There were a few years there where I thought Blizzard had lost their way, I’ll be honest- that their merger with Activision had led to the dilution of the company’s former values, that had made it so beloved among gamers worldwide in the first place, and that they were trying to just generate as much revenue as possible. And certainly, some of their movies- splitting Starcraft 2 into three games, for example, or their disastrous handling of Diablo III around that game’s launch- didn’t help their case.

But now, Blizzard is back, and in style. The World of Warcraft expansion packs look to be great, Diablo III is now the game it always should have been, Hearthstone was absolutely amazing, and now, for the first time in ten years, Blizzard is going to be creating a brand new IP (Hearthstone is technically a Warcraft spin-off). Meet Overwatch, Blizzard’s brand new IP that is a team based shooter.

“Overwatch is our take on a vibrant, near-future universe with amped-up characters and action-packed team-based gameplay,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “With every new Blizzard game, we look at our favorite aspects of a genre and put our own spin on things. Our goal with Overwatch is to create an awesome FPS experience that’s more accessible to a much wider audience while delivering the action and depth that shooter fans love.”

And if you don’t believe him, just watch the trailer above. The game looks incredible.

Splatoon just lost the title for the most fun and unique looking upcoming shooter, sadly.

Beta testing for Overstrike begins in 2015. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for more coverage and information.

Fuse will not require an online pass according to Insomniac Games, the developers of Fuse and previous franchises like Ratchet and Clank and Resistance on the PlayStation 3.

Inomniac Games recently posted a FAQ on their website and the answer to the question “Online pass?” reads: “Nope. But, you should still buy it new to support us because there are no microtransactions to make up for it, though.”

It’s not surprising for an EA Partners game to skip the online pass system. Crysis 3 offers multiplayer without the need to actually buy the game brand new.

Fuse will be coming out on May 31st for PlayStation 3 and Xbxox 360, with a demo following up near the launch of the game.

Check back GamingBolt for the full review of Fuse when it launches later this year on May 31st for the current generation consoles.

Source – Insomniac Games

A blend of characters

Overstrike revolves around the eponymous Overstrike 9 team, a group of individuals so reckless and deadly that they are only called in when the chips are truly down. Though we aren’t aware of the kind of situations that will require Overstrike 9’s help, we know that the team consists of a reformed mercenary, a thief, a scientist and an ex-detective. It sounds like an interesting mix of personalities to be sure, but their unique abilities also look set to alter the way players will enjoy the game. The video shows just a few, such as the barrier gun and electric crossbow. Knowing Insomniac, the characters will have many more unique abilities that will ensure that fans will definitely need to alter their tactics based on their character choice.

Flashy weapons and tech

Expect cool gadgets galore; it is Insomniac after all

Moving on from the idea of weaponry that is unique to each character, just think of how off the walls some of these gadgets will be. Considering Insomniac’s continued work on the brilliant weapons in the Ratchet and Clank series, you just know there’ll be some crazy tech for players to get their hands on in Overstrike. The trailer shows off just a few, but there’ll be plenty more surprises in store for us in future I’m sure.

EA and Insomniac Games Reveal New Four-Player Co-Op Action Game Overstrike

A shadowy organization has threatened to take over the world and there’s only one team that can stop it: Overstrike 9. This afternoon during the Electronic Arts  press conference at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), EA and independent developer Insomniac Games (creator of the Ratchet & Clank™ and Resistance™ franchises) announced the first details of the highly-anticipated game, Overstrike. Combining Insomniac’s knack for imaginative weaponry with immersive and witty storytelling, Overstrike is a four-player cooperative action game featuring a team of elite agents called Overstrike 9. Comprised of an ex-mercenary, a lifelong thief, a gifted young scientist and a decorated detective, the members of Overstrike 9 are considered outcasts within their own organization, but are the best team suited to stop a global terrorist group from attempting to wipe out humankind. Overstrike 9 uses lethal teamwork and an arsenal of fringe-tech gadgets to infiltrate and destroy enemy strongholds. Overstrike marks Insomniac’s first multiplatform release and will be available on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

“Overstrike presents a unique blend of features that have long been a part of the Insomniac DNA: high powered gadgets, action-heavy gameplay, memorable characters in a deep and mysterious universe and of course a touch of humor,” said Ted Price, founder and CEO of Insomniac Games. “And since this is our first multiplatform game, we’re especially excited to introduce ourselves to a new audience — one which may not have experienced our previous games.”