Overwatch Overview: Blizzard’s Biggest Failure to Billion Dollar Franchise - "A Future Worth Fighting For"

overwatch - Blizzard Entertainment

We Are Overwatch

Overwatch is a team-based first-person shooter developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment in 2016. It’s the fourth entry in Blizzard’s catalog of major franchises, alongside Diablo, Warcraft, and Starcraft. Released nearly two decades after their last franchise, Overwatch was a massive success to say the least. The beta alone drew in about 10 million players across Xbox One, PS4 and PC — setting a new record for Blizzard and beating out The Division’s 6 million player record for the most players in an open beta for a new IP.

Activision Blizzard’s Biggest Franchises

Thanks to its colorful cast of characters each with varying personalities and playstyles, Overwatch quickly became Blizzard’s fastest growing billion dollar franchise. Making it the eighth franchise to generate a billion dollars for its parent company Activision-Blizzard. Placing it next to their other well-known franchises such as Call of Duty, Skylanders, and Candy Crush.