Overwatch

Overwatch

Blizzard Entertainment, Activision Blizzard
Release date: 2016-05-24 | Platforms: PLAYSTATION4, XBOX_ONE, NINTENDO_SWITCH, PC.

The Legacy

Overwatch is a multiplayer first-person shooter from the company that gave players the saga of Azeroth, Starcraft and the Diablo universe. Despite these releases coming out years ago, they are still alive and actively updated. But the developers at Blizzard wanted something new: the company does not like to experiment with new settings, preferring to transfer existing characters to new genres, worlds, and situations. The exception, perhaps, can only be a game about the three Vikings—The Lost Vikings, but this, too, was a long time ago.

The story and setting

Anyway, the company Blizzard has approached the development of Overwatch with team-specific meticulousness to details and desire to create an elaborative game universe. The player faces a choice between 21 characters who were part of the elite Overwatch unit. The task of Overwatch soldiers is to protect the Earth from conflicts and external threats. But something goes wrong, and the team of heroes breaks up. Despite the multiplayer bias, the game has a full story, it combines all the characters and maps on which the battle takes place. Since the launch, seven new characters have been added to the hero pool. Blizzard tells the story of the world of Overwatch through their characters: almost everyone has an animated short film, comparable in quality to a full meter from, for example, Pixar.

Continuous support

The game won the hearts of players around the world immediately after the launch. The figures confirm this fact: more than half a million dollars from sales and more than 40 million players. Overwatch has become an anchor project for Activision Blizzard, and the company continues to develop the project two years later, constantly offering players new maps, new characters, new themed events, and new cosmetic skins.

Background

DEVELOPERS

Background for Michael Elliott
Michael Elliott

Michael Elliott

designer

Michael Elliott is a games designer who started the games industry career in 1900. Since then, Elliott has been working with Cinematix Studios, Beat-Fu Studio and Activision Blizzard. Elliott's first published game was The Grandmaster. After that, Michael Elliott took part as the designer of Total Mayhem. Most lately, Michael Elliott worked on Overwatch. Now, Elliott has joined the team of Overwatch 2 as the designer.

Background for John LeFleur
John LeFleur

John LeFleur

programmer

John LeFleur is a games programmer who started the games industry career in 1900. Since then, LeFleur has been working with Cinematix Studios, Beat-Fu Studio and Activision Blizzard. LeFleur's first published game was The Grandmaster. Next, John LeFleur worked on Total Mayhem taking on the role of programmer. Most lately, John LeFleur worked on Overwatch. At the moment, LeFleur is working with Activision Blizzard on Overwatch 2, which was announced for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Background for Aaron Keller
Aaron Keller

Aaron Keller

director

Aaron Keller is a games director who started the games industry career in 1900. Since then, Keller has been working with Cinematix Studios, Beat-Fu Studio and Activision Blizzard. Keller started as the director of The Grandmaster. After that, Aaron Keller took part as the director of Total Mayhem. Most recently, Aaron Keller was involved in the development of Overwatch. Currently, Keller is developing Overwatch 2 with Activision Blizzard. The release date is yet to be announced.

Background for Arnold Tsang
Arnold Tsang

Arnold Tsang

artist

Arnold Tsang is a games artist who started the games industry career in 1900. Since then, Tsang has been working with Cinematix Studios, Beat-Fu Studio and Activision Blizzard. Tsang's first game was The Grandmaster published by Beat-Fu Studio for PC. After that, Arnold Tsang took part as the artist of Total Mayhem. Most recently, Arnold Tsang was involved in the development of Overwatch. Currently, Tsang is developing Overwatch 2 with Activision Blizzard. The release date is yet to be announced.

Background for Michael Chu
Michael Chu

Michael Chu

writer

Michael Chu is a games writer who started the games industry career in 1900. Since then, Chu has been working with Cinematix Studios, Beat-Fu Studio and Activision Blizzard. Chu started as the writer of The Grandmaster. Next, Michael Chu worked on Total Mayhem taking on the role of writer. Most lately, Michael Chu worked on Overwatch. Now, Chu has joined the team of Overwatch 2 as the writer.

Background for Mike Elliott
Mike Elliott

Mike Elliott

programmer

Mike Elliott is a games programmer who started the games industry career in 1900. Since then, Elliott has been working with Cinematix Studios, Beat-Fu Studio and Activision Blizzard. Elliott started as the programmer of The Grandmaster. Then, Mike Elliott went on to work on Total Mayhem as the programmer. The latest work of Mike Elliott was Overwatch, published in 2016. At the moment, Elliott is working with Activision Blizzard on Overwatch 2, which was announced for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Background for Helder Pinto
Helder Pinto

Helder Pinto

artist

Helder Pinto is a games artist. Pinto has been working with Electronic Arts, Crytek, SEED Studios and Seed Studios, Lda. Pinto's first game was Crysis 2 published by Electronic Arts for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2011. Then, Helder Pinto went on to work on Under Siege as the artist. Afterwards, Helder Pinto worked on Crysis 3 developed by Electronic Arts in 2013. Most recently, Helder Pinto was involved in the development of Overwatch.

Background for Jeff Kaplan
Jeff Kaplan

Jeff Kaplan

director

Jeff Kaplan is a games director and designer who started the games industry career in 1900. Since then, Kaplan has been working with Cinematix Studios, Beat-Fu Studio and Activision Blizzard. Kaplan started as the director of The Grandmaster. Next, Jeff Kaplan worked on Total Mayhem taking on the role of director. Kaplan also worked on World of Warcraft for PC and macOS. The latest work of Jeff Kaplan was Overwatch, published in 2016. Currently, Kaplan is developing Overwatch 2 with Activision Blizzard. The release date is yet to be announced.

Background for Derek Duke
Derek Duke

Derek Duke

composer

Derek Duke is a games composer who started the games industry career in 1900. Since then, Duke has been working with Mass Media, Cinematix Studios, Beat-Fu Studio and Activision Blizzard. Duke's first published game was The Grandmaster. Then, Derek Duke went on to work on Total Mayhem as the composer. Duke also worked on Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos for PC and macOS. Most lately, Derek Duke worked on Diablo III: Eternal Collection. At the moment, Duke is working with Activision Blizzard on Overwatch 2, which was announced for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Background for Chris Metzen
Chris Metzen

Chris Metzen

director

Chris Metzen is a games writer, director and designer who started the games industry career in 1900. Since then, Metzen has been working with Blizzard North, Mass Media, Saffire and Cinematix Studios. Metzen started as the director of The Grandmaster. Next, Chris Metzen worked on Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness taking on the role of writer. Later, Metzen also was part of the team who developed Diablo published by Electronic Arts for PC, macOS and PlayStation. Most lately, Chris Metzen worked on Diablo III: Eternal Collection. Currently, Metzen is developing Overwatch 2 with Activision Blizzard. The release date is yet to be announced.