"Overwatch" by game developer Blizzard has only been out for a month now and already Blizzard are talking about the future for their first new IP in 17 years. Additional game type, heroes and maps figure heavily in the buzz on "Overwatch."
In a post on Blizzard's official forums "Overwatch" game director Jeff Kaplan responded to a poster's question about what is next for the wildly successful new game up until early 2017 and beyond. As mentioned in earlier news, the first feature drop for "Overwatch" will likely be Competitive Play.
The "Overwatch" game type made a brief appearance in beta. However, according to Jeff Kaplan, this was pulled from release for "polishing."
On the topic of new "Overwatch" heroes Kaplan provided insight on Blizzard's plans and activities "We're also working on new heroes right now," Kaplan said.
"We have some that are very far along and others that are just getting started." Jeff Kaplan goes on to say that he does not want to make announcements until they are close to their final iterations to avoid disappointment among "Overwatch" fans.
This should not come as any surprise. The huge roster of varied heroes is one of the biggest draws for "Overwatch."
Blizzard will certainly want to expand on this - but with care so as to avoid balance issues in the game experience. Furthermore, many of the in-game lore in "Overwatch" indicate the existence of some of these new characters - such as Sombra - who may or may not be related to Pharah.
Fans should not forget that the "Overwatch" cinematic trailer that was released a year ago has many characters mentioned (and can be seen). "Overwatch" has yet to feature these characters.
Kotaku reports that Kaplan also mentioned new "Overwatch" maps, one of which is very close to release. No details were given on this "Overwatch" addition and on the other maps, which are being play tested daily along with new hero candidates.
New "Overwatch" features mentioned are spectating, a server browser, custom games, customization and Play of the Game tweaks, social features and other technical tweaks. The "Overwatch" director points out that even though everything they communicate now is work in progress, release in its current form or at all is not guaranteed.
What eventually becomes available to "Overwatch" fans depends on what the community prioritizes. One thing is certain though, with Blizzard's immense resources and stellar support history for its games you "Overwatch" will definitely have much more content and features incoming.
