Overwatch
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WRUP: Rejected ideas I have put forth for making our site feel appropriately Halloween-ish edition
The Massively OP community and staff share their weekend gaming plans, with participants discussing titles like Pokemon Go, Lord of the Rings Online, Aion 2, and Diablo IV. The discussion also includes a bonus question about ideal Halloween decorations, ranging from giant skeletons to themed yard displays.
Order of the Sinking Star launch trailer – new puzzle adventure Nintendo Switch 2 game from the creator of Braid
Arc Games and Thekla have released the launch trailer for Order of the Sinking Star, a new puzzle adventure game from Jonathan Blow, creator of Braid and The Witness. Available now on Nintendo Switch, the game features over a thousand handcrafted challenges, a fully voiced cast, and an interconnected world designed for player freedom.
Overwatch devs know removing Sombra's Hack ability will "upset" players, but insist the reworked support…
Blizzard Entertainment is aware that the rework of Overwatch hero Sombra, moving her to the support class and removing her Hack ability, will upset some players. Developers Leo Robles Gonzalez and Scott Kennedy stated that while players will miss the old version, the changes are ultimately for the better of the game, with the new Hotfix ability offering ally healing and limited hacking of objects and ultimate targets.
Overwatch brings its new vampiric hero, new escort map, and new event with today’s Season 5 release
Overwatch's Season 5 has launched, introducing the new support hero Doctrine with vampiric abilities, and the first new escort map in years, Watchpoint: Grímsvötn. The season also features a "Mystery Madness: Graveyard Games" event, returning battle passes from previous seasons, and reworks for Sombra and Roadhog.
"Horrible day to be a Shion main" - Overwatch fans aren't happy about five new China-exclusive skins not coming to the rest of the world
Blizzard Entertainment has released new China-exclusive skins for Overwatch characters, including Shion and D.Mon, sparking widespread fan backlash. Players are unhappy that these highly-praised cosmetics are not available globally, a recurring issue attributed to the relationship with Chinese publisher NetEase. While some exclusive content has historically benefited Chinese players, the current situation has intensified feelings of prioritization and disappointment among the international player base.
WRUP: Horror movies of 2027 edition
This week's 'What Are You Playing' segment features community members discussing their gaming habits, including Pokopia, No Man's Sky, Minecraft Dungeons II, and Warframe. The discussion also touches on horror movies and Halloween costume ideas, with participants sharing their thoughts on upcoming films and dream costumes.
It's not even out yet, but Valve's Deadlock just became one of the most played games on Steam
Valve's unreleased MOBA, Deadlock, has seen a significant surge in concurrent players on Steam following its 'City Never Sleeps' update. The update introduced a revamped map, new heroes, and numerous quality-of-life improvements, propelling the game to its highest player count yet. Despite not having a full release date, the game's ongoing development and community engagement suggest strong potential.
Tinker, Bard, Illusionist - Blizzard seemingly surveying World of Warcraft: Forever players about never-before-seen classes to add to the game
Blizzard Entertainment appears to be surveying World of Warcraft: Forever players about potential new classes, including Bard, Tinker, Necromancer, and San'layn. Some surveyed classes are new concepts, while others are reimagined versions of existing classes from modern World of Warcraft, with potential gameplay differences.
PlayStation Plus Free Games For October 2026 Revealed
PlayStation has announced the free games for PlayStation Plus subscribers for October 2026, available starting October 6. Members can claim F1 25, Hunt: Showdown 1896, and Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2. The latter two titles are also available on PlayStation 4.
Razer Naga V3 Pro mouse review: Built for raiding
The Razer Naga V3 Pro is a versatile gaming mouse designed for MMORPGs, offering 23 programmable buttons and interchangeable side plates for various genres. While it doesn't quite surpass the DeathAdder V4 Pro as the reviewer's daily driver, it's praised for its ease of setup, customization via Razer Synapse, and comfortable design, making it a strong contender for raid preparation despite its premium price.
"We really had to shift our strategy" - How a decade of lessons made Overwatch the PvP king
Overwatch Game Director Aaron Keller discusses the decade-long evolution of the game's strategy, particularly the shift away from PvE Story Missions to focus on its core PvP strength. This strategic pivot, which took years to refine, has revitalized the game and allowed for new storytelling approaches within the PvP framework. Keller acknowledges past criticisms of villains like Doomfist and expresses a desire for stronger narrative development.
Overwatch’s ten new hero releases was ‘the right thing for the game,’ but don’t expect that next year
Overwatch has released ten new heroes this year, a significant increase from previous years. While this pace may not be sustainable for next year, developers believe releasing heroes seasonally is the right approach for the game's ongoing narrative and competitive balance. The team is focused on maintaining polish and continuing to tell stories annually.
Overwatch wants players to "relearn the game" when new heroes drop
Overwatch Game Director Aaron Keller discussed the game's approach to competitive balance, emphasizing the concept of 'resetting the mastery curve' with new heroes and seasonal updates. He believes that introducing new characters regularly helps keep the meta fresh and can reduce toxicity by encouraging players to experiment.
Palworld becoming the best-reviewed Steam game of 2026 is "nothing short of miraculous," says Pocketpair lead
Pocketpair's lead John Buckley expressed astonishment that Palworld has become the highest-rated game of 2026 on Steam, calling the player reception to its 1.0 update
Xbox's consolidation plans might mean you get a new Halo sooner, but history shows production line development makes for boring games
Xbox's strategy of consolidating studios and pushing for more frequent releases, exemplified by the Activision Blizzard acquisition and changes to the Halo team, risks creating a future of formulaic and uninspired games. The author argues that while such consolidation might seem efficient, history shows that annual releases and a focus on existing franchises often stifle creativity and lead to a homogenization of game design, potentially resulting in a less exciting gaming landscape.
Shack Chat: What was your favorite reveal from BlizzCon 2026?
Shacknews staff members shared their favorite reveals from BlizzCon 2026, with StarCraft being a prominent topic of discussion. Announcements included the Monk class for Hearthstone, a new StarCraft shooter, and details on Diablo 5 and Overwatch.
I suck at Overwatch but I was dominating with new hero Doctrine, so I smell a nerf coming
The author, a self-proclaimed poor Overwatch player, found themselves surprisingly effective with the new hero Doctrine at BlizzCon 2026, leading to a prediction of an imminent nerf. Game director Aaron Keller acknowledged Doctrine's flexibility and high skill ceiling, while expressing uncertainty about his meta impact.
Ex-Naughty Dog Dev Apologizes To God Of War Studio For What He Said About Laufey
Former Naughty Dog director Bruce Straley has apologized to Santa Monica Studio for his previous comments expressing a lack of excitement for God of War, despite acknowledging its visual quality. Straley clarified that his remarks were intended as a broader critique of the AAA games industry's stagnation and lack of innovation, not a specific attack on God of War. He is now working on smaller independent titles.
Overwatch w/Devs: Doctrine, Grimsvötn, Reworks, and More | Official XBOX Podcast
The Official Xbox Podcast features members of the Overwatch team discussing new content revealed at BlizzCon 2026. They detail the new hero Doctrine, the Grimsvötn map, and reworks for Sombra and Roadhog, while also teasing future content and a special "Westwatch" Dagger Heart tabletop event.
Not So Massively: Reacting to the Not So Massively news of BlizzCon 2026
BlizzCon 2026 featured surprising announcements for several Blizzard titles, including a new hero for Heroes of the Storm and a significant expansion for Warcraft III: Reforged titled The Forsaken Kingdom. The event also revealed Diablo V, signaling a move away from Diablo IV, and a new StarCraft shooter, though details were scarce. Overwatch received a new hero and reworks, while Hearthstone announced a new expansion.
