First one to take three maps wins the matchup.
#Overwatch online player numbers series
In the Overwatch League's current setup, teams face off in a best-of-five series in which they play in maps from the previous game types.
Control maps usually feature extremely wild and fun overtime matchups, as teams are both often able to push the control percentage to 99, resulting in a winner-take-all final fight. Teams have to win two out of the three sections of the map in order to claim victory. Once a team reaches 100%, the next round starts in a wildly different part of the same map. Teams fight over a central location and attempt to gain control of it for a certain amount of time, represented by percentage points. Hybrid modes, as they allow for a variety of strategies to work depending on whether players are trying to capture or escort.Ĭontrol is essentially a King of the Hill mode. Some of the more popular maps in the game, like King's Row or Eichenwalde, are. The attacking team needs to capture a point, like in Assault, and then escort a payload, like in Escort. Hybrid is a combination of Assault and Escort. Like in Assault, so long as one defender is close to the payload, it won't move, so attacking teams need to win their fights decisively in order to make progress.
Once they reach the third checkpoint or run out of time, like in Assault, the two teams switch sides, and the former defenders now try to do better than the attackers. In this mode, there is a mobile payload - usually representing some important object in Overwatch's story - that the attacking team has to escort past three checkpoints. This mode often features desperate last stands - so long as at least one defending player is on the point, the attacking team can't make any progress in their capture percentage, so good teams will try to cycle their heroes in and out to delay attackers for as long as possible.Įscort is another mode in which the two teams alternate offense and defense. Assault maps can either be over very quickly, with one team holding its opponent scoreless and having to capture only part of the first point themselves, or they can go into multiple overtime rounds with both teams capturing both points over and over again. The team that makes the most progress toward capturing their opponents' points wins. Once the offensive team captures both points or runs out of time, the teams switch from offense to defense and vice versa. These maps are split into four different modes:Īssault, or "2CP," has one team attempting to capture two control points on a map within a limited time frame. One map may find players escorting a priceless artifact through the streets of a futuristic African city another has them fighting over a small piece of territory in a research station on the Moon. Those maps vary wildly in size and construction. Overwatch currently has 21 different maps - basically, areas in which the actual game takes place. How is the game played?įirst, let's go over the game types. Released in 2016 by Blizzard Entertainment, Overwatch is a first-person multiplayer shooter, set in a future where a conflict between robots and humanity necessitated the creation of a task force, conveniently called "Overwatch." In the game's primary competitive mode, players are arranged into two teams of six and compete on a variety of maps and game types. Here's a guide to all things Overwatch, from what the game is to how it's played and what to watch for as the league starts back up.ĮSPN Daily newsletter Sign up now! What is Overwatch? If you're a traditional sports fan with an itch for something to watch, the game might be a little difficult to follow, with players using powerful abilities constantly and the screen exploding with colorful animations.įor those of you who are first-time viewers - or if you just want to refresh your memory after the league's two-week hiatus due to the coronavirus - we've got you covered. Starting this weekend, the Overwatch League will return via online play with 10 matchups over two days. Overwatch 101: What you need to know about Blizzard's team-based shooter
#Overwatch online player numbers upgrade
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