The Future is Now! Overwatch® is Live on Console and PC
Blizzard Entertainment’s futuristic team-based shooter available
today globally on PC, PS4™,
and Xbox One
Join the battle at www.playoverwatch.com
IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–“The world could always use more heroes”—and today, the watch begins for
gamers around the globe. After drawing more than 9.7 million players to
Blizzard Entertainment’s biggest open beta ever, Overwatch®���the
company’s team-based first-person shooter—is now live on Windows®
PC, PlayStation®4, and Xbox One!
Overwatch takes place on a near-future Earth, where teams of
soldiers, scientists, adventurers, and oddities clash for control of key
locations around the world, from serene castle grounds in Japan to
mech-production facilities in the wintry heart of Russia. The game
features a diverse cast of 21 unique heroes—including Tracer, the
time-jumping adventurer; McCree, the outlaw gunslinger; and Winston, the
brilliant gorilla scientist—each armed with signature weapons and
awe-inspiring abilities. These extraordinary characters must team up and
work together to complete critical objectives in a variety of unique
play modes, including Assault, Escort, and Control. Players are able to
swap heroes to adapt to the ever-changing situation on the
battlefield—the action is fast and fun, and the tactical possibilities
are endless.
“We’re thrilled to welcome console and PC gamers everywhere to the
future world of Overwatch,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and
co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’ve worked hard to create a
team shooter that anyone can enjoy, with rewarding cooperative gameplay,
fast-paced competitive action, and a diverse cast of awesome heroes that
we’re proud to add to the Blizzard family. We think shooter veterans and
anyone new to the genre will find that Overwatch is an absolute
blast to play.”
Different Ways to Play
Overwatch features a variety of game modes for heroes of every
kind. Quick Play automatically matches players with allies
and opponents of a similar skill level—a quick and easy way to jump into
the fight. Play Vs. AI mode pits a team of human players against
computer-controlled opponents, with multiple difficulty settings to
choose from. Custom Games allow teams of friends to tweak the
game’s rules, while the wild Weekly Brawl! offers up an
unexpected challenge every week, like “Justice Rains from Above” (an
aerial extravaganza starring rocket-powered Pharah and Mercy,
the high-flying healer) and the intense “Arcade” brawl, which features
more health, faster cooldowns, and quick respawns. And there’s more to
come: some time after launch, players looking for the ultimate team
challenge will be able to test their mettle, earn ranks, and show off
their skill in Competitive Play. Blizzard also plans to patch in
new heroes and maps in the future at no additional cost.
As players compete in matches—win or lose—they’ll level up and earn Loot
Boxes; each containing an assortment of in-game credits or up to
four cosmetic items to customize their heroes, including skins, sprays,
voice lines, and new animations. Loot Boxes can also contain legendary
skins that dramatically alter their heroes’ appearance, such as the
dashing and adventurous Safari Winston, or Young Genji—a version of Overwatch’s
mysterious ninja from before he received his cybernetic enhancements.
Windows PC, PS4™, and Xbox One gamers can join the fight for
the future today by purchasing Overwatch: Origins Edition for a
suggested retail price of $59.99 from www.playoverwatch.com/buy.
Overwatch: Origins Edition comes with a collection of hero
skins that provide players with insight into five characters’
pasts—Blackwatch Reyes (Reaper), Strike-Commander Morrison (Soldier:
76), Overgrown Bastion, Security Chief Pharah, and Slipstream Tracer—as
well as a cache of goodies for several Blizzard Entertainment games,
including glowing Mercy wings for Diablo® III,
a Baby Winston pet for World of Warcraft®, a
set of heroic StarCraft® II portraits,
an Overwatch-themed Hearthstone® card
back, and the playable Tracer hero for Heroes of the Storm®.†
Overwatch is also available in a limited-edition, retail-only Collector’s
Edition (SRP $129.99, Windows/PS4™/Xbox One), which
contains all of the content listed above along with a full-color source
book, the Overwatch soundtrack, and a high-quality collectible
statue of Soldier: 76—the vigilante alter ego of former Overwatch
commander Jack Morrison. Quantities are limited; players should check
with their local retailer for availability. Windows PC gamers also have
the option to download a digital PC edition ($39.99, digital only),
which includes all 21 heroes and provides players with the core Overwatch
experience.
Players on any platform looking to augment their collection of skins,
sprays, and other cosmetic goodies may also purchase the same Loot Boxes
that they can earn through gameplay in quantities of 2 for $1.99, 5 for
$4.99, 11 for $9.99, 24 for $19.99, and 50 for $39.99.
In addition to the English version, Overwatch has been localized
into Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, German, European
Spanish, French, Italian, Polish, Russian, Korean, Japanese, and
traditional and simplified Chinese. Overwatch has been rated T
for Teen by the ESRB.
For more information about Overwatch, visit www.playoverwatch.com.
For screenshots, videos, and other media, visit the Blizzard
Entertainment press site at http://blizzard.gamespress.com/overwatch.
With multiple games in development, Blizzard has numerous positions
currently available—visit http://jobs.blizzard.com
for more information and to learn how to apply.
†Battle.net account required. World of Warcraft®, Heroes
of the Storm®, StarCraft®
II, and Diablo® III content
available on Windows/Mac®. Hearthstone® content
available on Windows/Mac/iOS/Android.
About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft®
and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo®
franchises, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com),
a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer
and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of
the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment’s
track record includes nineteen #1 games* and multiple Game of
the Year awards. The company’s online-gaming service, Battle.net®,
is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.
*Sales and/or downloads. Based on internal company records and
reports from key distribution partners.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking
Statements: Information in this press release that involves
Blizzard Entertainment’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies
regarding the future, including statements about Overwatch,
including with respect to its launch date, features, and gameplay, are
forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of
risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Blizzard
Entertainment’s actual future results to differ materially from those
expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release
include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the
risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report
on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The
forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information
available to Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Blizzard as of the
date of this release, and neither Blizzard Entertainment nor Activision
Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may
ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of
the future performance of Blizzard Entertainment or Activision Blizzard
and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which
are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially
from current expectations.
Contacts
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Rob Hilburger
VP, Global
Communications
949.242.8404 dir
rhilburger@blizzard.com
or
Andrew
Reynolds
Global Public Relations Director
949-955-1380 x14301
areynolds@blizzard.com
or
Steven
Khoo
Public Relations Manager
949-955-1380 x12508
skhoo@blizzard.com
