Blizzard has announced that the Overwatch Anniversary Event is now live and will run until Monday, June 12. To access the event, you’ll need to download the new Overwatch update, which is beginning to roll out across all platforms. According to players, it’s 1.5GB on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Here’s what Blizzard says about the Anniversary Event:
We’re humbled and honored to commemorate one year of playing Overwatch with you! What better way to mark the occasion than with new maps and lots of new loot?
We’re adding three new Arena maps to the Arcade, and unleashing more than 100 Anniversary rewards, including our largest-ever release of new Legendary skins! You’ll earn Anniversary Loot Boxes as you play, plus pick up a free box when you log in between May 23 and June 12, 2017. Anniversary Loot Boxes are also available for purchase – but they’ll be locked away after the event ends.
Come celebrate with us!
You can see all of the skins and emotes on the official website, with details on the three new Arena maps below:
Arena maps are small maps built for intense action. Eliminate all enemy players to win a round – and, ultimately, win the match. As part of the Anniversary event, we’ve added three new maps to the Arcade that support up to 3v3 elimination matches.
Necropolis
- Ana Amari has made Necropolis her personal hideout—and an impromptu field base where she can keep an eye on things.
- Head to Ana’s preferred vantage point at the top of the ruins, and use the high ground (and the element of surprise) against the enemy team. Or walk the stone corridors below, and take the fight to them directly – just watch out for pits!
Castillo
- Castillo is an old fort looking out over Dorado’s bay. It’s the location of Calaveras, a bar frequented by questionable patrons; a graffitied Los Muertos hangout; and Sombra’s hacking den.
- Test your skills against the enemy team throughout Castillo’s multiple levels, and use its winding stairs for cover and strategic advantage.
Black Forest
- On the outskirts of Eichenwalde, the misty Black Forest map wraps around a long-overlooked battlefield dotted with the wreckage of Bastion units.
- Flank your opponents on pathways between the castle and woods, and use the wooden balconies to move between the second stories of houses throughout the forest.
The Anniversary Event loot also includes 24 new voice lines, 25 sprays, and 25 player icons, including golden player icons.
If you’ve yet to purchase Overwatch, the new Game of the Year Edition launched today through the PlayStation Store and is on sale for $41.99 USD, with PlayStation Plus members saving an additional 5%. The sale ends on May 30.
As a reminder, there will be a Free Weekend for Overwatch beginning on Friday, May 26 at 11am PT/2pm ET.
Will you be playing Overwatch during the Anniversary Event?
[Source: Play Overwatch (1), (2), Reddit (1), (2)]
10 2016 PS4 Games You Overlooked
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2016 PS4 Games You Overlooked
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Action Henk
Action Henk takes the time trial fun of Trials, but replaces motorcycles with an out-of-shape action hero. Perfect for speedrunners, this platformer's addictive nature will have players repeatedly playing stages in order to shave precious seconds off of their time. It's a blast, and really opens up once the grappling hook is introduced.
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Assault Android Cactus
This year's best twin-stick shooter wasn't a hyped release like Alienation, as indie standout Assault Android Cactus stole the show. This highly challenging title features co-op fun, and is best played with friends, but can also be completed solo. A colorful cast of characters, each with their own abilities, helps the game stay fresh from beginning to end.
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Carnival Games VR
It's easy to dismiss Carnival Games VR. After all, the series didn't have a great reputation on the Wii, but it delivers good fun on PlayStation VR. It doesn't provide a ton of depth as it instead opts to provide plenty of light-hearted fun, but sometimes that is exactly what is needed.
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Grand Kingdom
Role-playing games are looking to shine in 2017, but 2016 had quite a few good ones as well. One of which was Monochrome Corporation's Grand Kingdom, a turn-based title where positioning is key.It also has a unique focus on multiplayer, which is rarely explored in the genre. It's also available on Vita, if you prefer to play on the go.
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Oxenfree
Night School Studio's Oxenfree was one of the year's best surprises. Composed of former Telltale staff, the studio managed to implement some of the most impressive interactive dialogue that has been seen in gaming. Oxenfree isn't just a technical feat, though, as it also tells a spooky story that will leave you thinking after the credits roll.
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Salt and Sanctuary
If Dark Souls III didn't leave you fully satisfied, then you should give Ska Studios' Salt and Sanctuary a try. This 2D take on FromSoftware's Souls series provides a highly rewarding experience. It even features local multiplayer, in case you want to go on a journey with a friend.
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Soft Body
Zeke Virant's Soft Body is one of the coolest games released in 2016. The inventive action game has the player controlling two characters at once (a ghost and soft body). The game starts off simple, but after a few levels the game's iterative design starts to shine. Mechanics build upon each other, and it becomes a highly difficult & beautiful game. It's a must-play for people looking for something new or are fans of bullet hell titles.
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Tharsis
Tharsis is basically Yahtzee set in space, except a bad dice roll might result in the deaths of your entire spaceship crew. This game is all about management and making difficult decisions, as players have to manage stress levels after a ship gets critically damaged. Only talented players will be able to survive, and the game deals with some brilliant themes.
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Valley
Canadian developer Blue Isle Studios has improved a lot since they released Slender: The Arrival. Their second major release, Valley, is a first-person adventure game that has players using a "L.E.A.F. suit" to jump through the air. It looks gorgeous, and has an interesting story to discover.
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Videoball
Videoball is a game filled with much more depth than immediately meets the eye. Underneath its minimalistic aesthetic hides a highly complex, yet easy to pick-up, competitive multiplayer title. A mixture between air hockey and soccer, the game is some of the best fun players can have with friends, both online or locally.
