Overwatch has been one of the most popular PC games of all time. The game, released in May 2016, was a huge internet sensation as several anticipating gamers took it to other platforms via live streams, gameplays, and other forms of content creation.
YouTube, Twitch, and many other platforms were home to these people that brought the game an incredible boost in its player base.
However, word has been around that Overwatch has reached its peak and has reached a massive decline in players, with several asking if “Overwatch is dead?” So is the game really dying out? Today we’re going to look into that and assess Overwatch’s popularity and standing with the help of stats and figures.
The concurrent player count
As of 2021, the team-based multiplayer first-person shooter has maintained over 800,000 concurrent players in the second quarter of the year.
Overall the year’s player count has stayed between 600,000 and 900,000, according to Playercounter. That goes to show that the game is not losing popularity any time soon.
However, as of lately the game has lost a few of its consistent content creators, making it fall to number 25 on the streaming service Twitch, according to Twitch Tracker. This is a huge drop down from #3 that the game held on Twitch in the year 2018.
However, this year with the pandemic situation still wavering about, most gaming tournaments decided to keep their competitions remote.
But Overwatch has thus far been the only game to host a gaming tournament, the Overwatch League 2021, in China, featuring a multitude of live events, each accompanied by the safety measures necessary in the current global situation.
Last year, the champions of the Overwatch League 2020 were the team San Francisco Shock. They defeated Seoul Dynasty and won USD 1.15 million.
It is events like these that have made fans stay this far, due to always having something to keep them engaged in the game. Overwatch also has continuously released updates and additions to the game throughout the years.
The pandemic has, however, slowed down the pace and frequency of these updates. But slowing down doesn’t mean stopping them entirely.
The player base
Overwatch holds a massive player base of over 50 million players, as stated by Gamespot in the first quarter of 2020. Of the 50 million players of all time, 10 million players were active and playing during the third quarter of 2020.
That goes to show the game is far from dead. The vast majority of these players originate from the United States and Russia. The USA accounts for 25% of players, followed by Russia with around 8.11%, Brazil (7.09%), the United Kingdom (5.41%) and Germany (5.3%) also hold a considerable number of players in the player base.
The revenue
The game ever since its initial release in 2016 has been an incredible success. Developed with a budget of 600 million, the game accumulates over 1 billion in annual revenue each year. Much of this comes from in-game purchases made by the players.
It’s hard to believe that the game was originally considered to be an unsuccessful idea, before its release, and yet turned out to be one of the biggest videogames successes of the present-day era.
The character roster
Overwatch offers a huge range of around 32 different characters to choose from as your gaming avatar. This roster started as 21 characters in 2016 and is expected to keep on adding new ones as we go along. Although no new hero has been added since the mid of 2020.
These various characters vary in several attributes and have been the subject of debate and discussion in forums and other media. Besides characters, the game also holds a wide variety of weapons that the players can choose from.
The gameplay
Overwatch is a first-person shooter like many of the popular games today. It is set in a vibrantly designed, somewhat futuristic version of modern-day Earth; sixty years into the future to be specific according to the in-game story plot.
Besides the general overworld visuals, the game packs a set of its fundamental unique characteristics that make it differ from the Counter-Strike series, Valorant, and other similar titles.
The game involves online multiplayer matches where two teams are pitted against one another with six members each. Each of the members makes use of one of the 32 heroes available in the game character roster, which each has its own set of abilities and roles to play throughout the match.
If you feel like diving into the action without having to grind for weapons, levels, and characters, then we have the perfect solution for you.
Here at Eldorado.gg, we provide you with the best marketplace, packed with a multitude of services to assist your gaming needs. Click here to find out what our marketplace has to offer for you in terms of Overwatch accounts.
The storyline
Overwatch, unlike simple games such as Counter-Strike and Call of Duty, actually has some depth to its good versus bad storyline.
The game begins as the beginning of an anti-invasion faction named Overwatch, developed by the United Nations to fight against a group of robots during the Omnic Crisis.
The Omnic Crisis was the result of the artificially intelligent robots, called Omnics, going hostile and starting attacking humankind. After the crisis was ended, the faction resorted to prevent any future events of the sort, battling terror groups and the like.
Throughout the time, a rift occurred in Overwatch ever-increasing to the point where an explosion kills its two primary leaders, leading to the dismantling of Overwatch.
The game is set several years after when crime and terrorism have reached their peak and former Overwatch members have decided to reform together to bring back the peace.
The storyline is explained throughout the game with animated cut scenes, along with added content and releases from Blizzard for promotional purposes. This is one of the key elements that set it apart from most big names in today’s first-person shooter gaming industry.
The final word
Considering all the aforementioned elements, the game Overwatch is far from dead. All titles experience fluctuations in terms of player base and popularity. But the game still stands strong as a reputable and well-known title of the gaming industry, great for both old players and welcoming new players with every passing minute.
