‘See you on the other side’

_{[Disclaimer: The following report is not only intended as a nostalgic love letter to a game I enjoyed — one that legitimately helped me through the darkest and most self-destructive of years — but, moreso, a shout-out to a devoted player community. However, my thoughts on the behavior of Activision Blizzard, including its vile workplace controversies have been well documented in multiple reports here on Destructoid. Overwatch 2 is not in any way ‘penance’ for said controversy.]}

Early yesterday, October 3, 2022, Blizzard Entertainment’s juggernaut multiplayer shooter Overwatch lastly hit the lights, bringing to an finish six years of life, thousands and thousands of thrilling and intense battles, and just one payload ever truly pushed to its vacation spot — This act, after all, was carried out to be able to pave the way in which for successor Overwatch 2, which launches at present on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Switch.

Around the world, the Overwatch group noticed to it that their fave hero shooter went out with a bang, smashing by means of these closing Arcade Mode containers, leaping into ranked mode to push their closing rating to its present zenith brink, occurring an unhealthy procuring spree for skins and emotes, (I bagged “Red Riding Hood Ashe”), and promising themselves that, when the brand new period comes, that they’re lastly, lastly going to learn to play Moira.

This bittersweet video, captured by participant FroggerOW, exhibits the precise second that the dev staff hit the massive purple button, and sees a literal celebration of Overwatch characters hanging out on the ultimate checkpoint of Hanamura. As Lucio spins the platters that matter for his viewers, characters comparable to Symmetra, Ashe, Winston, Cassidy, even no person’s favourite, Wrecking Ball, dance away the ultimate few seconds of a recreation that has introduced a whole lot of hours of pleasure to so many gamers.

And then, similar to that… It was over. watch.

The finish of Overwatch 1. pic.twitter.com/IhHjmVPZiW

— Frogger (@FroggerOW) October 3, 2022

If you’re in search of a trendily damaging social media tackle this affair, you then’ve come to the incorrect place, Jack. Overwatch was my favourite recreation of the earlier decade. And sure, whereas I would be the first to confess that the ultimate yr or two weren’t fairly as pleasant as its peak interval — a particular mindset transition the place many gamers seemingly determined to only abandon each synergy and teamwork — I merely can’t deny that, every time the moon and stars aligned, there was nonetheless nothing as satisfying as an excellent, well-played, and intense recreation of Overwatch… primarily a golden multiplayer expertise.

(If you had your headset switched off, clearly. But that goes for each team-based online game.)

I’ve seen a ton of takes on social media alongside the strains of “Notice how people are mourning OW1 and not celebrating OW2?”. But what do you anticipate from the participant base? To not care that their favourite online game is shutting down, to get replaced by what might, probably, be Malibu Stacy with a New Hat? No, after all, they’re going to mourn, after all, they’re going to replicate, and after all, they’re going to be involved for the way forward for the franchise. And then, they are going to decide themselves up, head into Overwatch 2, and do what they will to adapt to its new world, methods, and gameplay modifications.

If the Twitter video above demonstrates something, then it’s that Overwatch is just as robust because the devotion of its group, the eagerness of its gamers, and the enjoyable they might discover in its sharp motion, colourful visuals, and dynamic roster of characters. The Game is The Thing. And if the gamers are there — and there may be enjoyable available — then the devoted participant base goes to welcome Overwatch 2 with open arms. They are proper to mourn now, however this unhappy finish can, simply as simply, be a model new daybreak.

Any multiplayer title is greater than its worth, its battle passes, its DLC, its hashtags, and even its developer. The Overwatch universe — its world and its characters — are given life and kind by means of its group, a ardour that goes past gameplay and into the realm of fan initiatives, paintings, cosplay, performances, and different extracurricular actions If all of those parts are current and proper, and the gamers are nonetheless having fun with themselves in-game, then the precise influence of any divisive advertising is essentially the most trifling of partitions to surmount.

Overwatch 2 launches at present as a free-to-play title on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms. For official launch instances, take a look at the world map on the official Overwatch Twitter.

Chris Moyse

Senior Editor – Chris has been enjoying video video games because the Eighties. Former Saturday Night Slam Master. Graduated from Galaxy High with honors. Twitter: @ChrisxMoyse