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The Overwatch Workshop is a Necessary Injection of Creativity

By Bryant Chang

The cure for burnout has arrived!

Overwatch players have clamored for more game modes and new abilities since the game's release in 2016. They have wanted to exercise their own control over the game, and now it appears Blizzard has finally delivered.

The Overwatch Workshop, live on the Public Test Region and slated for arrival in the main game, will give players unprecedented freedom in creating their own game types or hero abilities. It comes at a time in which many have been disappointed at what Blizzard has given. The Storm Rising event had mixed reviews. There's been a dearth of new arcade features, and the game has become stale. In sum, users have felt disconnected from the Blizzard team. The developers have promised many things, but have either failed to follow through or implementing change at snail's pace.

But the creations in the Overwatch Workshop mark an important step in the game's history. Now players do have a say in what they want to see in Overwatch. Now Torbjorn can finally wall climb, battle royale Overwatch is possible, and all new abilities can be experimented with. At the same time, the Blizzard team can monitor the Workshop, player feedback, and what seems popular. In turn, they can fine tune the most popular creations and implement them in the main game.

These creations connect Overwatch to other popular video game mods fans love. For me, it was the Valve games that offered the most creativity. Team Fortress 2 had the VS Saxton Hale mode and Hide and Seek servers. GMod had Trouble in Terrorist Town and a host of creative mini games. Even CS:GO had the popular surfing maps. Now, it looks like Blizzard has taken a page from Valve's book.

Overwatch has millions of players around the world, and not everyone plays the game for its competitiveness. Some just want to chill in Quickplay or have fun with their friends in the Arcade modes. The Overwatch Workshop is an open environment where players can simply have fun and let their mind run wild. There's no need for immense competitive pressure here. No, the Workshop brings Overwatch back to what it is at its core: a game that people play to have fun.

Photo courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment