Although being one of the largest multiplayer games out there, you still know very little about Overwatch nowadays. There are many reasons: Blizzard has been working on the development of Overwatch 2 for many years, which is why it has been slowing down the development of the game.
A year ago, the studio announced that “Echo” will be the last new hero before the game before the sequel comes out (a day that remains a far-off mystery). Since then, it’s been in a state of stagnation – recurring seasonal events like the last few years, and the only new things that can be mentioned are the hero skin and the occasional map.
Surprisingly, the stagnant year did not stop the growth of the number of players in Overwatch. “Overwatch 2” director Amron Keller (Amron Keller) told us that as of 2021, the game reached 60 million players, an increase of 10 million since late of 2019.
“We have 60 million players that love that side of the game and are attached to [the PvP] side of the game. We know, going forward, we have to make the next best version of a team-based shooter.”
As with any game, there are hundreds of new players who should consider the following factors: Blizzard may be counting all accounts created during the last free weekend. Some of these accounts can also be backup Smurf accounts created by long-term players.
Last year, there was also a short period of time where Overwatch indulged in the PC as part of the esports promotion, but it was quickly shut down. Even with all of this in mind, it’s safe to assume that the majority of these 10 million are actual newbies.
Compared to “Apex Legend” or “Call of Duty: Battlefield” with the 100 million player milestone, 60 million sounds like a chump change, but the world of free games is different. “Overwatch” has never been completely free and is rarely discounted. Its growth is similar to that of Rainbow Six Siege, which reached 70 million players earlier this year and often sells for less than $ 10.
Overwatch is a bit old and there are no new heroes for a year, but if you play with friends (still just friends, solo queue is an unhappy place), it’s still a good time. I hope Blizzard can bring this momentum to the new “Overwatch 2” mode, heroes, and long-awaited PvE missions when it finally appears.
