Overwatch - Page 22 of 89

Teens Rescued My Pink Gamer Chair After It Fell Out Of A Truck, And I Died Of Embarrassment

Ka-thunk. I knew exactly what the sound meant, though I could barely believe it. I was in the process of moving, and I was driving a small handful of my belongings—including my (and my cat’s) pink gamer chair—to my new place in a U-Haul truck. Except the chair wasn’t in the truck anymore. It was…

By Nathan Grayson Published May 20, 2021

Culture

Overwatch 2 Will Only Have Five Players Per Team

Today, during an Overwatch 2 PVP livestream, Aaron Keller, Overwatch’s new game director taking over for Blizzard veteran Jeff Kaplan, announced that teams in Overwatch 2‘s PVP will be reduced from six players to five. “Overwatch has changed over time. We’ve gone from having no hero limits…to having a hero limit. We ended up introducing…

By Ash Parrish Published May 20, 2021

Esports

Chinese Overwatch Teams Threaten Boycott Of Korean Player For Statements On Taiwan And Hong Kong [Update: Teams ‘Resume Normal Activities’]

One of the most beloved players in the Overwatch League is facing backlash over political comments he made in a stream. On Chinese social media site Weibo, several members of the Chinese Overwatch League teams stated they would boycott any events that include Korean player Jong-ryeol “Saebyeolbe” Park due to his apparent stance on Hong…

By Ash Parrish Published May 5, 2021

Image: BioWare / Capcom / Housemarque / Kotaku

Opinion

Sorry, Your Cis White Woman Protagonist Isn’t Progressive

The future is bright for the current and upcoming crop of AAA releases. Reviews for Returnal are positive. I’m gassed as hell to have Lady Dimitrescu chase me around in Resident Evil Village before I let her snap me in half. Rift Apart looks so sharp on the PS5 that it might become my first…

By Ash Parrish Published April 29, 2021

Esports

The Overwatch League Paid Tribute To Jeff Kaplan With ‘Jeff’ Song

Last week, Jeff Kaplan announced his retirementfrom Blizzard Entertainment, ending a tenure at the developer that lasted for almost 20 years. Kaplan played an important role in developing Overwatch Esports, including the Overwatch World Cup and the Overwatch League. This weekend, the Overwatch League team paid homage to Kaplan with a musical tribute. It’s not…

By Ash Parrish Published April 26, 2021

Culture

Overwatch Director Jeff Kaplan Leaves Blizzard

As of today, the man, the myth, the meme Jeff Kaplan is no longer a member of the Overwatch team—or Blizzard, for that matter. Blizzard made the announcement in a blog post today. Kaplan’s director’s chair will be filled by Aaron Keller, an 18-year Blizzard veteran who has worked on Overwatch and World of Warcraft.…

By Nathan Grayson Published April 20, 2021

Esports

Anatomy Of A Perfect Overwatch Earthshatter

Overwatch League season four kicked off this weekend, with new players, a couple of fantastic upsets and a perfect, game-winning Reinhardt Earthshatter by Houston Outlaws player Myung-heum “Jjanggu” Cho. Two-time Overwatch League Champions the San Francisco Shock played the no-time Overwatch League nothings Houston Outlaws on Sunday. Traditionally, this is a one-sided match. The last…

By Ash Parrish Published April 19, 2021

Photo: Carlton Beener / Blizzard Entertainment

Culture

Overwatch League Live Games Are Back, But Only In China

Overwatch League Homestands are back, kinda. Today, the Overwatch League announced Homestands—live match events—will be returning during the 2021 season, but only in China. “Due to improved health and safety conditions in China, we are excited to announce the planned return of live events to three cities during the 2021 season,” the announcement read. Live…

By Ash Parrish Published April 14, 2021

Culture

Korean Overwatch League Player Shares His Experience With Anti-Asian Racism In America

As opening day for the fourth season of the Overwatch League looms, Korean players on North American teams are dealing with the precipitous rise in anti-Asian racism. On April 5, Eui-Seok “Fearless” Lee, main tank for the Dallas Fuel, talked about his experience being Korean and living in America on his Twitch channel. “Being Asian…

By Ash Parrish Published April 9, 2021

Culture

Police Arrest Members Of “World’s Biggest” Video Game Cheat Company, Seize Luxury Cars

Chinese police have moved against a company billed as the “world’s largest” seller of video game cheats, arresting ten of its members and confiscating over $40 million worth of assets. As the BBC reports, the cheat sellers were operating under the name “Chicken Drumstick”, and sold cheats for everything from Call of Duty to Overwatch,…

By Luke Plunkett Published March 30, 2021

Esports

Soon You’ll Be Able To Clip Overwatch League Highlights On YouTube

Today, the Overwatch League announced changes to the way fans can watch its streams. Last season, the Overwatch League drastically changed its viewership options switching platforms from Twitch to YouTube. The move was unpopular with fans as YouTube lacked many features that made Twitch viewership unique and engaging. On Twitch, you could earn tokens for…

By Ash Parrish Published March 25, 2021

Culture

Blizzard Isn’t Making Any More Skins For Overwatch League MVPs

After this year, the Overwatch League will no longer create special skins to honor the League’s MVP. Earlier today, the Overwatch League announced the release of two special Overwatch skins celebrating the San Francisco Shock’s second championship win and Byung-sun “Fleta” Kim earning 2020’s MVP award. But tucked into the announcement on the Overwatch League…

By Ash Parrish Published March 23, 2021

Esports

I, A Hater, Can Only Endorse One Of Overwatch’s Two Latest Limited Edition Skins

The fourth season of the Overwatch League is almost upon us which means it’s time to release a new MVP skin. Starting today until April 6th, you can purchase Echo’s Good vs. Evil skin made in honor of 2020’s Overwatch MVP—and my second-favorite Shanghai Dragon—Byung-sun “Fleta” Kim. Every year, the Overwatch League releases a skin…

By Ash Parrish Published March 23, 2021

Culture

Activision Blizzard Esports Announces Layoffs [Update]

Activision Blizzard Esports will lay off around 50 employees, according to a report released today by Sports Business Journal. UPDATE: Reports suggest the total figure of laid-off employees is actually closer to 190. The layoffs come as a cost-saving and restructuring measure, according to the company. While the company emphasized the pandemic as a cause…

By Ash Parrish Published March 16, 2021

Photo: Robert Paul / Blizzard Entertainment

Culture

Former Overwatch League MVP Jay ‘Sinatraa’ Won Suspended Over Sexual Assault Allegations

Former Overwatch League MVP and current Valorant pro Jay “Sinatraa” Won was suspended from his team Sentinels today after being accused of sexual assault by a former girlfriend. In a Google Doc posted late last night to Twitter, Cleo Hernandez detailed emotional and sexual abuse allegations, including instances of coerced sex. In a nine page…

By Ash Parrish Published March 10, 2021

Culture

Overwatch Casually Rolls Out Xbox Series X/S Enhancements

Yesterday’s Overwatch update was all about the PachiMarchi Challenge and that hideous and/or awesome new Roadhog skin, but next-gen Xbox owners got a little something extra with the update: new graphics options for Series X/S consoles, from 4K60 to blazing-fast 120Hz. We were so busy worrying about how our Roadhogs looked we never stopped to…

By Mike Fahey Published March 10, 2021

Culture

Fans Can’t Decide Whether New Overwatch Skin Is Cute Or Horrifying

Today, Overwatch announced the PachiMarchi Challenge, the newest event celebrating the game’s weird half-onion, half-octopus mascot Pachimari. Starting today, players who win games in Quick Play, Arcade, or Competitive mode can win Pachimari-themed cosmetics, including a Pachimari Roadhog skin that is, depending on your inclination, either very cute or extremely unsettling. Watching the trailer feels…

By Ash Parrish Published March 9, 2021

CultureKotaku Game Diary

After Almost Three Years Away, Returning To Overwatch Feels Amazing

I have a confession to make: Despite being Kotaku’s number one Overwatch fan, I haven’t played it myself in two years. But buffeted by my optimism for Overwatch 2 and being unable to get my Overwatch fix because Overwatch League won’t be back for another month, I decided to play again, hoping to recapture what…

By Ash Parrish Published March 8, 2021

Culture

The Overwatch 2 Panel Was Cool But Please, Give Us The Damn Sojourn Reveal

Judging from its complete absence from BlizzConline’s opening keynote, you’d never guess Overwatch 2 was part of the Blizzard family of games, much less in the works. Thankfully, watching the “Behind the Scenes of Overwatch 2” panel put to rest any fears that the game might’ve been forgotten. Led by lead designer Jeff Kaplan, the…

By Ash Parrish Published February 19, 2021

Opinion

It Would’ve Been OK To Skip This One, Blizzard

Tonight’s keynote for BlizzConline, Blizzard’s virtual showcase, was a tepid hour of previously leaked reveals for World of Warcraft and Diablo, some Hearthstone news, a passing mention of Diablo Immortal, and no Overwatch 2. As we’re fond of saying these days, it could have been an email. To be clear: I get it. 2020 was an…

By Riley MacLeod Published February 19, 2021