overwatch Overwatch Open Beta Had More Than 9.7 Million Players!

[Zadina 923]

Everyone knew that Blizzard's new gaming title is highly anticipated, but we didn't think that it would enjoy a popularity of this scale. Blizzard announced that more than 9.7 million players tried the Overwatch Open Beta.

 

Blizzard had some very impressive stats to announce about the Open Beta of Overwatch, which was the company's biggest Open Beta ever. More than 37 million matches were created and participants played the game for more than 81 million hours - which is roughly 8 hours per person for all days the Beta lasted.

 

Needless to say, it is pretty certain that Overwatch is going to have tremendous success when it is released on May 24.

 

Blizzard Entertainment

OVERWATCH® IS BLIZZARD’S BIGGEST OPEN BETA EVER WITH 9.7 MILLION GLOBAL PLAYERS

 

Blizzard Entertainment’s futuristic team-based shooter launches on PS4™, Xbox One, and PC starting May 24

 

IRVINE, Calif.—May 12, 2016—Blizzard Entertainment today announced that more than 9.7 million players around the world played its upcoming team-based shooter Overwatch^® during the Open Beta for PlayStation^®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, and Windows^® PC, making it Blizzard’s biggest open beta ever. By the time the Open Beta came to a close on May 10, participants had joined forces for more than  4.9 billion minutes (over 81 million hours) across more than 37 million matches of intense competitive action, incredible teamwork, and all-out fun.

“We're thrilled that such an incredible number of players from around the globe got a chance to check out Overwatch during the Open Beta,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “Our mission was to make sure as many console and PC gamers as possible could experience the full game ahead of its launch—the response was overwhelming, and we hope that everyone had a blast.”

 

In Overwatch, players choose from a diverse cast of 21 heroes—each with their own unique arsenal of extraordinary weapons and incredible abilities—and team up to complete objectives on battlefields set in locations around the globe. Blizzard’s first-person shooter will arrive in stores on Windows PC, PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system, and Xbox One starting May 24. Heroes from around the world can join the coming conflict by pre-purchasing Overwatch today at www.playoverwatch.com/buy.

 

Overwatch will be available in English, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, German, European Spanish, French, Italian, Polish, Russian, Korean (PC only), Japanese (PC and PS4™ system only), and traditional and simplified Chinese (PC only). Overwatch has been rated T for Teen by the ESRB.

 

For more information about Overwatch, visit the official website. For screenshots, videos, and other media, visit the Blizzard Entertainment press site at http://blizzard.gamespress.com/overwatch.

(source)

 

If you want to check some after-Beta impressions and statistics, after conducting the poll in r/Overwatch, GLHF posted a video with its results. You can find out which Hero was the most popular one in general and per role, which Heroes were considered overpowered or underpowered and which ones need a post-launch buff or nerf.

 

 

Currently, there is also another poll of similar nature in Overwatch's Reddit and you can find it here. Additionaly, feel free to share your experiences from the Open Beta with us in the comment section below!

 

The release date is only 10 days away!

[Darkjester79 47]

I cannot wait.  I have been in the beta since November and love every aspect of this game.  May 24th cannot get here sooner!

[Valks 2,373]

I cannot wait.  I have been in the beta since November and love every aspect of this game.  May 24th cannot get here sooner!

 

Literally cannot agree more. This game is like a drug, I can't stop playing it!

[Freshness 7]

While its essentially a carbon copy of TF2 with expanded roles, this isn't a bad thing. TF2 was great. This is great. Modern FPS's have gotten such a cookie cutter, assembly line feel to them that the player hardly forms a connection with their games. But Blizzard has clearly put the time and effort into designing both maps and characters that have personality and aesthetic. When you play Junkrat you feel like a mad bomber. When you play reaper you feel like the shade of death.

 

Its nice that carrying your team doesn't necessarily entail getting the most kills, either. With the objective-based gameplay you can hop on a tank or a healer and be just as, if not more, useful as an assassin. And with the post-match recognition system they have, when players get accolades for most healing or damage blocked they're more likely to keep playing those support roles.

 

All of this lends to the immersion and is probably why players were averaging 8 hours a day during the last open beta.

[Valks 2,373]

While its essentially a carbon copy of TF2 with expanded roles, this isn't a bad thing. TF2 was great. This is great. Modern FPS's have gotten such a cookie cutter, assembly line feel to them that the player hardly forms a connection with their games. But Blizzard has clearly put the time and effort into designing both maps and characters that have personality and aesthetic. When you play Junkrat you feel like a mad bomber. When you play reaper you feel like the shade of death.

 

Its nice that carrying your team doesn't necessarily entail getting the most kills, either. With the objective-based gameplay you can hop on a tank or a healer and be just as, if not more, useful as an assassin. And with the post-match recognition system they have, when players get accolades for most healing or damage blocked they're more likely to keep playing those support roles.

 

All of this lends to the immersion and is probably why players were averaging 8 hours a day during the last open beta.

 

What you have described here is exactly what was missing from World of Warcraft. When you stand at the front of your team as Reinhardt, you feel the immersion. You feel the teamplay right behind you. Your team is alive because of you, standing in front of them blocking the damage.

 

The game was just spectacular. It felt like the other Blizzard games used to and I really hope it is a sign of things returning to this style of immersion.

 

Overwatch gave me a feeling about the game that I haven't had while testing a game in a long time.

[Freshness 7]

WoW started to lose its immersion when they began to cater to the people who were leaving the game. Every major patch started to have a couple new "quality of life" gimmicks and it felt like the message was "please don't go" instead of "this is why you should stay". In Vanilla/BC/LK it felt like players had goals and things to aspire to. By the time WoD was halfway through, we were all hobbits; secluded and alone in our garrisons, queuing for LFR with random people from different servers who we'd never see again.

 

Yes 40 man raids were somewhat difficult to organize, especially on lower population servers. But you got to know your comrades. Guilds had their class and role hierarchy's where you could find mentors and apprentices. It felt more like the fantasy world we were all trying to be a part of.

[mg2840 0]

It was fun to play overwatch even it was in beta.