Well-Run Events & Limited Time Rewards
It’s been quiet the first year for Blizzard’s Overwatch. Over the past 12 months, the game’s had a ton of new content additions, fixes, improvements, and an explosion in its community size. Not to mention the fact it’s won a number of Game of the Year awards (and came a close second for ours). As such, we’re taking a look at all the ways Overwatch went strength to strength during its first 12 months.
Overwatch’s seasonal events have been a big deal every time one of them has popped up. Not only have they brought a fresh set of skins and other cosmetic items to spruce up your favorite characters, but exclusive game modes, too. From the Summer Games’ take on soccer with Lucio Ball to the lore-expanding Omnic Crisis event most recently, Blizzard has been finding fun and novel ways to keep players coming back throughout the year.
However, it’s not just that the content in the seasonal events has been great, but the way Blizzard has learned and adapted these to keep fans happy. One of the major complaints fans had during the Summer Games was that seasonal skins had to be unlocked via loot boxes and couldn’t be purchased with the currency that they’d accrued. Blizzard has since changed the system, making these seasonal events feel like a less frantic grind in order to get all the loot you want, allowing players to focus on just enjoying the new content the seasonal events offer.
Taking Balance and Ranked Play Seriously
Overwatch’s roster is filled with lovable characters with their own, unique fleshed out backgrounds and personalities. Of course, this means nothing in a team-based shooter if the balance is off and you’re put at a disadvantage for simply using a particular character.
Balancing the roster is something that Blizzard has consistently been doing throughout the year, but was most noticeable after the reversal of the insane Bastion buff that threw the game’s balance completely out. It’s again, a sign that Blizzard is constantly listening to both compliments and criticism when it comes down to how the game actually plays on a mass scale.
While the balancing is certainly something that affects all players, it’s been a vital part of turning Overwatch’s Competitive mode into the juggernaut that it now is. However, it wasn’t just the heroes that were balanced out, but the way in which players are ranked in the Competitive mode, too.
The transition from Skill Points to Skill Ratings between season’s one and two ironed out one of the biggest issues that the mode initially had. Players are now able to get a greater sense of their progression within the Competitive mode, and losses, while still painful, are far less punishing than they were back when the mode first took off.
While there’s certainly contention regarding the current Streaks system – causing players to drop further in their Skill Ratings for consecutive defeats and rise faster for consecutive wins – it’s still much improved over Skill Points. It may not sound like a big deal, but being more heavily penalized for potentially being let down by your team can certainly add to the frustrations. It’s a love it or hate it mechanic, but Blizzard has certainly shown it’s not afraid of tweaking the system until its just right.
Diverse Game Modes
When Overwatch first released, it was looking a bit light on the ground when it came to game modes. You had your quick play, the ability to face-off against AI, and that was about it. While the core experience is incredibly compelling in itself, the addition of a bunch of new game modes helped players to find the right mode for them.
Competitive mode has become the place to test your mettle against other serious players, providing a perfect platform to highlight the very best in the community, while the pre-existing Quick Play allows players to jump in, practice, and learn new heroes without risking heavy damage to their Skill Rating. While this initial distinction has helped to keep the community engaged with like-minded players, the addition of the Arcade is a particular feature that has helped to make Overwatch far more enjoyable than it was when the title first released.
With a range of rotating game modes that put the emphasis on fun, the Arcade has become the perfect stomping ground for those trying to grind those weekly loot boxes, and for those just wanting to mess around and have a fun time. Mystery Heroes has the potential to throw you out of your comfort zone with a randomized character, while 3v3 Elimination matches make for intense tests of tactics.
Deep and Rich Lore
While Overwatch’s gameplay is an obvious driving force in keeping players coming back, the significance of its lore cannot be understated. Upon its release, Blizzard had provided backstories to each hero in Overwatch’s roster, but soon, these heroes became some of the most iconic and adored characters of the past year.
Whether you’re a lover of the adorable robot Bastion, or you shout “Nerf this!” with D’Va every time you activate her ultimate, Blizzard has been busy fleshing out the lore of its heroes and world to keep fans hooked and invested. With animated shorts and digital comics delving into each character’s background that little bit more, players have been constantly making huge discoveries into the motives or personal lives of the likes of Soldier: 76 or Tracer.
However, it was the Omnic Crisis Uprising event that just finished at the start of May where Blizzard really knocked it out of the park. Players took on a brawl-style co-operative mission that allowed them to relive a pivotal moment in the world’s history. While this in itself is pretty cool considering how massive the Omnic Crisis Uprising was, it also enabled players to learn even more about some of their favorite heroes. Oh, and there was a ton of new loot, too.
Building a Community & Listening to Fans
A game is nothing without its community, and Overwatch’s has certainly shined in its first year. Whether it’s content creators helping the game’s community to grow further, or artists and cosplayers using their skills to make incredible renditions of their favorite heroes to share with others, you’ll never find yourself too far away from some form of Overwatch content.
It’s not just a one-way affair, though, and Game Director Jeff Kaplan has become the face of Overwatch’s development team. Whether he’s addressing serious issues, or just replying in a light-hearted, friendly manner, Jeff is there and listening. He hasn’t been afraid to get involved with fan discussion to help craft the game into the experience that fans treasure so dearly, and share a bit of banter from time to time, too.
It’s a relationship seldom seen on this kind of scale, and it’s only through a community that truly cares and a development team willing to listen that Overwatch has been able to flourish into the stellar experience it is at the end of its first year.
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