Blizzard has been a titan in the game industry arguably as long as video games have been favorable to a mass market. The game developer has created some GINORMOUS franchises like "Starcraft", "Diablo" and of course "World of Warcraft." I would imagine even if you know very little about gaming, WoW is synonymous in your mind with a fat guy in his parent's basement eating junk food and staring at a computer screen.
Blizzard has spent years successfully dominating the MMORPG sphere of the gaming planet, but in May of 2016, they released "Overwatch,"a First-Person Shooter that blurs the lines of what qualifies an FPS by building one inside of what is basically a MOBA (if that jargon is lost on you, this might not be your article). Two years probably seems like a long time ago for me to be writing about it now in 2018. But, that's kind of the point here.
In the shooter world before "Overwatch" new titles came out as regularly as it took for you to get sick of the one you felt like you just spent $60 on. With this game, Blizzard is doing something no "Call of Duty" or "Battlefield" has been able to do; keep people's attention. Or at least keep people's attention without asking them to pay for a shit-ton of DLC that costs nearly as much as the game itself.
I have been playing "Overwatch" consistently for two years and have never paid for an additional character, new map or game mode. Okay sure, I have spent my fair share of money on cosmetics, but I'm not going to pretend that has anything to do with enhancing the gameplay experience. (Pssst, it's vanity.)
And even more than having all of this great game content and not having to worry about buying a sequel or DLC, we get an incredible story and universe too? Like come on Blizzard, you can't keep being this good. The incredible fan-service for a game that is so newly established is kind of insane too. These guys just won't quit.
As someone studying/working in media related industries, my appreciation for the franchise is so much bigger than just being in love with the gameplay. From the Sombra ARG to Pixar level animated shorts and even an official eSports League, Overwatch has created community and expanded storytelling in a way that new video games just don't do. Blizzard has been capable enough to see the opportunities that exist in building a successful brand in this new media landscape and capitalized on them.
With constant updates and patches to heroes (for better or worse), Blizzard and the Overwatch team deliver an experience that makes gamers feel involved by addressing their frustrations. These adaptations of gameplay also allow for a game you don't grow tired of, at least not until you get too titled. This is the part where I hope someone at Blizzard is reading this and acknowledges what Brigitte is doing to our sanity.
The community aspect certainly doesn't hurt either. I have made friends through "Overwatch" and bonded with the ones I already had by playing together. Even outside of the digital realm I find community members. I went to the movies recently wearing my Overwatch League hoodie and while walking through the lobby, three random guys started chanting OWL at me. It might sound stupid but it was actually so cool. To be totally honest, I do my best networking when the "Who's your main?" convo starts in a social setting.
As a gamer and a fan, it means a lot to have a game actually care about what matters to the player. What Blizzard has done here should lay the foundation for what we expect from our shooters and their storytellers. I guess what I'm really saying is thank you "Overwatch" and keep up the mighty fine work.
