Whilst Overwatch has only been with us for around three years, it seems as though the franchise could soon be expanding to include a new spin-off game. The multiplayer shooter has enjoyed plenty of new heroes and maps over the past few months, but it has been revealed that the game’s development team are also busy working on something brand new.
Details are still scarce about what this new project involves, but the game’s parent company, Blizzard Entertainment, recently held a meeting when they announced that Overwatch was ‘a huge tentpole franchise’ and that developers would be involved with ‘other work’. This has meant that the internet has been ablaze with rumours about whether we could soon be seeing a forthcoming Overwatch spin-off game.
Whilst Overwatch is a classic multiplayer shooter, there are hopes that a new Overwatch spin-off game could feature a story mode that develops the already significant universe that surrounds the heroes in the title. By having single-player focused campaigns within the original Overwatch franchise it would definitely help add to the appeal of this massive gaming hit.
In its three years of existence, we have seen certain Overwatch heroes manage to enjoy a surprising level of popularity. Characters like Zenyatta and Winston are not only great to play, but they have back stories that could easily be developed into stand-alone titles that explore the weird and wonderful Overwatch universe.
Another option is would be for Blizzard Entertainment to create a mobile gaming alternative of Overwatch. Mobile gaming has grown significantly over the past few years, and it has even successfully entered the esports realm. It’s hard to see how a chaotic multi-player title like Overwatch could be customised into the smaller screen of a mobile, and care would need to be taken as many console to mobile attempts have backfired disastrously in the past.
Don’t expect to hear anything new about this project too soon, as Blizzard have already stated that there won’t be any details at this year’s GamesCom, but hopes are high that the Overwatch universe is going to become more heavily populated throughout the next year.
This is because the company’s president, J Allen Brack, has stated that gamers will get to enjoy new maps, new heroes and new experiences over the 2019/20 period. There are hopes that we might see more about this when Blizzard make some surprise announcements at the forthcoming E3 2019 gaming convention. Plus there could also be big plans for expanding the format of the title’s competitive gaming tournaments such as the Overwatch League and the Overwatch World Cup.
The Overwatch League’s second season has benefitted greatly from the addition of many new franchise teams, and it’s set to become one of the biggest esports tournaments around. Such is the success of the Overwatch League that it has attracted investment from some of the biggest sporting organisations in the US such as New England Patriots, and sites like overwatch-bets.com even help gaming fans bet on the title in a safe and easy manner.
November will also see the next instalment of the Overwatch World Cup. It will be the fourth edition of this global gaming tournament and it promises to give South Korea yet another chance to demonstrate their dominance of the game. So whilst the rumours of the Overwatch spin-off may take some time to materialise, it looks like there will be plenty of great gaming action to enjoy over the coming months.