Almost all players and fans alike will agree that 2016 is the year of Overwatch. It easily became the most favorite multiplayer first-person shooter games, earning the praise of gamers and critics, among others. With how things went well for this year, almost anyone in the community would expect something bigger and better come 2017. So, what does Blizzard has for the fandom next year? What can players expect from the game as another year unfolds?
According to Wired, the debut success of the game this year is enough for the studio to push their boundaries. That, in one way or another, they should even be more stoked in making things interesting within the title and/or the community. In a sense, 2017 is going to be a huge year.
Apparently, Blizzard is already preparing new stuff for Overwatch next year. This already includes the conceptualization of brand new maps. There are also a couple of proposed tweaks and balances when it comes to character developments. And, as what most fans would love to hear, a good number of heroes are expected as well.
In the Year in Review video, Jeff Kaplan himself (game director) shared his thoughts on what players can expect in the next few months. He first mentioned the kind of reception each new character gets from the community by the time they're introduced. For instance, Ana wasn't that popular at first. However, in the long run, people started to use her from time to time. Of course, this was only possible following the prior changes the studio did.
The newest addition to the Overwatch hero roster is Sombra, a character who specializes in hacking. Kaplan admitted that, as of the moment, they don't see any changes required for the hero. That there's still a "mastery curve" happening, thus players need time to absorb how the character works substantially. But of course, as what Kaplan promised, it doesn't mean tweaks or balances (if need be) won't happen.
Apart from the heroes, the first ever content to arrive to the game come next year is the brand new map called Oasis. It was first revealed back at BlizzCon 2016 (which took place sometime in November). It's currently plugged to the game's beta testing, Public Test Realm in particular. The studio is also keen on doing a couple of out-of-the-box ideas, all leading to experimental game modes or maps. But only will they be unleashed if and only if they pass the regular process of mustering.
The same can be applied to brand new Overwatch heroes. Kaplan admitted that he and his team are already working on new characters. While they can be interesting to know, the game director quickly noted that they're not that easy to release. Heck, some of them might not even pass the release phase. For Kaplan, it's more of filtering stuff and knowing which ones are timely for unleashing.
What are your thoughts on Overwatch next year? What are your expectations? What sort of stuff are you looking forward to the game come 2017? Let us know what you're thinking at the comment section below!
