UPDATE: Blizzard has shared a few additional nuggets about Overwatch following its reveal, during a Q&A at BlizzCon. The game is indeed a PC game, though PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions are possible, and being considered. The game is also, interestingly enough, the final product of Titan’s development. Titan may have been an MMORPG to start, but Blizzard re-tooled its development assets to make Overwatch. Lastly, Overwatch may potentially be a free-to-play game, though Blizzard hasn’t set that business model in stone, and urges their followers to stay tuned for more information later.
Original story follows:
Blizzard has made waves at their dedicated BlizzCon event this year after chatting up their upcoming projects, which include Starcraft II: Legacy of the Void and World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor. Even above these however is a landmark new announcement; An all-new Blizzard game IP!
Overwatch is the name of the new IP in question, the company’s first new franchise announced in almost twenty years, after announcing Starcraft in 1997, which was then released in 1998. Overwatch will be a team-based multiplayer shooter akin to Team Fortress 2, with a similar focus on, “Fun, over-the-top characters.”
The game’s premise will involve an elite international task force being charged with ending a conflict that has consumed the world, and restoring liberty to all nations. It sounds serious, but the art style is very much in the vein of a family-friendly Pixar film, so it’s doubtful that Overwatch will be taking itself all that seriously.
Some gameplay footage was demonstrated as well, including showing off the character classes that players can use. Certain characters use healing streams, others throw down turrets, and more can also put up energy shields. Like Team Fortress 2, this seems to provide a great mix of strategy, co-operation and shooter-friendly action.
Platforms for Overwatch weren’t explicitly outlined, but the game is likely a lock for PC at the very least. Blizzard will be hosting a beta in 2015, and you can sign up for it at playoverwatch.com.
Originally, Blizzard had another new IP in development, tentatively called Titan, which was planned to be a steampunk-themed sibling MMORPG to World of Warcraft. Unfortunately, Titan was recently cancelled, and World of Warcraft will continue to be Blizzard’s sole online-only game for now.
Keep analyzing Eggplante for all news and updates on Overwatch, along with any other new projects in the works at Blizzard.