Overwatch Mobile Can Learn From COD To Be Less Like Diablo Immortal
Overwatch could get a mobile release. Blizzard needs to replicate COD Mobile's success to keep another Diablo Immortal flop from happening.
A mobile version of Blizzard's team-based shooter Overwatch is reportedly launching alongside Overwatch 2. The news led gamers on social channels and forums to recall the loathed release of Diablo Immortal. Fans of the franchise were skeptical that Activision Blizzard might tarnish the shooter's reputation. Still, seeing how successful Call of Duty Mobile has become, the company could turn Overwatch into a smartphone sensation if it plays its cards right.
COD Mobile has earned Activision-Blizzard billions over the course of 2020 in conjunction with other titles Call of Duty releases. The free-to-play version of the first-person shooter provides a stripped-down version of the run-and-gun gameplay loop of classic Call of Duty titles on smartphones. The company should take a similar approach to Overwatch and develop a more simplistic version of the title, which would be better suited for mobile.
If the chatter about a mobile Overwatch proves to be true, Activision Blizzard will have the opportunity to try something completely new. The existing Overwatch player-base likely won't flock to the mobile game in droves, since those players are awaiting the PC and console releases of Overwatch 2. This will give developers more freedom to experiment, and they should seize that opportunity to attract an all-new player base.
Dexerto’s Editor At Large Richard Lewis reported that Activision Blizzard was planning on releasing "Overwatch 2 and Overwatch Mobile at the same time." That could suggest that the speculative release will incorporate Overwatch 2's PvE elements, which would be a perfect fit for smartphones. Players could either team up with others, or solo against waves of enemies and level up their heroes to unlock new abilities, which could be acquired faster if users pay a premium.
Additionally, the mobile Overwatch could also include a Solo or Team Deathmatch like Call of Duty Mobile, where players can use the abilities they unlocked in the PvE mode against other players in a PvP setting. The game could then rank players who dominate the Deathmatch on a weekly leaderboard, similar to Mario Kart Tour.
Blizzard could introduce a handful of smaller maps inspired by classic locations from the original console release to fit the more compact and concise gameplay required out of a mobile title. It's paramount that the potential smartphone launch stays grounded in Overwatch's DNA but provides a fundamentally different experience for new users to avoid Diablo Immortal's missteps.
Source: Dexerto