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The next 'Overwatch' holiday event celebrates Chinese New Year
It doesn't look like Overwatch's holiday celebrations are over just because Christmas is in the rearview mirror. Next up? Chinese New Year. The game's Twitter account sent the news out along with a quick video, proclaiming that the event, Year of the Rooster, will begin January 24th -- a few days before the actual holiday this year. Given that previous installments have included special gametypes and character skins, it stands to reason we can expect the same here too -- especially given Mei's garb in the 11 second clip.
New 'Overwatch' map lets you play in traffic
Overwatch's Winter Wonderland event may be over, but Blizzard has one more present in store for players: a new map. Blizzard's been teasing the new control point map for a few months now, promising a new control point map with new environmental hazards and traversal options. Indeed, that's all here -- Oasis features jump pads that launch players high in the air and an active highway filled with deadly traffic. And yes, getting in the way of a car is a one-hit kill.
Blizzard marks 20 years of 'Diablo' with events across its games
Believe it or not, Diablo is turning 20 years old on December 31st. Yes, the classic clickfest has been around for long enough that some adults weren't even alive when the first game launched. It's a historic moment for gaming -- and Blizzard is marking the occasion by bringing Diablo-themed events and extras to several of its games. Diablo III, unsurprisingly, gets the most lavish treatment. It's going to get a Darkening of Tristram event that lets you visit a "reimagined" version of the original game's cathedral, including some familiar pick-ups.
The best games of 2016
The year is nearly over, and I don't think I'm alone in saying that I'm ready to leave behind the dark, twisted fantasy that is 2016. No matter your political persuasion, social status or country of residence, you'll have felt disquieted by events at some point this year. The sheer scale of 2016's failings allows for such blanket statements. Natural disasters, mass shootings and political events have left me buffeted by wave after wave of anxiety. Because of this never-ending cycle of unease, video games have been more important to me this year. Of course, they're always a form of escapism, but in 2016 they've had to function as a kind of digital cocoon. Gaming has been a place to retreat. A moment of respite. Whether passing the minutes on a mindless clicker or puzzle game, losing myself for hours in grand strategies and sport sims or taking a long weekend to head out on a fantastic adventure, gaming has helped me. A lot. Perhaps that's why I've been reacting to game delays with all the composure of a YouTube commenter. And, God, the delays have come thick and fast.
'Overwatch' comic unavailable in Russia because of homophobic law
Overwatch's comic series, which attempts to add more backstory to the swathe of characters inside the team shooter, has just published its Christmas special. Alongside festive cheer, present-giving and the rest, the issue reveals that Tracer is gay. She shares a kiss with her partner after sharing presents, and that's about it. While Overwatch has insinuated that the game's cast may have more than one LGBT character, this is the first time it's been pointed out explicitly. It's all too explicit for Russia, and the country has banned the comic.
'Overwatch' unleashes Winter Wonderland event
The latest themed event for Overwatch is here, as "Winter Wonderland" has settled in for its run through January 2nd. Players of Blizzard's team-based shooter are getting an update on their consoles and PCs that brings loot boxes filled with over 100 cosmetic items available only for a limited time. There's also a special Brawl mode for the event focused on ice-spraying hero Mei. The 6v6 Mei's Snowball Offensive replaces her weapon with a single-shot snowball gun, that needs to be reloaded at snow piles located around the level, while her Ultimate ability upgrades it for semi-automatic fire.
China forces game producers to reveal loot box odds
Using addictive animations and other psychological tricks, games like Overwatch and Hearthstone hook you on free loot boxes, then make you pay for the rush with real money. That sounds like gambling to China's Ministry of Culture, so it's instituting some new rules starting in May 2017. The government will force publishers to post the probability "of all virtual items, props and services" available in loot boxes, along with recent results, on the game's official website, according to the ruling.
Everything you missed from 'The Game Awards'
Each year that Geoff Keighley's Game Awards distances itself from its SpikeTV past, it gets subsequently less embarrassing to watch. And without a doubt, The Game Awards 2016 was the best show yet. Couldn't watch the stream? Well, that's too bad, but we've got you covered. Below you'll find a list of the night's big winners in addition to all the trailers that made their world premieres onstage at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. There were a few emotional moments onstage as well, including Ryan Green accepting the Games for Impact award for That Dragon, Cancer; Keighley presenting his friend Hideo Kojima with a statue for Industry Icon and Nolan North throwing striking voice actors under the bus during his acceptance speech for best performance.
'Overwatch' finally makes playing with randoms easier
Overwatch is great, but, unless you're carousing with people on your friends list, it's been almost impossible to keep playing with the same people in matchmade multiplayer. Thankfully the developers at Blizzard have recognized the error in their ways and come up with a common sense feature that should make staying with last game's players a lot easier. It's called "Stay as Team" and it's exactly what it sounds like. Simply press a button at the end of a match to perform the eponymous task. It's available to sample on the PC version's Public Test Realm as you read this. In the video below, game director Jeff Kaplan says that the team will keep making additions like these to help folks find new friends and keep you playing longer.
'Uncharted,' 'Firewatch' dominate The Game Awards nominations
The Game Awards show has made it a point to recognize more than just the usual blockbuster hits, and it looks like that will remain true when the 2016 ceremony takes place on December 1st. Geoff Keighley's outfit has unveiled its nominees for this year, and there's a healthy mix of triple-A titles and indies. It won't shock you to hear that big names like Battlefield 1, Doom, Overwatch, Titanfall 2 and Uncharted 4 are up for multiple awards, of course. However, smaller projects like Inside (up for game of the year), Hyper Light Drifter and Firewatch make up a large chunk of the selections.
Elusive 'Overwatch' hero Sombra is now available to everyone
Blizzard has been teasing the second post-launch Overwatch character, Sombra, for months -- cryptic clues and leaks have been floating around since the first extra character showed up. At last, though, she's here. After about a week of public testing, Blizzard has released a finished update that brings Sombra's stealthy hacking to PC, PS4 and Xbox One players. To recap, she's an "infiltrator" who can temporarily become invisible, teleport to a beacon, disable enemy shields with EMP blasts and hack both health kits as well as Torbjörn's turrets. She's who you send in to undermine a stubborn defense before your main assault.
Play 'Overwatch' for free all next weekend
If you already aren't one of Overwatch's 20 million players, developer Blizzard Entertainment wants to fix that. Starting next Friday at 1pm Eastern, PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One owners can play the wildly popular shooter for free. And this isn't just a limited slice of the game, either. The entire roster of heroes and maps are available across Quick Play, Custom Games and the Weekly Brawl.
Sombra is officially Overwatch's new hacker hero
If you didn't see Sombra coming, maybe you haven't been paying much attention to Overwatch lately. Onstage during the Blizzcon keynote, Blizzard president and CEO Mike Morhaime described her as a stealthy offensive infiltrator who can hack an enemy's abilities. Blizzard has dropped a few other details as well. She has an EMP attack that can shut down numerous enemies at once, for instance. Additionally, she can camouflage herself, making her harder to see. If you're lucky enough to be at Blizzcon this weekend she'll be playable on the show floor. Everyone else? You're going to have to wait.
Overwatch League is Blizzard's eSports incubator
Blizzard has its own official eSports league for Overwatch, aptly dubbed Overwatch League. It works a lot like traditional sports. Major cities in North and South America, Europe, China, Korea and the South Pacific will have a team. Those teams are comprised of the best players coming out of a sort of open competition called a "combine." From there, they'll be drafted and sign contracts with a guaranteed salary and benefits. The team spots will be secured, according to developer/publisher Blizzard, as a way to foster local fans and talent "for years to come." And at season's end, the best teams will play against each other live, in front of a global audience. Sound familiar?
Is this Overwatch's new hacker hero?
Blizzard continued its brutal trolling of Overwatch fans by adding yet another crumb on the trail to unveil Sombra, the next character to be added to its roster of playable heroes. The latest in their months-long series of alternate reality games (ARG) came when she "hacked" the game's subreddit today, and its moderators asked users to help protect a website in the Overwatch universe from her attacks. If you've not scoffed at yet another stalling tactic to buy time until Sombra's likely reveal at BlizzCon this weekend, there might be an unintentional reveal to get excited about: potential concept art of the never-before-seen hero was accidentally listed on Blizzard's store page.
Game studios go all-out with Halloween events and sales
Game developers thrive on seasonal events, and that's truer than ever this Halloween. It's not just themed skins and game modes, although there are plenty of those -- there are some serious bargains to be had, whether you're a Steam veteran or just getting into virtual reality. Even PlayStation Now has some Halloween goodies. We've rounded up some of the spookier events and sales to make sure you don't miss out.
Blizzard launches its own cross-game voice chat service
About a year ago, Blizzard revealed a chat service for all of its Battle.net multiplayer games, starting with Overwatch. Last month it killed the Battle.net name altogether, saying multiplayer support is a "normal expectation" that no longer requires its own service. Now, the World of Warcraft maker has rolled out Blizzard Voice, a chat service that works across all its multiplayer titles.
'Overwatch' celebrates Halloween with ghoulish Loot Boxes
If the buzz around the Olympics wasn't enough to get you spending cold hard cash on a bunch of Summer Games Loot Boxes, Blizzard hopes its Halloween-themed Overwatch event might do the trick. After weeks of small leaks raised the possibility of a second themed event, today the company revealed Overwatch Halloween Terror, which is live now through November 1st across PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The event features maps decked out with spooky accessories, plus it introduces the game's first-ever PvE mode, Junkenstein's Revenge.
This is how your parents will watch esports
Christina Alejandre ended up chatting with UFC President Dana White backstage at the Turner Studios in July, just before the final game of ELEAGUE's debut Counter-Strike: Global Offensive season. As VP of esports and ELEAGUE at Turner Sports, Alejandre was pivotal in producing that first season, and she told White how excited she was for the final game, which would be broadcast live on TBS. It was more than excitement, she explained; something more powerful was pulsing through her veins. White knew exactly what she was trying to describe. "There are very few people in this world who can identify exactly what you're saying," Alejandre remembers White saying. "What you're feeling is the first time that I saw UFC on Fox."
Crowd control and confetti cannons at the Overwatch Open
The studio is immaculate. Shiny black floors glisten under orange, blue and purple lights. A dozen people dressed in all black, wires dangling from their headphones to the battery packs at their waists, mill around, preparing massive hooded cameras, adjusting light fixtures, sweeping the floors and, way in the back on a raised platform, tweaking the appearance of the stage from behind multiscreen terminals. It's 9PM on a Friday night and everyone in the room is at work, but the air sizzles with chatter and excitement. The stage itself is impressive, with three massive, crisp screens alternating between the logo for the 2016 Overwatch Open and the competing teams' insignias. A cartoon rabbit head wearing goggles and a scar over one eye smirks down from the orange side, representing the European underdog team, Misfits. A stylized white "N" surrounded by a circle looms over the North American favorites, EnVyUs. Twelve young men -- some bearded, others clean-shaven -- sit in front of their respective screens at two long, curved banks of gaming PCs, getting in just a few more minutes of practice before the big game; just a few more kills, just a few more dodges and clicks and saves. The mood on the stage is deadly serious. Whoever wins tonight takes home $100,000, after all.
