What is Overwatch?
Overwatch is a first-person shooter video game that can be played either on console (with a controller on a television) or PC (on a computer [desktop or laptop]). It's currently one of the highest grossing games of the past year due to its highly relatable and diverse cast of heroes, team-based gameplay, and interesting lore. Many individuals such as Twitch Streamers have dedicated their lives to playing the game and developing a diehard fanbase. Blizzard Entertainment has sold over 35 million copies of Overwatch, adding an average of 2.2 million copies per month to its roster. Also...it's a crap ton of fun.
Wait so Blizzard Entertainment...is that related to “Blizzcon?”
Yes, it is!! Blizzcon is an annual event located in Anaheim, CA in early November. Its purpose is to bring all the video game nerds together (specifically fans of Overwatch, World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Diablo, Starcraft, etc.) to celebrate the games and present new characters, maps, information, and events. Your significant other is probably losing their mind since a new character was introduced at this event named "Ashe," a badass female cowboy with crazy OP ("over-powered") abilities. They're also probably saying that she will be nerfed soon ("abilities taken down a peg").
Who are the characters in this game?
Great question! There are now 29 characters (or "heroes" as they're called in the game), all under three categories: DPS (damage dealers), Tanks (frontline), and Support (healers). All you need to know is that Support is seen as the easiest role, while Tank is the mid-ground, and many DPS players can be assholes...really...it's true. DPS players are normally the ones that ask Supports to pocket them ("stay in their 'pocket' and heal only them for the entire game"), even though the Support has to help the entire team of six.
Okay, so that’s fine and all -- how does the game actually work though?
Two teams of six go head to head and attempt to either obtain objectives (stand on a large square for a certain period of time then prevent the other team from obtaining it) or push a payload (stand on a cart to move it to another area and prevent the other team from stopping you). While this may seem simple, it can be very complicated when strategies become relevant in higher skill rankings ("SR").
My significant other is Gold ranking...is that good?
Well, yes and no. The ranking distribution of Overwatch players is the following: Bronze - 8%, Silver - 21%, Gold - 32%, Platinum - 25%, Diamond - 10%, Master - 3%, Grandmaster - 1%, and Top 500 - <1%. So, your sig-nif is with the majority of players. Are they actually good at the game? Well, that remains to be seen. They have potential, but there are no guarantees that they'll make it to Diamond, where the good players start to crop up.
What is an XQC?!?!?!
Okay, sooooo, an XQC is actually a person -- a popular streamer who is famous (or infamous, depending on your angle) for his incredible skill, quick wittedness, and toxicity and yelling in game (being rude to other players and in general). Many find those combined aspects very entertaining and he is one of if not the most infamous player in the Overwatch League, with millions of collective views on YouTube, 229k subscribers, and 153k followers on Twitter, and almost 800k paying subscribers on the streaming service Twitch.
Overwatch League?
Yeah, there's an E-sports League for Overwatch! It's the center of a lot of drama, where the "meta" is formed (what is currently popular regarding strategy), and where many can root for their favorite teams and cities. During the OWL Finals, Blizzard reported over 10.8 million viewers who watched as London Spitfire won the Grand Finals over Philadelphia Fusion.
Is the Overwatch League the same thing as the Overwatch World Cup?
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No, it's different. The League has set teams that may come from certain cities or countries, but there are ultimately 20 teams competing for the title. In the Overwatch World Cup, 32 teams from different countries compete. On November 2nd, South Korea took the first place title, followed by China then Canada. The Overwatch World Cup also had significantly fewer viewers, but was still a very popular topic in the Overwatch community.
Now go forth and impress your significant other with your newly acquired Overwatch knowledge -- we salute you.
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