< Digital Media Concepts

Overwatch

Developer/ProducerBlizzard Entertainment
Release DateMay 24, 2016
PlatformsPS4, Xbox One, PC
GenreFirst Person Shooter
ModeMultiplayer

Overwatch is a sci-fi action-based first person shooter produced and developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It's available for purchase as a physical or digital copy. Currently, the Standard Edition and Game of the Year edition are available.[1]

Lore

In the near future, there lived Omnics (robots) and humans. However, at some point, the Omnics turned onto the humans and created their own evil minded A.I. This created what's known as the Omnic Crisis. In reaction, the United Nations formed a band of talented heroes known as Overwatch. Over the years, Overwatch began recruiting more heroes. But, later disbanded due to Overwatch related activity being criminalized after the signing of the Petras Act. Many of the heroes went into hiding.

Years later, Overwatch reunites to fight crime once again, due to the threat of an Omnium Factory starting to be built in Russia built. This ignites the second Omnic Crisis, which is the next and current challenge for Overwatch.[2]
Note: The fighting that occurs in-game is not canon

Gameplay

Levelling

  • Exp (experience points) is required to level up and are gained through finishing a match. And playing in Groups or Parties adds a %20 Bonus.
  • Upon gaining a level, the player is rewarded a Loot Box.

Loot

Loot refers to Cosmetic items, such as player Icons, Hero emotes, Sprays, Skins, and even Voice Lines. These cosmetic items do not provide the player a buff in damage, for instance, or affect game-play in any way other than for cosmetic purposes. They are rewarded, randomly, through Loot Boxes that are given through leveling up or consecutive wins in modes of the Arcade menu.[3]

Game Modes

There are four standard modes that exist in Competitive and Quick Play.

GamemodeTeam SizeRolesObjective
Assault6v6AttackvDefenseTwo Control Points.
Escort6v6AttackvDefenseThe team on Attack will have to rush and escort a payload to its destination, while the team on Defense has to prevent this.
Hybrid (Assault/Escort)6v6AttackvDefenseCombination of Assault and Escort.
Control6v6AttackvAttackTake Control of an area for the required amount of time.

Players are able to create their own personalized game modes in the Game Browser, as well as play casual game modes in the Arcade.

Heroes

There are currently 25 unique heroes with their own unique sets and capabilities in Overwatch, and are categorized into 4 main roles.[4]

  • Offense: deal damage or flank, with the drawback of having low Health but counteract that with mobile abilities or utility. They try to catch the enemy while they're off-guard.
  • Defense: have the responsibility of dealing damage but are mainly stationary, and have high damage to counteract that.
  • Tank: frontline and main initiators. Provide utility, such as stuns or shields, while soaking up damage.
  • Support: utility such as heals, shields, barriers, etc.

Media

e-Sports

As of September 2017, Overwatch is the 5th most viewed e-Sport on Twitch. [5]
There are currently 3 official Overwatch tournaments, and more than 60 participating/active teams.[6]

Coverage of the tournaments are being aired on television by DisneyXD - during their e-Sports focused block, DXP. [7]

Player Statistics

  • Overwatch gained 30 million players nearly a year after its release. [8]
  • Twice the number of female gamers play Overwatch more than any other first person shooter. [9]
  • In 2016, month after release, Overwatch nearly surpasses League of Legends in popularity in Korean PC Bangs - Korea being the home of e-Sports. [10]

Character Diversity

  • Overwatch's Director, Jeff Kaplan, had a goal in mind to make Overwatch rightfully represent and define what makes a character. Embracing stereotypes and bringing out many different walks of life is the goal, to create a welcoming environment for players. [11]
  • Tracer, the face of the franchise, becomes the first LGBTQ+ character in Overwatch as portrayed in a comic.[12]

Methods of Storytelling

Since Overwatch does not have a Single Player Campaign mode, the story is told with other mediums such as map scenery, in-game voice interactions between heroes, comics and short films or cinematics.

Criticism

Victory Pose

Tracer's Victory Pose was criticized as being too provocative and therefore was changed.[13]

Feminism

Due to criticism of there needing to be more diversity regarding female body types, Zarya, a muscular and strong woman, was created and added to the game as a playable Hero.[14]

References

  1. ↑ Editions available for Purchase
  2. ↑ Overwatch Timeline
  3. ↑ Loot Boxes
  4. ↑ Heroes
  5. ↑ Viewership
  6. ↑ Teams
  7. ↑ Disney and e-Sports
  8. ↑ Growth
  9. ↑ Female Fan Base
  10. ↑ OVerwatch Popularity
  11. ↑ Character Diversity
  12. ↑ Gay Tracer
  13. ↑ Tracer Victory Pose
  14. ↑ Zarya Feminism


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