Overwatch
Overwatch
Blizzard details Overwatch 2 free to play system, battle pass
Steven Rondina
Overwatch will be going free to play with the launch of Overwatch 2 and players now know what that will look like and how the battle pass system will fit into it. Online multiplayer games have generally been moving in the direction of being free to play with a “games as service” model. This sees a game launch with no paywall to it, but with a focus on rewarding regular …
Overwatch
Overwatch 2 beta coming soon, includes Junker Queen, new map
Olivia Richman
Didn’t get a chance to participate in the previous Overwatch 2 PvP beta? Don’t worry, another one is coming soon. The official Overwatch Twitter recently revealed that the second Overwatch 2 beta is coming soon, and bringing new content along with it. This second Overwatch 2 beta will be accessible to many more players than before, with sign-ups soon to open. The second Overwatch 2 beta is starting on June …
Overwatch
Overwatch 2 early access, free to play, and Junker Queen revealed
Olivia Richman
Overwatch 2 will feature the long-anticipated Junger Queen and launch early access on October 4. The Overwatch community finally has a date for the long-awaited, often-delayed Overwatch sequel. Overwatch 2 has been a hot topic for fans of the vibrant FPS, with many frustrated with Blizzard’s handling of Overwatch 1 content (or lack thereof) while waiting for news about the sequel. The Overwatch 2 PvP beta finally made the game …
Overwatch
Here’s how Junkrat will get buffed in next Overwatch 2 beta
Olivia Richman
While most of the Overwatch community was focused on how underwhelming many supports felt in the Overwatch 2 PvP beta, Junkrat also didn’t seem to fit the meta. Now developers have revealed that a Junkrat buff is in the works. Overwatch 2 has an all-new meta thanks to the 5v5 team compositions. Every team only has one tank now instead of a main and off-tank. This has created a much …
Overwatch
Here are all the map changes made in the Overwatch 2 beta
Olivia Richman
While new hero Sojourn and hero balances have been getting most of the spotlight in Overwatch 2, there are also new maps and map updates to explore in the Overwatch 2 beta. Unfortunately, a lot of the map updates have not been a hit with the Overwatch fandom. Overwatch players have been underwhelmed by the map changes in Overwatch 2, which have mostly been cosmetic. But there are reasons behind …
Overwatch
Overwatch community critical of Blizzard’s Diversity Space Tool
Olivia Richman
Activision Blizzard recently announced a Diversity Space Tool aimed at developing diverse characters, quickly creating controversy within the gaming community. Blizzard shared a blog post on May 12 that discussed something known as the Diversity Space Tool. The tool is designed to encourage and guarantee more diverse characters in games like Overwatch. It also identifies common stereotypes to help developers avoid those and create more diverse character narratives, according to …
Overwatch
Overwatch 2 devs drop new patch to address support hero concern
Olivia Richman
The second week of the Overwatch 2 beta has concluded, leaving Blizzard developers and Overwatch 2 players alike concerned about the state of the game’s support heroes. The previous Overwatch 2 beta patch was said to be the one and only patch for this beta period. After giving Zenyatta a new passive meant to keep him at arm’s length from aggressive DPS heroes, developers felt there wouldn’t need to be …
Overwatch
When will the Overwatch 2 beta come out for console players?
Olivia Richman
The Overwatch 2 beta has given Overwatch players an opportunity to not only play the highly anticipated sequel but also to provide feedback to developers at Blizzard. While it’s been an entertaining experience for many Overwatch fans, console players have felt a bit left out. So when will console players be able to access the Overwatch 2 beta? The Overwatch 2 beta is unfortunately for PC players exclusively at this …
Here’s how to get new Overwatch 2 PvP beta keys via email
Olivia Richman
Overwatch
The Overwatch 2 closed beta has been the talk of the Overwatch community, giving Overwatch players their first glimpse at hero reworks, new maps, and different styles of play. While not all of the feedback to Overwatch 2 has been positive, many gamers are still dying to test out the changes. Luckily there are new ways to get access to beta keys once again. Not everyone can get into the …
Overwatch 2 beta is getting bad reviews from Overwatch players
Olivia Richman
Overwatch
Overwatch 2 has been the talk of the gaming world thanks to its record-breaking beta. But Overwatch players started buzzing even more when Forbes reported that 99% of the 1.5 million concurrent viewers from the beta’s launch event had disappeared from Twitch, leaving the category with around 9K viewers in the aftermath. Is the hype around Overwatch 2 already gone? Sort of. But why? A lot of popular YouTube gaming …
Support heroes see big changes in new Overwatch 2 beta patch
Olivia Richman
Overwatch
The first week of the Overwatch 2 PvP beta has come to an end and Blizzard has gathered feedback from participating players to create the first and only patch for this testing period. Many bugs were addressed and heroes were reworked, but the most significant changes were saved for Overwatch 2’s support heroes. Almost every support hero in Overwatch 2 saw a tweak in the beta patch, the first attempt …
Here are all the Overwatch 2 hero reworks in the PvP beta
Olivia Richman
Overwatch
The Overwatch 2 PvP beta was the community’s first chance to truly test out all of the hero reworks coming to the highly anticipated sequel. While some changes are more impactful than others, every hero has been tweaked to fit into the new 5v5 meta, which is more focused on aggression and mobility. Unfortunately, not everyone has had the opportunity to try out the PvP beta just yet. Here are …
Overwatch 2 devs promise to make support heroes better, but how?
Olivia Richman
Overwatch
The Overwatch 2 beta gave the game’s community of players greater insight into the game’s most impactful hero changes, including testing out new hero Sojourn and seeing Orisa’s fresh rework. But many players, both professional and casual, noted that there was still something missing: A satisfying experience for the game’s heroes. This is something that Blizzard developers addressed in a recent blog looking back at the first week of the …
A Wrecking Ball glitch is breaking the Overwatch 2 beta
Olivia Richman
Overwatch
A game-breaking Wrecking Ball glitch is crashing entire games in the Overwatch 2 beta. The Overwatch 2 beta has been a hit with fans, allowing them to try out a new hero, powerful reworks, and new game modes. But streamers and casual players alike have noticed that the gameplay isn’t the smoothest. Recently, a game-breaking bug was discovered that allows Wrecking Ball to crash the game. A beta having glitches …
This is why Orisa is the best hero in the Overwatch 2 beta
William Davis
Overwatch
The best hero of Overwatch 2 is a perfect storm of ability reworks and system changes. While the hype surrounding new hero Sojourn is real, tank Orisa is the breakout star of the Overwatch 2 beta. Between her multiple ability reworks and the system changes to tanking, the Kenyan mech is practically a must-pick hero for serious players. Here’s why Orisa is the best character in the Overwatch 2 public …
How 5v5 is transforming the Overwatch 2 public beta metagame
William Davis
Overwatch
Tanking is an even lonelier job since Overwatch 2 cut teams down to 5v5. Arguably the biggest gameplay change in Overwatch 2 is team size. In the original game, teams played 6v6 with two supports, DPS, and tanks apiece per side. Overwatch 2 shifts team composition to 5v5 with just one tank in an attempt to shake up the metagame. Combined with other factors like fewer shields and higher damage, …
Overwatch 2 players react to Sojourn in the PvP closed beta
Olivia Richman
Overwatch
One of the most exciting parts of the Overwatch 2 beta has been finally seeing new hero Sojourn in action. Sojourn is the first new hero to be added to the Overwatch roster since Echo and is one of the most anticipated parts of Overwatch 2. But has Sojourn lived up to the hype now that players have finally played her? The Overwatch community has been discussing Sojourn since the …
How to get into Overwatch 2 PvP beta with OWL opening weekend
Olivia Richman
Overwatch
The Overwatch 2 beta has attracted loads of players back to the game but not everyone is able to participate. Now, Blizzard is offering a new way to get access to the Overwatch 2 PvP beta. The Overwatch 2 community was first told about beta access in March with sign-ups on the official website. Then developers announced that Twitch drops were incoming, although watching four hours of Overwatch 2 streams …
How to get free loot boxes in Overwatch with Prime Gaming
Olivia Richman
Overwatch
Overwatch is having a big week, with most of the focus on the Overwatch 2 beta and Twitch drops. Now, Blizzard has announced a sweet deal for Amazon Prime members that includes Overwatch legendary loot boxes. Don’t forget about Overwatch 1 just yet. Amazon Prime members can now get free loot boxes for a limited time. At the moment, two free legendary loot boxes are available through Prime Gaming. A …
Can Overwatch 1 players play with Overwatch 2 players?
Olivia Richman
Overwatch
The Overwatch fandom has been hyped for the Overwatch 2 beta ever since it dropped earlier this week, but can Overwatch 1 and 2 players play with each other? With top streamers having fun with the game and players having the chance to experience new content, it’s safe to say that fans are anxiously awaiting Overwatch 2. This is certainly welcome news for Blizzard given the rocky development of the …
Overwatch has become a mainstay in competitive gaming, though the Blizzard creation hasn’t always had a smooth road to travel. From massive peaks of success to major controversies and dips in popularity, the Overwatch franchise has proved resilient, still playing host to legions of players and fans.
Along the way, the game served as host to one of the most ambitious projects in the growing history of esports, and saw the release of a sequel that changed in form and function multiple times before finally releasing to the public.
What is Overwatch?
Overwatch is a prototypical “hero shooter,” a game that combines first-person shooting gameplay with heroic abilities that are unique to each of the game’s diverse cast of characters. One character might swing a giant hammer and wield a protective shield behind which teammate can take cover, while another might zip around the game’s world with twin guns blazing, warping time and space at will.
That variety of characters and playing styles is a big reason for Overwatch’s success. When no two characters play exactly alike, the sheer variety available in the game becomes a draw. Throw in colorful visuals, dynamic and responsive gameplay, and action-packed battles between teams of opposing players all combining their different abilities together, and you can begin to understand the popularity of Overwatch.
When developers at Blizzard first released Overwatch, there was nothing else quite like it. The closest any major release had come was likely Team Fortress 2, which also featured teams of opposing characters wielding varied abilities in prolonged battles. But Overwatch leaned even further into the unique qualities of its characters, including their presentation. Across PCs and consoles alike, the game proved to be a sensation upon its 2016 release.
What happened to the Overwatch League?
Originally founded in 2017, the Overwatch League was meant to serve as a long-term competitive hub for the game’s professional teams and players prior to its official shutdown in 2024. The league was created with big ambitions in mind, as Blizzard, by then partnered with massive publisher Activision, planned to seed local teams in a variety of cities spread across the world. The idea was to emulate traditional professional sports by rooting pro teams in certain cities and regions in the hopes of cultivating local fan followings.
This was a big change compared what had become the standard in esports, with esports organizations representing themselves to their fans regardless of region. At most, broad regions such as North America or Europe were most often marketed to by individual teams. To hone that in on a specific city was a significant change.
Activision-Blizzard also took the step of making pro Overwatch a closed system; that is, high-level tournaments were broadly restricted outside of official OWL events. While this exclusivity offered theoretical opportunity for the OWL through scarcity, it was also a different approach relevant to the established norm in esports, which traditionally saw smaller grass-roots events feed into a game’s highest levels as tournaments gradually scaled up in prominence and prize offerings.
Demanding tens of millions of dollars from investors who sought to own an OWL team and signing big-money exclusive broadcast deals with streaming platforms, the OWL got itself off to a hot start. But concerns over flagging viewership and overall revenue struggles persisted as the league marched forward. Its intended model proved unsustainable, and the league was eventually shut down.
Do people still play Overwatch?
Despite the fate of OWL, Overwatch remains broadly popular in its current form: Overwatch 2. The game remains under active development at Activision-Blizzard, regularly receiving new in-game events and more unique heroes with special abilities that allow the game to be played in different ways.
The release of Overwatch 2 was itself not without some controversy, as Blizzard’s plans for its contents changed and shifted through the sequel’s development cycle, and the final version of OW2 released as more of a continuation of the original game than a distinctly different sequel. But that continuation still preserved the gameplay and overall experience so many players had come to love about OW. For them, getting more of the same ultimately was not an issue.
