'Overwatch' Director Jeff Kaplan Teases Big "Surprise," Upcoming Balance Changes
Last year, the Blizzard team promised a huge update so big for Overwatch that players would have [...]
Last year, the Blizzard team promised a huge update so big for Overwatch that players would have to uninstall and re-install for it to go through. They almost promised massive balance changes to how the game functions and the heroes within. When one player took to the game's forums to plead with the developers to do something, Kaplan boasted of what's to come.
When one user said "Devs, do something! the game is dying," Kaplan responded with a promise and immediate balance changes. "We worked on a balance patch this week. We're hoping to put that patch on the PTR next week. The last time I said that, it was late and everyone flipped out. So please, don't flip out if things slip … they often do."
The director then added, "Also, there's another cool little surprise coming next week. Excited!" With 6 new heroes confirmed to be in the works and even more game adjustments ahead, we have a feeling the wildly popular FPS from Blizzard is far from "dying," especially given the success that the latest hero Ashe saw with her compadre B.O.B.
This also backs up a statement Kaplan made back in December, saying "We're also in a bit of a "head's down" mode trying to get a lot of work done," said Kaplan. "We also had a few people traveling over the thanksgiving holiday (we're based in the US) and took advantage of the slow week to allow developers to work on whatever they wanted. The end result was pretty cool. We explored new game modes, new features and new engine tech. It was all really rough but some of the prototypes will actually turn into features someday."
Though he didn't have anything he was ready to announce back then, he did give a sneak peek at what's on the horizon with a rough outline with a heavy emphasis on "top secret stuff I'm not allowed to talk about":
- Top secret stuff I'm not allowed to talk about
- Hero balance (I actually think we're in a better spot than these forums will have you believe)
- Quality of life features (UI updates etc)
- New hero prototyping and development
- New game mode prototyping (don't expect to see these soon)
- Feature development
- Ongoing event support (skins etc.)
- More top secret stuff I'm not allowed to talk about
- Top secret stuff I'm not supposed to talk about
Overwatch may seem like an overly simplistic shooter, but don't let the first-glance fool you. Blizzard's highly beloved FPS is rife with lore and characters that mean something. The team behind the hit title have done a fantastic job of fleshing out that hidden history through intriguing animated shorts and a free comic series thus far and they are showing no signs of slowing down. In the video above, I even touch on the comics and shorts and discuss just how important they are, and how they are absolutely vital to this FPS' success.
Overwatch is now available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, alongside the epic new Winter Wonderland event. Sound off with your own thoughts on the event in the comment section below and tell us what you think, or hit me up over on Twitter @DirtyEffinHippy!
