Author: John Scalzo

Titan may be dead, but Blizzard marches on. To show that they’re not dwelling on the past, the developer announced a new game during the opening festivities of this year’s BlizzCon. Titled Overwatch, it’s a team-based shooter for the PC that has a very Disney/Pixar vibe to it. Or at least, as Disney/Pixar as a game about futuristic arena warfare can be.

The action of Overwatch takes place in a technologically advanced, highly stylized future earth. In a time of global crisis, an international task force of soldiers, scientists, adventurers, and oddities known as Overwatch had come together to restore peace to a war-torn world. After many years, the group’s influence waned, and it was eventually disbanded. Overwatch might be gone now . . . but the world still needs heroes.

With an emphasis on accessibility and pure fun, Overwatch brings Blizzard’s signature easy-to-learn, hard-to-master gameplay to the FPS genre. Harnessing the power of their hero of choice, players will join forces in teams of six and battle each other across a range of futuristic global locations, from the hologram-lit streets of London to a bazaar in the shadows of a high-tech Egyptian pyramid. Every battlefield is iconic and built to highlight each character’s unique abilities, and fights can shift from streets to rooftops to open skies within the span of a breath.

Overwatch is already in a playable state and Blizzard announced that a beta test will take place sometime in 2015. You can sign up for a chance to join the beta (and learn a bit more about the game’s ragtag group of heroes) at the Overwatch offcial website. I’d also recommend checking out Overwatch’s first gameplay trailer, which is available after the break. (more…)