Jessica S. April 24, 2019
Today Overwatch developer Blizzard announced a new Public Test Region update which introduces the game’s Workshop mode.
This mode will be added to Overwatch’s game browser section, where players can tweak game mechanics to create new ways to play. Two members of the development team created the idea for a workshop which would include a way for players to use the tools the developers themselves have to further tweak the game and create new ways to play Overwatch.
Game Director Jeff Kaplan noted some examples of what can be made through the new Workshop mode. One example was a game mode called Molten Floor, where the floor sets players on fire. Another is called Mirrored Deathmatch, where everyone plays the same character, but that character rotates every minute.
Kaplan did note that this feature may be particularly attractive to players who have some experience in programming or game development.
“There is some technical knowledge needed to use it, but my hope is that … this can be the first time that you can open up one of the existing scripts that we have, take a look at it in the workshop and start to learn how we made it and maybe realize that you could be a game developer too one day,” Kaplan said in the latest developer update.
There will also be a way to test and experiment with in-game scripts. A debugging feature will be made available, through which players can run their scripts and report will come back and indicate if something went wrong and why.
Some fans have already compared this feature to existing modding tools in other games. Minecraft, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, and Grand Theft Auto 5 are just a few of the most commonly modified games in today’s market. Mods are generally considered to breathe new life into games, and fans are eager to see just how far they can take this new feature in Overwatch.
The Workshop will eventually be available on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.