastern depending on what type of dumbass would take it) woman wearing armor and a rocket launcher saluting to who knows what? I wouldn't doubt someone would deface or outright destroy it out of offense or something.

 

[Ambitiousmould]

snip

There's plenty of good scenery for the Batman miniatures game. I get it from my local wargaming/hobby shop, so I'm not sure who manufactures them, but I think they're called TT Combat or something.

 

[BrotherSurplice]

I genuinely like the aesthetic of Tracer, especially the jacket with RAF roundels on it, but she is fucking irritating. She's so twee and bubbly it makes my teeth itch. And she reinforces my theory that all of Blizzard's knowledge of the UK comes from watching Oliver! one time. I know we're supposed to find her endearing, but I just can't.

Also, if they're going for a Cockney stereotype/accent, they should go barmy with it. Rather than saying "love" (which is more of a Northern thing) it'd be so much better if she ran round calling everyone "darlin'", or better yet, "slag". What's the point in half stereotypes?

On Topic: As much as I like unconventional marketing and advertising, it seems like it's a waste of money for them at this point. Any fucker who's going to give a shit probably already knows, I don't think they need any more publicity for this game.

Good god, I'm glad to find someone who agrees with me on this. Tracer irritates the hell out of me. It sounds like they've plucked your average non-Briton from off the street and asked them to do a British accent. I love her aesthetic, but when she actually opens her mouth I can't stand her.

On topic however, that disclaimer is fantastic.

 

[J.McMillen]

There's plenty of good scenery for the Batman miniatures game. I get it from my local wargaming/hobby shop, so I'm not sure who manufactures them, but I think they're called TT Combat or something.

TT Combat does have a line of scenery for Batman in their City Scenics line. Their other scenery lines are described as being scaled for Malifaux or 40K, which means they will be about 20% smaller than the City Scenics line. Now while I have seen a couple of other companies trying 35mm scale mini's, TT Combat is the only scenery company I've seen.

Most scenery companies do 28mm terrain because most miniature companies make 28mm minis. I can combine scenery from 40K, Infinity, Warpath, with miscellaneous 3rd party 28mm terrain and everything is the right size for the vast majority of mini's out there. It's pretty much the industry standard size for RPG and skirmish miniatures and trying to go outside that runs the risk of creating an even more niche market inside the niche market that tabletop gaming already is.

Also, pretty sure many of the people that buy those Batman & Marvel mini's are planing to paint and display them and probably never actually plan to play the game.

 

[Ambitiousmould]

There's plenty of good scenery for the Batman miniatures game. I get it from my local wargaming/hobby shop, so I'm not sure who manufactures them, but I think they're called TT Combat or something.

TT Combat does have a line of scenery for Batman in their City Scenics line. Their other scenery lines are described as being scaled for Malifaux or 40K, which means they will be about 20% smaller than the City Scenics line. Now while I have seen a couple of other companies trying 35mm scale mini's, TT Combat is the only scenery company I've seen.

Most scenery companies do 28mm terrain because most miniature companies make 28mm minis. I can combine scenery from 40K, Infinity, Warpath, with miscellaneous 3rd party 28mm terrain and everything is the right size for the vast majority of mini's out there. It's pretty much the industry standard size for RPG and skirmish miniatures and trying to go outside that runs the risk of creating an even more niche market inside the niche market that tabletop gaming already is.

Also, pretty sure many of the people that buy those Batman & Marvel mini's are planing to paint and display them and probably never actually plan to play the game.

Believe you me, I've more scenery (35mm and 28mm) than I can store tidily. 28mm for Bolt Action and Warhammer, and 35mm for Batman and Marvel and I play all those games at least once a week. I'm sort of the opposite of the paint and display type, because I hate painting and can't do it for shit, but I love the games.

I do have the irritating habit of trying to keep all my armies in BA historically accurate, though, which is partially why I have so much scenery. One set is all 40k hab blocks, one set (and board) is for North Africa to vs Germans (which my friend has, I play British) and one set (and board) is for Burma to vs my Brother's Japanese army. I'm also building up a European scenery set so that I can use my Paras. As for the 35mm, I have enough to build a very crowded dock (3ft x 3ft) with cranes and shit tonnes of shipping containers. And port authority offices.