Lloyd Schulze

After five years of trying, Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment has finally secured a patent for the Nemesis System . Created for Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, the Nemesis System has been hailed as one of the greatest innovations in gaming over the last decade. Unfortunately, WB's patent means the chances we'll get to see the system grow and flourish are relatively s

The Null Sector has appeared as Overwatch’s PvE enemies for various Seasonal Events, and Blizzard is looking to make big changes and additions to the robot army. The BlizzConline showcase revealed enemy types like objective units that carry bombs, upgraded versions of Omnic grunts, spry little bots referred to as "chickens" internally at Blizzard, and several m

But, you might be thinking, "Sure, Blizzard may be making it impossible to enjoy the game you bought while forcing you to play a different game - but can’t you still be Mercy in Overwatch 2?" And the answer is, "Yes, but who gives a shit?" Oh, goodness! What a fucking deal! If I paid money for the original Overwatch, I get the courtesy of unlocking all the characters I already paid for ? Talk about a good value! Thank you, Blizzard, sir! Thank you! What is going on here? Why is this cool with us?

No, Blizzard and Google aren’t required to keep their services online. No, this isn’t the first time a major corporation has opened a trap door under a game and made it disappear forever. And, yes, Google refunding people is a pleasant surprise. But in both cases, these are broken promises to fans who paid for something. Overwatch was hugely successful. Stadia was made by a company so large it’s nearly impossible to not use their services in one form or another. These aren’t broke kids - they’re not even Square Enix spinning out because one of their best-written, critically-acclaimed games didn’t do Final Fantasy numbers .

Sojourn's position has always been within Overwatch. She has appeared in Ana's origin story, which reveals her to be a captain within the Overwatch faction. She's clearly a long-time member of the team, having lived through its birth, rise, and fall, and now its upcoming rebirth with Overwatch 2 Skins

One of these details is the names of some Heroes’ so-called Talent Trees. Each Hero has three trees, with seven tiers per tree. Soldier’s trees are called Commander, Rifleman, and Vigilante. Mercy’s are Field Medic, Valkyrie, and Savior. Reinhardt’s are Crusader, Juggernaut, and Guard

Much time is dedicated to the Breacher drones, an objective unit that carries an explosive orb towards an objective. Most of the shots featuring a Breacher show the Omnic as a bright red robot. A few concept art illustrations, however, show the unit resplendent in Null Sector pur

Overwatch wasn’t a failure. The servers didn’t need to go down. Blizzard has the cash available. If they can pay their nightmare marshmallow CEO millions in salary, stocks, and employee hush money , they can keep servers up. There’s no reason to insta-kill the original outside of shaking down fans.

One of the most significant additions coming with Overwatch 2 is its new PvE game type, Hero Missions. And while Blizzard spoke a lot about this new element, there were a few details in the video left on the table — specifically regarding Hero abilities and upgra

This Omnic, called the Behemoth, has yet to appear in any gameplay, but looks to be one of the most intimidating enemies in the Null Sector roster, right alongside the Artillery unit and the Titan. The Behemoth is said to appear on the Rio de Janeiro map in the upcoming seq

The wait for Overwatch 2 has been characterized by many fans as excruciating. Due to a huge drought of content for what has felt like an eternity, it's no wonder that the small morsels of information that Blizzard has provided are treated like nuggets of gold. In Blizzcon of 2021, a lot of good things were showcased for the Overwatch franch

We also need to talk about loot boxes, since Overwatch was responsible for increasing their popularity outside the mobile space. Ultimate Team was already a thing, but Blizzard showcased how easily cosmetic items could be monetised through random packages of goodies earned by either levelling up or buying them outright. I had friends who would set aside entire evenings during seasonal events to grind for boxes, hoping that Blizzard would be kind enough to let a legendary skin fall into their laps. None of them were playing for fun, instead waiting for that brief hit of serotonin that comes with a rare drop. Or they could spend money, and as the profits have long shown, so many of us went and did just that.

Many online have speculated that this model could be part of a new playable hero coming with Overwatch 2. However, it could also be a new enemy type we haven't seen yet. Only time will tell (though no knowing when that time will b

Overwatch’s corporate identity was clear to see through its diverse cast and clear attempts at inclusion, made worse by queer characters who were never given any strong narrative within the world itself. On the surface it was a bold statement, but dig any deeper, and you were left wanting so much more as Blizzard chased demographic approval. Its universe had so much potential for excellent stories and worthwhile sociopolitical commentary, but this clear ambition was brushed aside as the years went on in favour of recycled seasonal events and development of a sequel that is only now lumbering towards the finish line. I once looked up to Overwatch, but now I can’t help but view its failings and cynical business practices for what they really are. I still love so much about it, and the warm memories it brings to the forefront of my mind are clear proof that Blizzard struck gold with this one.