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First Person Shooters (Games) Games

Blizzard Announces Overwatch, a First-Person Shooter 183

Posted by Soulskill from the gorillas-with-guns dept.
Today at Blizzcon, Blizzard announced its first new franchise in 17 years: Overwatch. It's a first-person shooter, a type of game Blizzard hasn't made before. It seems to be based on team deathmatch combat, with a number of characters/classes that all have different abilities. The beta test will start sometime in 2015 (you can sign-up here at the official site, unless it gets crushed by traffic). Game director Jeffrey Kaplan (a.k.a. Tigole) said one of their big goals is to make it an approachable game in a way shooters often aren't. A cinematic trailer is available, as is a gameplay trailer. Blizzard has set up stations for players at Blizzcon to play Overwatch this weekend, so more details will be coming soon.
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Blizzard Announces Overwatch, a First-Person Shooter More

Blizzard Announces Overwatch, a First-Person Shooter

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  • "Approacheable FPS" (Score:5, Insightful)

    by rodrigoandrade ( 713371 ) on Friday November 07, 2014 @03:16PM (#48336577)
    Hmmm, let's see:

    - Autoaim
    - Regenerating HP
    - Tons of ammo
    - OP weapons
    - HUGE hitboxes

    Thanks, I think I'll pass...

    • Re:"Approacheable FPS" (Score:5, Insightful)

      by halivar ( 535827 ) <bfelger@gmai l . com> on Friday November 07, 2014 @03:28PM (#48336695)

      I think it's for me. I used to love FPS's, but my days of twitch play are long behind me. Last time I logged in to Counter Strike I got creamed by kids half my age (or, judging by the squeaky voices, a third). I simply don't have time to hone those skills anymore, and I doubt I ever will. This is the kind of casual game I can get into and be ok, I think.

      • me too, kind of. my go to fps these days, community's dying. i'm hoping this lets me port some of my q3, while being a bit more active.

        i also hope i don't encounter all these rude COD players i hear about.

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by Anonymous Coward

          Have you tried Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory? The community is mostly 25+ and it runs on gnu/linux. And it's free as in beer.

          Look at Google Clan servers, they're fun (IMNSHO)

          • that was my previous go-to. left it after i upgraded my computer.

            played on a single server for the better part of a year... but the community was a bit too small by the time i left.

            I played that game until the game could not support me :)

          • :) one real question. FF on? one thing that i never got over. FF off going mainstream. Covies just lost so much playability after that.

            god, i loved the fact that in that game, it was most often the right choice to kill/revive your teammates rather than throw down med packs.

            medpacks are for me... see this frighteningly big sickeningly green syringe... that's for you, after i kill you just a little.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by Sowelu ( 713889 )

            Oh man, people still play ET? I was addicted to that for a long time, got busy with work, then assumed it had long since died off. I might have go to back, I was an excellent hat removal specialist back in the day.

      • Re:"Approacheable FPS" (Score:5, Informative)

        by Bengie ( 1121981 ) on Friday November 07, 2014 @04:04PM (#48337061)
        +9001 insightful. As much as I miss the days of doing a 180 degree turn in 1/4 a second to head-shot, with my scout, someone trying to knife me, I now jump into CS and find myself dead most of the match. This also reminds me of the days of Quake Death Matches with grappling hooks enabled. I have no idea how I used to do so well other than a lot of practice.

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by Anonymous Coward

          I have no idea how I used to do so well other than a lot of practice.

          You nailed it there: having less time to play is the killer. Having more things that need to be done and less time to spend on the games is probably the biggest disadvantage the adults have over the kids. Even if you played a game constantly in the past, if you go a while without playing it you'll have to reacquire the skills and nuances. Even for games within the same genre, there are differences and there's still a learning curve jumping directly from one to another.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by sinij ( 911942 )
          How you did so well? Yes, practice. You can also do well again.

          Having to practice means that game has depth and skill element in it. This means outcome of any given encounter is largely down to skill and not luck. I am on my THIRD CS "career" and every time I come back I have to re-learn atrophied skills. "Approachable" means that game will be very shallow - everyone can succeed, but nobody could excel. There still might be some skill-driven meta that is possible (e.g. squad dynamics) but such things are
        • What I don't get is why you think that as a casual player, you'll stand a better chance against 13 year old kids who take the time to master this game, as opposed to kids who take the time to master Counterstrike.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by rtb61 ( 674572 )

        They just need to incorporate some strategy elements to ensure things like jump and shoot fail as well as side scroll shooting and running and shooting. Also balancing PvE (a bug shoot) and PvP (people murdering people), allowing people to play one or the other. Also plan out spawning properly, both player and npc.

      • Casually having fun with an FPS doesn't mean you don't have to find a terribly unbalanced game such that even experts can be killed by the newbies. All that does is anger the experts and the newbies still die most of the time. It's true a lot of good FPS have kind of a steep learning curve, but it goes with the territory. This game will fail as a lesser clone of TF2, which for the most part does a great job with balance.
    • Feel free to keep playing CS 1.6, it's a good game too.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Nyder ( 754090 )

      Hmmm, let's see:

      - Autoaim
      - Regenerating HP
      - Tons of ammo
      - OP weapons
      - HUGE hitboxes

      Thanks, I think I'll pass...

      Probably, but checking the beta can't hurt, so I didn't pass. If it's crap, then no loss, if it's good, then I got in right away.

      I'm not holding my breath on it being good though.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by dywolf ( 2673597 )

      dunno if ill like it.

      but the cinematic trailer was badass.

  • YAFPS (Score:3, Insightful)

    by aBaldrich ( 1692238 ) on Friday November 07, 2014 @03:16PM (#48336581)
    Let me guess, if you don't send your SSN and fingerprints you'll get locked out of your own game?

    • Let me guess, if you don't send your SSN and fingerprints you'll get locked out of your own game?

      lol - too true! I just got locked out in Chinese this morning. At least they consider "trying to login" unusual behaviour for me.

  • Pass (Score:2, Insightful)

    by JMJimmy ( 2036122 )

    Blizzard just hasn't been the same since Activision

    • Re:Pass (Score:4, Insightful)

      by halivar ( 535827 ) <bfelger@gmai l . com> on Friday November 07, 2014 @03:30PM (#48336717)

      They've stated on numerous occasions that Activision has nothing to do with Blizzard's internal workings. If Activision was anything like, say, EA, they would have shipped Ghost and Titan, then rolled up the shop.

      • They've stated on numerous occasions that Activision has nothing to do with Blizzard's internal workings. If Activision was anything like, say, EA, they would have shipped Ghost and Titan, then rolled up the shop.

        I can't speak to the internal dynamics. At the end of the day they have to report to the holding company that owns them and their shareholders. What I do know is that I've played & owned every game & expansion they put out from 1991 to 2007. Since then I've tried Starcraft 2 part 1 (ugh) and Diablo 3 (bore) and not purchased/wanted to play anything else. Maybe a key person left, maybe pressure to be profitable changed something, I don't know. As someone who has over 1000 games on the shelf it s

      • They lied. Activision made them say that. And it's not just me and Jimmy, all the bigwigs but one, have left, haven't they?

        Wrath of the Lich King was as good as it got, and then downhill from there. The past couple of years have just been sad. The best news we will hear in gaming is that Activision has split Blizz off into it's own company. Probably saddled with tons of debt.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by dywolf ( 2673597 )

          You idiots have got to get it through your head that just because you don't like it doesn't mean its crap. The profits speak for themselves.

          Your comments of "I cant help it if you people like their shit" is the tone of a critic with his head up his ass getting off on his own disdain for the idea of people having differieng opinions.

          You are not dwelling in anything resembling reality, but rather your own fantasy composed of your own arrogance and conceit.

          • Dang. Don't hold back man. Tell me what you think of me..

            A thing can only be judged by it's profits? Then I guess McDonald's has the best food, and Coca-Cola is a far better drink than fine wines from Napa Valley.
            They cut costs to get those profits; the subscriber base for WoW is shrinking. WoW is nothing like it was when WotLK came out in gameplay, customer service, all of it. Back then you could get an admin in chat in 10 minutes tops. That's a big one right there, and it's not fantasy. (Btw, SC2 was also

  • Team Fortress (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Looks like team fortress 2, albeit with less hats.

    • Yup, TF mixed with Shadowrun. I'd still rather play Gotham City Impostors oddly enough.

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by nmb3000 ( 741169 )

      Looks like team fortress 2, albeit with less hats.

      I kinda got a feel of TF2 + World of Warcraft, at least for gameplay and art direction. The energy/magic effects, armor style, and voice acting were very WoW while the combat, classes, cartoony cell-shading, and gameplay looked very much like TF2. There's a damned Gnome building a sentry gun FFS.

      I'd guess it will be one of those games that's poorly received (or completely flops) because it's really just a conglomeration of ideas from previously successful games and most players will get a strong feel of "

      • Looks like team fortress 2, albeit with less hats.

        I kinda got a feel of TF2 + World of Warcraft, at least for gameplay and art direction. The energy/magic effects, armor style, and voice acting were very WoW while the combat, classes, cartoony cell-shading, and gameplay looked very much like TF2. There's a damned Gnome building a sentry gun FFS.

        I'd guess it will be one of those games that's poorly received (or completely flops) because it's really just a conglomeration of ideas from previously successful games and most players will get a strong feel of "been there, done that." Whatever happens, hopefully they can avoid the horrible micro-monetization that's poisoned TF2 but knowing Activition-Blizzard that seems unlikely.

        I don't know about that. That is kind of Blizzard's thing. Taking good ideas from other companies/games, refining them and making them their own. Was Diablo the first hack and slash ARPG? No, but every H&S ARPG that has been made since has been called a Diablo clone. First RTS? Nope but Warcraft and Starcraft were very popular and made a large impact on the genre. WoW was not nearly the first MMO but certainly the biggest subscriber base and most well known. Almost every MMO since has been called

    • It sort of looks to me like TF2 or any other arena team shooter (Q3 Arena, Unreal Tournament/UT2004, Nuclear Dawn, lots of others) but with characters more from DOTA. I like the idea of a shooter with these wacky powers.

      It's probably better than the alternative mix, too: a top-down, zone-of-control, resource renewal, last hit game where everyone runs around with a shotgun. I might give that a shot too, though.

  • Looks like Team Fortress to me. This one is a fail. Sorry, Bliz. You have a great track record, but this one is a dud.

  • Hey, remember back when Sony had the big PS4 announcement, and they brought Blizzard on stage. During this time, Blizzard said they would be showcasing a brand new IP at the following PAX East... and it turned out to be a fucking card game.

    So is this what they were SUPPOSED to showcase a year and a half ago?

  • Another nail in the coffin... (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Looks like a sloppy TF2 clone. Probably pay to win as well. Nothing to see here, keep playing TF2. Another nail in the coffin of what use to be a great game company.

    • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Yep, Blizzard has been dying for 20 years now... Another 20 years and they might gross less than hundreds of millions of dollars. That coffin's gonna need an awful lot of nails.

  • Looks like WoW themed Team Fortress 2 to me. Maybe they want in on that sweet sweet F2P money without letting their cash cow out of the pasture.

    • I was thinking the same thing. It looks a Lot like Team fortress 2... with a bit of anime thrown in.

      F2P is already dead. It was clever at first, but those of us that railed against it (myself included) ended up being dead right about where it would lead to. Ripoff and ripoff, until you couldn't trust any developer at all. Culminating, of course, in the penultimate pay-to-win ripoff, ElderScrolls online. Where the games $60 upfront. AND there's a $15/month subscription just to play. AND there's a cash store

      • I'm not so sure about that. I play Warframe which is F2P and have yet to see anything I'd have to pay money for if I didn't feel like it. It's a great game too.
      • And yet Tera would disagree with you about F2P models. Almost everything is cosmetic, and as for the P2W item that people birch about (PP Bolster for crafting) is a waste. EME let's you have 10 accounts per IP. All the top tier end game gear requires 1 or two types non tradeable, non bankable items to craft. Sure, I've made enough gold to buy the other mats 10 times over, but i still have to grind line everyone else. Oh yeah, and DotA 2 and LoL have some words to say about F2P being dead.

      • hold the phone professor. What cash shop are you referring to in ESO? Other than.. paying for a horse? or race choice?

        F2p is more like "buy this potion for 2 hours of quadruple experience!" or "buy this uber sword of slaying!" ESO was selling fluff. The monthly fee + box sale is.. well maybe a bit outmoded, but it's been the norm for MMO's for quite sometime. Until, interestingly enough - the *actual* F2P games came out.

    • More like Incredibles themed than WoW themed, but with "technology" instead of superpowers.

      And why does it have a backstory shoe-horned into it away? How is that supposed to translate into "capture the flag" or whatever?

      • And why does it have a backstory shoe-horned into it away? How is that supposed to translate into "capture the flag" or whatever?

        Incidentally, TF2's backstory when it came out was:
        Two companies that each control half the worlds governments are secretly controlled by one person who force them to fight each other over useless objectives to keep up appearances.

        It wasn't until the first Halloween update (a year after the game came out) that that any semblance of a real plot involving the Mann family and Saxton Hale came about. Which is funny since the Mann family plot started as an excuse to have a ghost on the then-new Halloween map.

        Th

  • Reminds me of Tribes (Score:3)

    by Hussman32 ( 751772 ) on Friday November 07, 2014 @03:33PM (#48336745)

    It looks like one of the modded versions of Tribes I used to play in the late 90's. Definitely improved graphics and such, I wonder how the game play will be different. As a person who was a true Starcraft junkie, I rarely dismiss what Blizzard creates.

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Sowelu ( 713889 )

      Man am I the only person who thought mods ruined Tribes? More than any other game back in those days (which is saying something), it was freakin' impossible to find a server that wasn't running mods. I thought the game was pretty balanced and fun as-is when it came out, and the mods all felt like if you didn't dump a ton of hours into just playing online Tribes you wouldn't even know what was going on.

      • Yes you are. Mods are what made that game, although there were plenty of base servers. Not sure what your trouble was there given the easy server filtering...
  • Don't humor yourselves, slashdot editors. We don't have enough traffic to take down a small conservative blog anymore, let alone a web page hosted by Blizzard. They know what they're doing, at least when they put up a website.

    Have any sites gone down in the past 12 months from too much slashdot traffic? I haven't heard of any. We didn't even take down any of the small-time gun 3D printing sites, which are practically the bread and butter of this site now.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Insecam was down today; I'm guessing from /. traffic. The FTDI thing made the EEVblog forums return an error 9 out of 10 times for a couple days.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Idiot. Slashdot isn't nearly the largest driver of traffic to Blizzard. The combination of self-published hype and hype from other, more widely read "news" organizations will provide the majority of readers and interested gamers.

      Blizzard is such a massively popular company, they're always having trouble serving the huge influxes of traffic their new game and patch announcements generate. The article is merely remarking that this occasion will be no different.

    • Since the editor did not say "slashdotted," I don't see your point.

      Lots of people beyond slashdot are interested in Blizzard games.

  • So yet another first person shooter from a formerly innovative game company.

    No thanks.

  • It definitely has a TF2 look (and absolutely some copied aspects), though I also see some almsot LOL style strategy play (assuming the balance it properly). I agree the gameplay trailer made most characters seem a bit overpowered, but it was made in a way that is more like a trailer than actual game play. I'm intrigued but certainly not sold. I'd like to see how they plan to allow match development. All in all, it looks nice, and if blizzard can get the mechanics solid it could be a very interesting game.

  • They are so overbearing toward their customers and fans, they simply aren't worth it.

    Someone bring back Tribes already.

  • Where's the Pizza Planet Truck?
  • Umm, didn't Blizzard just recently can a game they were working on? I can't remember the name off-hand, but I'm fairly sure this wasn't their first attempt at a new IP in the past 15+ years.
  • There's already a game called "Overwatch"
    It's a mod for the DayZ mod.
  • Maybe I'll eat my words if the game play is an improvement over TF, but this reeks of design-by-committee. I thought Dialbo III might have just suffered from putting the WoW team on it, but now it really does look like Blizzard has jumped the shark.
  • for a cooldown in the trailer? You know, you don't have to show the boring part where you balance gameplay in the *bleepin'* trailer...

    While I'm on the subject, did Pixar do the trailer? If not they should sue. It looks so much like the Incredibles I was genuinely disappointed when nobody in red tights showed up.

    It does look like it's gonna be another generic class based shooter though. It's gonna be hard for blizzard to pry users away from Valve. Funny, because they usually are on the other end of th

  • Game director Jeffrey Kaplan (a.k.a. Tigole) said one of their big goals is to make it an approachable game in a way shooters often aren't

    This is likely just meanless talk for the stockholders. But I highly doubt that is a good idea. The problem with modern shooters, especially consoles, is the skill ceiling is so low that it becomes random chance for anyone over the few months of play mark. This just won't work well for PC gamers who still play CS in large numbers everyday. Even Team Fortress was not really casual. Only casual relatively and it inherited a lot of people from the older smaller video game crowds and it's player base ca

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