As Overwatch players around the world take on Mercy’s Recall Challenge, there’s no time like the present to look back at Dr. Ziegler’s past and explore how this iconic hero became who she is today.

Heroic Inspiration

Years ago, when we were exploring ideas for what would eventually become Overwatch, one of the areas the development team had been focusing on was the concept of a class-based online shooter—an idea that stemmed from an unannounced game that had shuttered, codenamed Titan.

"We had a class meeting, where [lead hero designer of Overwatch] Geoff Goodman said something that just really. . .stuck with me,” game director Jeff Kaplan recalled during a 2017 BlizzCon panel. “‘I wish,’ he said, ‘instead of doing a game with six, or maybe nine classes, we could do a game with 50 classes. But I wish each of the classes was very focused, and had a certain set of abilities, and they could all be wildly different from one another.’”

The idea soon blossomed into a first-person shoot...

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HELP US DECORATE!

Season’s Greetings and Best Wishes from the Overwatch team!

Since the dawn of Overwatch, the community has flooded the Internet with amazing fan art, entertaining videos, and incredible cosplay. Your talent never ceases to amaze, and we love being surrounded by your creations. With the holidays upon us, we're hoping that you'll be part of our celebration once again.

EXPERIENCE FESTIVITY

For the last three years, we've trimmed our tree with your handmade ornaments, decked the halls with your art, and enjoyed a seemingly endless supply of holiday cards. The community always comes through, and the forecast for this festive season is looking… EPIC!!

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) December 25, 2018

If you’d be willing to help us decorate the Overwatch offices with even more of your festive flourishes, send us your handmade postcards, holiday well-wishes, and any other cheerful tchotchkes, we will turn the Overwatch office into a holiday-themed art gallery.

HOW TO...

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Fly into action and take up the mantle of the Valkyrie in Mercy’s Recall Challenge! Bring the new Overwatch short story, “Valkyrie” to life with story-inspired content available to unlock for a limited time.

From now until December 2, players will be able to earn a player icon, 8 sprays, and a legendary Dr. Ziegler Mercy skin, for a total of 10 new rewards.

• DR. ZIEGLER - Learn how to unlock brand-new Mercy rewards
• WATCH TO EARN - Earn special Mercy-themed cosmetics by watching Twitch streams
• MERCY-THEMED GIVEAWAYS - Win a Samsung SSD, Mercy Statue, and more!
• HEROES NEVER DIE - Read the new short story, "Valkyrie"

DR. ZIEGLER

We’re bringing the excitement of the action-packed short story into Overwatch by making some of the special content in the story available to unlock in-game. Wins in Quick Play, Competitive Play, or Arcade will all earn you a limited-time player icon, two sprays, and a new legendary skin: Dr. Ziegler!

These special Mercy’s Rec...

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At BlizzCon 2019, we presented a first look at the sequel to Overwatch. With improved visuals, technology, and immersive storytelling, Overwatch 2 is set to build upon the foundation created by the original game and bring the world and its heroes to life like never before. Senior Art Director Bill Petras, Assistant Art Director Arnold Tsang, and Technical Director John Lafleur were on stage to share insight about the team’s work.  

The development team set out to evolve the artistic style of the original game for Overwatch 2 with a number of goals in mind: update hero visuals, highlight storytelling, and incorporate dynamic elements of the world. At the center of the art team’s vision is an unwavering emphasis on gameplay.

Advancing Our Heroes

The team had to balance their desire to give the series a revised appearance with the importance of keeping the original spirit of Overwatch’s iconic heroes. Each hero’s redesign is different, but the team's approached them all with a co...

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At the “What’s Next” panel led by Game Director Jeff Kaplan and Assistant Game Director Aaron Keller, BlizzCon 2019 attendees learned about Overwatch 2’s all-new co-op missions, the new map type Push, updates to the original game, new heroes, and even some story details. 

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New PvP Map Type: Push

In this new map type, players will clash to take control of a robot that starts in a central location and “push” it toward the enemy team’s base. Push maps are symmetrical, and the team that guides the robot farthest by the end of the time limit wins the game.

Jeff and Aaron revealed one new Push map: Toronto. The map aims to be a faithful adaptation of several Overwatch developers’ home country, featuring snow, red maple trees, multicultural storefronts, and even a glimpse of the Toronto subway. The map also has a great number of flanking paths; true to Overwatch form, players of this mode are encouraged to coordinate team-play to achieve victory.

In addition to multiple new Push maps, O...

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Becoming an Overwatch® agent is easier than ever! Join the fight for the future with Overwatch® on PC available at $14.99 now through November 3rd!

• Overwatch® for PC includes 31 heroes, 28 different maps, and endless fun for just $14.99.
• Overwatch® Legendary Edition comes fully loaded along with 5 origin, 5 legendary, and 5 epic skins on PC for $19.99.

The action is at an all-time high with our newest hero: Sigma. Gravitate into battle as an eccentric astrophysicist equipped with mysterious Hyperspheres, which bounce off of walls and implode after a short duration. Protect your team with the floating Experimental Barrier and freeze incoming projectiles with Kinetic Grasp. Knock your enemies down and out by flinging a mass of debris at your unsuspecting enemies with Accretion. If your find yourself in a pinch, change the spacetime continuum with Gravitic Flux. Take flight then lift enemies in a targeted area and launch them into the sky, then observe as they are slammed back d...

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The launch of Overwatch on the Nintendo Switch is just around the corner! To make sure you're ready for deployment on October 15, we've put together a series of launch-day protocols so you'll know what to expect, how best to prepare, and when you'll be able to jump in and officially begin your fight for the future.

Mission Checklist:

• Deployment Schedule
• Installation and Play Instructions
• Support Systems: Active

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Overwatch will launch on Nintendo SWITCH across all regions at the same time globally. To find out when Overwatch will be available in your region, check out the reference guide below.

For timezone assistance, please visit www.thetimezoneconverter.com.

 

Before your watch can begin, you'll first need to install Overwatch on your Nintendo Switch System. To install and play on October 15, please follow the instructions below.

Step 1: Have a current Nintendo Switch Online Membership, or claim your included 3-month individual subscription to Nintendo Switch Onlin...

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The Overwatch League may be heading into its final leg of the year, but rest assured Overwatch fans, the fun don’t stop.

The 2019 Overwatch World Cup will be taking place at BlizzCon in Anaheim, California, in November. Rep your nation (or your favorite player’s nation!) with our new line of 2019 OWWC merchandise, provided by INTO THE AM. 

Jerseys will be available in the style of all 46 teams who have indicated that they intend on coming to BlizzCon this year, as well as Overwatch World Cup-branded pullover hoodies. Please note that team jerseys will only be available online, they will not be sold onsite at BlizzCon, and that all other merchandise will have limited availability in Anaheim—so don’t be disappointed and gear up today for the 2019 Overwatch World Cup!

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Grab your bricks and build yourself up by completing Bastion’s Brick Challenge! Play games and watch streams to earn new content inspired by LEGO® – including the new legendary Brick Bastion skin.

From now until September 30, players will be able to earn five sprays, six player icons, and the legendary Brick Bastion skin, for a total of twelve new rewards.

• BUILD 'EM UP - Learn how to unlock brand-new Bastion rewards
• WATCH TO EARN - Earn special Bastion-themed cosmetics by watching Twitch streams
• SAVE 20% ON LEGO® OVERWATCH! - Learn more about LEGO® Overwatch 

BUILD 'EM UP

We’re bringing the magic of LEGO® into Overwatch with some LEGO®-inspired content available to unlock in-game. Wins in Quick Play, Competitive Play, or Arcade will all earn you limited-time player icons, sprays, and a new legendary skin: BRICK BASTION!

These special Bastion’s Brick Challenge rewards are a bonus on top of your normal earnings for playing in the Arcade.

WATC...

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The Overwatch community is always evolving alongside the game, becoming more in tune with the game’s intricacies and discovering and sharing new high-level approaches to play. Today we’re introducing a brand-new Role Queue system to help ensure Overwatch matches continue to be fair and fun well into the future, and create an environment that fosters teamwork and encourages players to bring their very best to every match.

Currently in Quick Play and Competitive Play, a lot of important decision-making happens in the 40 seconds before a match even begins, as everyone selects their heroes and responds to others’ role choices. It’s not uncommon for players—who may all have different goals and play styles—to feel tension, pressure, disappointment, or even hostility as a team composition comes together. The Role Queue system is designed to help take the edge off this process, ultimately leading to matches that feel fairer and more fun, where players are in roles that they want to be in.

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Jump into action and prove yourself by completing Baptiste’s Reunion Challenge! We’re bringing Baptiste’s war-torn past revealed in the Overwatch short story, "What You Left Behind," into the game with story-inspired content available to unlock for a limited time.

From now until July 1, players will be able to earn a player icon, eight sprays, and an epic Combat Medic Baptiste skin, for a total of 10 new rewards.

• COMBAT MEDIC - Learn how to unlock brand-new Baptiste sprays and skin
• WATCH THEIR BACKS - Earn special Baptiste-themed sprays by watching Twitch streams
• AN UNEXPECTED REUNION - Read the new short story, “What You Left Behind”
• FREE SHIRT! - Learn more about Baptiste merchandise

COMBAT MEDIC

We’re bringing the excitement of the action-packed short story into Overwatch by making some of the special content in the story available to unlock in-game. Wins in Quick Play, Competitive Play, or Arcade will all earn you a limited-time player icon, two ...

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Heroes, you answered the call, and we can now reveal the top 10 countries that will be participating in the 2019 Overwatch® World Cup, as well as the committees for all countries that have made it through Phase 2: Voting.

Top 10 Country Rankings

Here are the top 10 seeds for the 2019 Overwatch World Cup. The top 5 seeds will receive automatic byes into the Group Stage, while all other countries will compete for the final five spots. These 10 teams will receive full support for round-trip airfare, ground transportation to and from the venue, and double-occupancy hotel accommodation. All other teams that are eligible to compete will receive some support for hotels, but are fully responsible for securing their own travel to BlizzCon.

1. South Korea
2. Canada
3. China
4. France
5. United States
6. United Kingdom
7. Australia
8. Sweden
9. Russia
10. Finland

Your Committees

Here are the committees for all countries who are eligible to come to BlizzCon, as voted on by you, the fans!

Argentina ... Read more

Experience Overwatch League from any perspective with the Overwatch League Replay Viewer! Use professional esports observer tools from the comfort of your own computer to customize your viewing experience. Whether you want a first-person, third-person, or a bird’s eye view, you can see it all with this tool. Learn strategies from the pros by slowing down the game and observing from their perspective or get a better view of the action with the bird’s eye view.

Set Up Instructions

To download the Overwatch League Replay Viewer:

1. Open the Battle.net app.
2. Click Overwatch.
3. In the Region/Account drop-down, select Professional Viewer.
4. Click Install.
5. Once installed, click Play.

Note: You must have an Overwatch game license to run the Overwatch League Replay Viewer.

Never Miss a Game

Missed a match? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. The Overwatch League Replay Viewer allows you to see every game from the current stage.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Here are some handy keyboard shortcut...

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Experience your past Overwatch games from a whole new perspective with the Replay feature, now available on the Overwatch Public Test Realm (PTR). Replays allow you to watch your previous matches from any vantage point. Whether you want a first-person, third-person, or a bird’s-eye view, you can see it all with this tool.

Hone your strategies by slowing down or speeding up the game to see exactly how a critical moment played out, or get a better view of the action from on high with or without the UI. The Replays feature is currently available on the PTR for PC only, but will be coming to consoles soon.

Accessing Replays

You can view available Replays from your Player Profile under the Replays tab. There you'll be able to load up your 10 most recent matches in all game modes (except for Tutorial and Practice Range). Replays will be available for the duration of a patch; as with Highlights, your Replays will be reset when a new patch launches.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Here a...

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You’ve pushed millions of payloads, pulled off countless incredible POTGs, and delivered an extraordinary amount of “Boops”—here’s to three years of playing Overwatch together!

As part of Overwatch’s Anniversary Celebration, we’re unlocking the brawl vault, giving you the chance to dive back into your favorite modes from our previous seasonal events. From now until June 11, you can fight yetis, score goals, and neutralize omnic threats... but you’ll need to plan your schedule accordingly.

Week One:

Date (UTC)	Brawl
Tuesday, May 21	Lucioball
Wednesday, May 22	Junkenstein's Revenge
Thursday, May 23	Snowball Offensive
Friday, May 24	Yeti Hunt
Saturday, May 25	Uprising
Sunday, May 26	Retribution
Monday, May 27	Storm Rising

 

Week Two:

Date (UTC)	Brawl
Tuesday, May 28	Lucioball
Wednesday, May 29	Junkenstein's Revenge Endl...

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After the dust settles in Junkertown, the snow melts at Volskaya Industries, and the 2019 Overwatch League champions have been crowned, it will once again be time for the nations of the world to collectively celebrate the year of competitive Overwatch® at Blizzard’s annual convention, BlizzCon, in Anaheim, California.

In the fourth year of the Overwatch® World Cup program, teams will form to fight as one unit, rallied under their national flag. Players hailing from the Overwatch League, Overwatch Contenders, and even Ranked Play, will put aside their professional rivalries to compete for the glory of their home countries. Of course, three-time reigning champion South Korea will try to hold onto their dynasty of digital dominance to bring home the Gold Medal once again, but the gap at the top is looking narrower than it ever has before!

What’s New in 2019

We’re making some changes this year. To create the chance of seeing more nations represented at BlizzCon, we’re happy to announc...

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Create games in ways previously unimaginable with the Workshop! The Workshop is a simplified game scripting system that expands the customization features available in the Game Browser. Within the Workshop, you'll create a Script to add Rules and unique play Conditions on top of the established Overwatch game modes you already know and love. Rules can do many things, like change how a hero's movement and abilities work, modify how players are damaged or healed, or even display text under certain circumstances.

One hot game mode you can create is Molten Floor, where your hero will catch on fire if they're on the ground:

Table of Contents

• Accessing Workshop
• Creating a Script
  • Adding a Rule
  • Selecting an Event
  • Adding a Condition
  • Adding an Action
    • Action Types
  • Additional Information
  • Examples
• Debugging Your Script
• Sharing Your Script
• Opening a Script
• Tips and Tricks

Accessing Workshop

To access Workshop, click Play > Game Browser > Create > S...

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A Local Legacy Forgotten

How Don Rumbotico’s international fame is slowly erasing its founders from the narrative

By Marise Solis

These days, everyone knows Don Rumbotico. Savor Quality. Only the Best. Ads in warm, rich colors, and a logo featuring a well-dressed omnic. But few outside of Havana know of the distillery’s hometown roots and controversial recent history.

“Don Rumbotico was never meant to be a major operation,” says Alicia Diaz, their many-generations-great granddaughter. We sit together in a local bar, and a giant billboard advertising Don Rumbotico—Only the Best!—is visible from the window. “Back then, it really was about quality.”

Almost two centuries ago, Clara and Basilio Diaz used their savings to open a small rum distillery. It was a modest family business, specializing in small batch, barrel-aged rum. Until 2060, few outside of Cuba knew the name Don Rumbotico, but the brand was wildly popular in Havana. Alicia, like the generations of Diazes before her,...

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In the modern day, Paris has established itself as one of the most important art cities in the world. The most obvious impression comes from the art nouveau stylings that can be seen around the city which is flourishing after decades of rebuilding. But not all of the city's fantastic art is found in galleries and museums. Find bold street paintings by revolutionary omnic artist Liberte in the Quartier Omnic.

Expect traffic delays and increased security presence near the Maison Marat over the weekend. A grand gala is being held to celebrate the recent passage of controversial omnic rights legislation.

Don't forget to feast your ears at the Cabaret Luna. The eponymous Luna performs at the seven nights a week without fail. A place where everyone is welcome (except lousy tippers!), cozy up alongside movie stars, locals, revolutionaries, and other guests to catch the City of Light's preeminent diva.

There's a new o...

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Here’s the translation:

TO: F. MCMANAWAY

FROM: T. NGUYEN

DATE: FEBRUARY 21, ____

 

SUBJECT: CUERVA STRIKE TEAM - LOG RECOVERED

 

Commander,

New information has surfaced about Captain Cuerva’s missing strike team. My agents have recovered Cuerva’s personal log. The last entry is dated 27 August, at 0430 hours, from Ti Ôtel Lanbi in Port-de-Paix. Transcript below.

SENIOR ANALYST

TRUNG LE NGUYEN

 

27 August, 0430 hours

Ti Ôtel Lanbi, Port-de-Paix, Haiti

We landed at 2000 hours on 26 August. Tortuga lies across the canal, a dark, rocky shape against the sky. My team bunked down in the hotel, and we planned to cross to the island in the morning. Our orders: to retrieve Jean-Baptiste Augustin, or, failing that, to eliminate him. I still hold out hope to talking sense into him. No one leaves Talon. The organization needs him, now more than ever. All it will take, I’m sure, is the right kind of pressure to make him regret his decision.

At 0200 hours, Pacanowsky left the...

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