Get Caught up on Overwatch Lore Before Its Launch

[Steven Bogos]

Get Caught up on Overwatch Lore Before Its Launch

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The folks over at Blizzard Watch have compiled all the little tidbits of Overwatch lore that have trickled out.

For a multiplayer-only online team-based shooter, Overwatch certainly has a lot of lore... if you know where to look, that is. Most obviously, Blizzard's official Blizzard Watch [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/167506-Overwatch-Hero-Short-Solider-76] have done a fantastic job compiling all of this info in an easy to digest format. Here are some of the most relevant articles:

Overwatch and the Omnic Crisis [http://blizzardwatch.com/2016/02/19/know-your-lore-overwatch-and-the-omnic-crisis/]
Space Gorillas and Test Pilots [http://blizzardwatch.com/2016/02/26/overwatch-winston-tracer-origin/]
Robots with Souls [http://blizzardwatch.com/2016/03/04/robots-with-soul-bastion-and-zenyattas-origins/]
Fallen Heroes [http://blizzardwatch.com/2016/03/11/overwatch-soldier-76-reaper-origins/]
Junkrat and Roadhog [http://blizzardwatch.com/2016/03/18/overwatch-roadhog-junkrat-origins/]
The Shimada Clan [http://blizzardwatch.com/2016/03/25/overwatch-hanzo-and-genji-origins/]
Widowmaker and Talon [http://blizzardwatch.com/2016/04/01/objective-complete-widowmaker-talon-recall/]
Zayra and the Second Omnic Crisis [http://blizzardwatch.com/2016/04/08/overwatch-zarya-second-omnic-crisis/]
Symmetra And Lucio [http://blizzardwatch.com/2016/04/15/overwatch-origins-symmetra-lucio-and-the-vishkar-corporation/]
McCree And The Deadlock Gang [http://blizzardwatch.com/2016/04/29/overwatchs-mccree-deadlock-gang/]


If you're asking why Blizzard have gone to so much trouble to create such a rich backstory for it's multiplayer shooter - did you know that Overwatch was actually born of unused assets for Blizzard's cancelled MMO - Titan [http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/20/8264313/what-overwatch-didnt-learn-from-titan-and-why-it-could-be-blizzards]? Obviously an MMO requires an absolute mountain of lore, which helps explain why Overwatch has so much.

It's a really interesting world, and I wish Blizzard had a better way of getting its lore out there too us, rather than hiding it away like this. Say in, oh i don't know, an actual singleplayer campaign? Or a full-length Overwatch movie? One can dream...

Source: Blizzard Watch [http://blizzardwatch.tumblr.com/post/144208719809/overwatch-has-a-pile-of-story-you-should-know]

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[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

It's neat this is all stuff from the cancelled MMO, but god damn if I wouldn't give a leg to play a single player campaign for this game/world (one leg left to hop to my chair, both arms to play the game). All the lore and shorts are great, but I'd really shell out for that single player game.

 

[RJ 17]

As much as I'd love a single-player campaign, I really don't see how they could pull it off. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there really isn't a "Cobra" to Team Overwatch's "G.I. Joe" in this universe. That is to say, Overwatch is mostly just a "generic" anti-terrorism group. There's not a collective evil organization that they're fighting against, they're just out there protecting against random threats as they crop up...being an "Overwatch" unit. A fair number of the characters aren't even good guys, there's mercenaries, assassins, and straight-up criminals. So what would all the Junkrat fans get to play in terms of a singleplayer story? Playing as Mercy in a singleplayer campaign would be pretty boring as well. That's just a couple of examples.

No, I think it's best that they carry on as they have been with the LoL style of lore...put out stories and bits of lore that involve the characters in the universe they created, but keep it entirely separate from the actual gameplay. How would a singleplayer campaign actually work? You're assigned a specific hero for each level? I don't think that would be very fun. What makes all of these extra story pits more powerful is how they're each deeply connect with the character(s) that they revolve around. Widowmaker used to be a good guy until she became an assassin for hire, this creates the conflict between her and Tracer in Alive. If you water it down to "pick a character to play through these levels as" then it takes away from the personal stories that have been built so far since there's nothing solid that connects the character you pick to the mission you're doing.

Sure, they could make a singleplayer campaign, but I think it would weaken the over-all lore in this universe rather than strengthen it.

In terms of making an movie, while the animation they have for this game is absolutely top-notch, I don't think it would end up being that good. There's over 20 characters in this game...try to stuff them all into a movie and you wouldn't have nearly enough time for character development. Leave any of the characters out in order to make room for more character development and you'll inevitably end up with people saying "WTF?! WHY ISN'T JUNKRAT IN THE MOVIE?! THAT'S BS!!!!"

Believe me, I'd like a "heavier" dosage of lore for this game because the characters are all really good and, as I said, the animation is of the highest quality...I'm just saying that I don't think there's really any better way to implement it than what they've done so far.

 

[Metalrocks]

As much as I'd love a single-player campaign, I really don't see how they could pull it off. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there really isn't a "Cobra" to Team Overwatch's "G.I. Joe" in this universe. That is to say, Overwatch is mostly just a "generic" anti-terrorism group. There's not a collective evil organization that they're fighting against, they're just out there protecting against random threats as they crop up...being an "Overwatch" unit. A fair number of the characters aren't even good guys, there's mercenaries, assassins, and straight-up criminals. So what would all the Junkrat fans get to play in terms of a singleplayer story? Playing as Mercy in a singleplayer campaign would be pretty boring as well. That's just a couple of examples.

No, I think it's best that they carry on as they have been with the LoL style of lore...put out stories and bits of lore that involve the characters in the universe they created, but keep it entirely separate from the actual gameplay. How would a singleplayer campaign actually work? You're assigned a specific hero for each level? I don't think that would be very fun. What makes all of these extra story pits more powerful is how they're each deeply connect with the character(s) that they revolve around. Widowmaker used to be a good guy until she became an assassin for hire, this creates the conflict between her and Tracer in Alive. If you water it down to "pick a character to play through these levels as" then it takes away from the personal stories that have been built so far since there's nothing solid that connects the character you pick to the mission you're doing.

Sure, they could make a singleplayer campaign, but I think it would weaken the over-all lore in this universe rather than strengthen it.

In terms of making an movie, while the animation they have for this game is absolutely top-notch, I don't think it would end up being that good. There's over 20 characters in this game...try to stuff them all into a movie and you wouldn't have nearly enough time for character development. Leave any of the characters out in order to make room for more character development and you'll inevitably end up with people saying "WTF?! WHY ISN'T JUNKRAT IN THE MOVIE?! THAT'S BS!!!!"

Believe me, I'd like a "heavier" dosage of lore for this game because the characters are all really good and, as I said, the animation is of the highest quality...I'm just saying that I don't think there's really any better way to implement it than what they've done so far.

pretty much my view as well. just alone the amount of characters and even developing them all together sounds very challenging. think about MK 9 and 10. how many of them do we remember in the campaign? i sure as hell have forgotten many quickly. or even DOA 5.

at least we are given some sort of character description who they all are which is obviously way easier than trying to squeeze them in to a game and making them all playable for a fair amount of time. and to be honest, you kind of dont think much about who they are really. we know what they do but they really are we kind of get it over our heads when playing the MP.
well, me at least.

 

[Sight Unseen]

As much as I'd love a single-player campaign, I really don't see how they could pull it off. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there really isn't a "Cobra" to Team Overwatch's "G.I. Joe" in this universe. That is to say, Overwatch is mostly just a "generic" anti-terrorism group. There's not a collective evil organization that they're fighting against, they're just out there protecting against random threats as they crop up...being an "Overwatch" unit. A fair number of the characters aren't even good guys, there's mercenaries, assassins, and straight-up criminals. So what would all the Junkrat fans get to play in terms of a singleplayer story? Playing as Mercy in a singleplayer campaign would be pretty boring as well. That's just a couple of examples.

No, I think it's best that they carry on as they have been with the LoL style of lore...put out stories and bits of lore that involve the characters in the universe they created, but keep it entirely separate from the actual gameplay. How would a singleplayer campaign actually work? You're assigned a specific hero for each level? I don't think that would be very fun. What makes all of these extra story pits more powerful is how they're each deeply connect with the character(s) that they revolve around. Widowmaker used to be a good guy until she became an assassin for hire, this creates the conflict between her and Tracer in Alive. If you water it down to "pick a character to play through these levels as" then it takes away from the personal stories that have been built so far since there's nothing solid that connects the character you pick to the mission you're doing.

Sure, they could make a singleplayer campaign, but I think it would weaken the over-all lore in this universe rather than strengthen it.

In terms of making an movie, while the animation they have for this game is absolutely top-notch, I don't think it would end up being that good. There's over 20 characters in this game...try to stuff them all into a movie and you wouldn't have nearly enough time for character development. Leave any of the characters out in order to make room for more character development and you'll inevitably end up with people saying "WTF?! WHY ISN'T JUNKRAT IN THE MOVIE?! THAT'S BS!!!!"

Believe me, I'd like a "heavier" dosage of lore for this game because the characters are all really good and, as I said, the animation is of the highest quality...I'm just saying that I don't think there's really any better way to implement it than what they've done so far.

There are actually several groups that could act as antagonists. Widowmaker and possibly Reaper are members of Talon, a terrorist group who seem to clash frequently with Overwatch. Junkrat and Roadhog are members of the Junkers from the Australian wasteland. Symmetra is an employee for the Vishkar Corporation which uses brutal methods to wipe out competition and gentrify neighborhoods in poor countries. McCree was a former member of the Deadlock gang who are still at large. The Los Muertos gang and Lumerico are up to no good in Dorado.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Danm I was expecting a video since I haben't got the time to read all of the lores! Yes I'm lazy but still I am busy this week (need to clean my roon, defrag my pc, need to go to the barber and I working most of this week to boot!).

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

That seems overly complex for what's going to boil down to a match-based MMO shooter.

 

[hermes]

I don't know if a single player campaign would work either. Blizzard has proven with their recent games and videos that they are topnotch when it comes to characterizing through visual design and style, but they are pretty bad when it comes to writing. Animators and designers in Blizzard are great, writers... not so much.

So I am not really holding my breath for more content from their writing team. I would be a lot more interested in content in the form of new unlockables or playable characters...

 

[Randomosity]

If they were going to make a single player campaign, the only way I could really see it working is doing it fighting game style (which we all know how well that usually goes.) Basically designing a mini-campaign for each hero. Each character will have their own story (that will cross over with other heroes as needed) and each individually story would build together to make the collective whole of the narrative.

In truth I don't really know if a single player campaign would work for overwatch, but I know if it did get one it would need to be character driven.

 

[tiamat5]

My question is what is really the point of giving them back stories and personalities etc if they weren't planning a single player. It really is kind of boring that they dressed them all up and it has no real impact on the game play and ironically limits it instead with giving each character just a handful of abilities which many times only a few are really effective