Overwatch 2 was announced much too early, likely to pave over controversy at the time surrounding the company and its many scandals. We were given an awkward glimpse at PvE content that wasn’t ready for the spotlight in the slightest, while progression systems linked to certain characters have been dumped entirely in the version coming next month. Blizzard didn’t know what it wanted the sequel to be, and it still doesn’t, so we are stepping hesitantly into a future where I desperately hope this competitive Hero Shooter shooter can earn its place. The original game is being shut down as it arrives, with its younger sibling intended to replace everything it stood for as heroes, cosmetics, and everything else is carried across as part of a hopefully seamless transition. I’ll miss what is being left behind, and so will many others.

After all, the core concept of the hero shooter is that you have a roster of interesting characters to play with. Taking that idea, and melding it with anything from a sports game, to a side scroller, to a strategy game, to any other genre would be easy, and would give players a new kind of game to dress their favorite heroes up in. Overwatch 2 could possibly be the last real hero shooter, as the concept will soon be nothing more than a feature in most ga

At the same time, it's an impressive showcase of modern motion controls, which allow players to dual-wield separate Joy-Cons to bash their opponents in real-time. A slew of unique fighters, each with their own moves and mechanics, further adds to the chaos of this 3D figh

This translates surprisingly well on Switch's more limited hardware. But on top of that, this fully-loaded package allows players to use subtle-but-effective motion aiming with the Joy-Cons, Pro Controller, and by tilting the console itself. These can all be fine-tuned to best suit the player

Even when (mostly) paying people back for their purchases on Stadia, Google is still showing it barely cares about its users. Not every game will allow saves to transfer. Hell, some games specifically designed for Stadia are now in limbo. Quick reminder - the people on the ground making these games are often creative folks who just want to bring something nice to the world. I’m not criticizing the engineers who made Stadia work or the artists and designers who make Overwatch look and play brilliantly. They deserve praise and probably better pay. Which, again, is funny considering these are all greedy companies sucking in dollar bills.

It’s the same corporate avarice that led us to Stadia , only Google was far more incompetent with how they sold it. Fortunately, Google has more money than there are gods in the heavens; they can (mostly) pay people back for the company’s mistake . But remember Stadia wasn’t a live game that just didn’t take off. It was an entire platform that didn’t take off. A platform that Google promised would stay online for the foreseeable future. And, like Blizzard, Google could also afford the servers.

For the first couple of years, Overwatch was unstoppable. Each new hero was a major event, hyped up with months of speculation as players tried to guess who was coming our way next by digging into the game’s files or drawing from small clues left behind by Jeff Kaplan and friends. Sombra, Doomfist, Orisa, Ashe, Ana, Moira, and Brigitte were all big deals, igniting imagination across the fandom with how their relationships intertwined with the existing roster and how their position in the narrative would come to play an important role.

No, Blizzard and Google aren’t required to keep their services online. No, this isn’t the first time a major corporation has opened a trap door under a game and made it disappear forever. And, yes, Google refunding people is a pleasant surprise. But in both cases, these are broken promises to fans who paid for something. Overwatch was hugely successful. Stadia was made by a company so large it’s nearly impossible to not use their services in one form or another. These aren’t broke kids - they’re not even Square Enix spinning out because one of their best-written, critically-acclaimed games didn’t do Final Fantasy numbers .

Many will know her from the recent sequel, Horizon Forbidden West , or its even more popular predecessor, Horizon: Zero Dawn . This redhead is one of the most popular and well-known female characters in video gaming at the moment. She's a strong, powerful protagonist who has a wonderful storyline that spans two great video ga

Few redheaded game characters are as famous or as cosplayed as the legendary Triss Merigold. Her bright red hair is enough to bring attention to anyone walking past, especially the Witcher , who takes a great interest in her life, and her he

Remedy Entertainment has made a name for itself with its story-driven third-person action titles that have become progressively more engaging and ambitious over time. One such game that fans absolutely love is Control , with the mysterious story and destructive combat being some of its biggest streng