Overwatch Release Date Announced
Last March 8, 2016, Blizzard Entertainment announced that Overwatch — a team-based, first-person shooter title — will arrive in stores on Windows PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One starting May 24.
“Overwatch is a team shooter for everyone, with deep, cooperative gameplay, fast and fun competitive action and a diverse range of larger-than-life heroes,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment in a press statement. “We think PC and console players everywhere will have a great time in the game, and we’re excited to give everyone a chance to try Overwatch out for themselves ahead of its May 24 launch.”
In Overwatch, players take control of a colorful cast of heroes, each with their own special attacks and abilities as they fight on different battlefields in a near-future setting of Earth.
The game currently features a cast of 21 unique heroes with their own individual ultimates that turn the tide of battle.
Similar to Team Fortress 2, Overwatch allows players to mix and match heroes on the fly, allowing for a quick rotation of heroes to adopt to any situation.
Blizzard has introduced a number of game features in the ongoing closed beta test. A new map type, Control, is a king-of-the-hill style game mode where teams battle to capture and hold objectives in locations such as an omnic village in the mountains of Nepal and a high-tech skyscraper in a Chinese metropolis.
While players have access to just 21 characters and a handful of maps and game modes at the moment, Blizzard has said that some of the new content (which will include new heroes, items and maps) will be patched in at no additional cost to players who have already bought the game.
The game is currently on a closed beta test, but will be opening up its doors to all players one week before release date.
Notable eSports organizations such as Cloud 9 have already claimed beachheads in Overwatch competitive scene by recently picking up its own Overwatch roster to compete in community-organized tournaments currently running on the Beta.
Windows PC, PS4 and Xbox One gamers will be able to pre-order the Overwatch: Origins Edition (SRP: P2,690), which comes with hero skins for five characters—Blackwatch Reyes (Reaper), Strike-Commander Morrison (Soldier: 76), Overgrown Bastion, Security Chief Pharah, and Slipstream Tracer. It also includes a cache of Overwatch-themed content for several Blizzard Entertainment games, including a Baby Winston pet for World of Warcraft, Tracer hero for Heroes of the Storm.
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
