ANAHEIM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The world needs heroes . . . and Overwatch™ is recruiting starting today! Blizzard Entertainment’s team-based first-person shooter is coming to Windows® PC, the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, and Xbox One in spring 2016†. Players around the world can prepare for battle by pre-purchasing Overwatch for all three platforms at www.buyoverwatch.com. As a bonus, players who pre-purchase will receive the special Noire skin for Widowmaker, Overwatch’s ice-cold assassin, at launch.
Overwatch is a 6v6 shooter that takes place on Earth in the near future, where teams of soldiers, scientists, adventurers, and oddities clash for control of iconic locations around the world. The game features a diverse cast of 21 heroes—each with their own unique arsenal of weapons and abilities—who bend time and defy physics as they work together to complete objectives with their allies. Teamwork is critical as players swap heroes on the fly and combine their powers to game-changing effect—the action is intense, with a focus on immediacy and fun.
“We’re building Overwatch to be the first-person shooter we’ve always wanted to play, with a vibrant world, awesome heroes, and an emphasis on tightly focused cooperative gameplay,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re excited to welcome console and PC gamers to the fight for the future, and we can’t wait to see all the incredible things teams are able to accomplish on the battlefield this upcoming spring.”
At BlizzCon® today, Blizzard Entertainment also unveiled an all-new map—Hollywood, which takes players on a dazzling and dangerous movie studio tour—along with the final three heroes in Overwatch’s 21-character roster. Genji, a cybernetic ninja, is an expert assassin capable of extraordinary feats of agility, including reflecting enemy attacks with his blade. D.Va is a former pro-gaming superstar who pilots an experimental military mech in defense of her home country. Mei travels the globe applying her scientific expertise to protect the natural world; in battle, her arsenal of climate-manipulating technology has the power to put the opposition on ice. To learn more about these and other Overwatch heroes and maps, visit www.playoverwatch.com.
Pre-purchase Details
Windows PC, PS4™ system, and Xbox One gamers will be able to join the battle by purchasing Overwatch: Origins Edition for a suggested retail price of $59.99—players can visit www.buyoverwatch.com to pre-purchase today. Overwatch: Origins Edition comes with hero skins for five characters based on their storied pasts—Blackwatch Reyes (Reaper), Strike-Commander Morrison (Soldier: 76), Overgrown Bastion, Security Chief Pharah, and Slipstream Tracer—as well as a cache of Overwatch-themed content for several Blizzard Entertainment games††, including a Baby Winston pet for World of Warcraft® and Tracer hero for Heroes of the Storm™.
Overwatch will also be available in a limited-edition, retail-only Collector’s Edition (SRP $129.99, Windows/PS4™ system/Xbox One), which contains all of the content listed above along with a full-color art 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 pre-purchase details and 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 who pre-purchase this or any other edition of Overwatch will also receive the bonus Noire skin for Widowmaker upon the game’s launch.
In addition to the English version, Overwatch will be available 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 or to sign up for the beta test now in progress, 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.
†Fall 2016 for regions in the southern hemisphere (no later than June 21, 2016). Launch plans for mainland China to be announced at a later date.
††Battle.net® account required. World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, Heroes of the Storm, and Diablo III content available on Windows/Mac®. Hearthstone content available on Windows/Mac/iOS/Android. Heroes of the Storm Tracer hero will also be available separately—further details will be announced at a later date.
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.
