Apex will strong arm Overwatch into going free-to-play

General Discussion
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I think Overwatch being free-to-play would be terrible because there is already a problem with smurfs. The devs, however, dont think that smurf are a problem.

The sad part is, Apex has absolutely set a new standard for free to play games and old paid games as well. Apex has released with a text chat for console (something the Overwatch community has been asking for since launch) and also a text to voice and a voice to text function for those who dont have a mic.

The ping system alone has set new standard for the entire gaming industry. I fully expect any new game that gas a ping system/com wheel to be at least as good as the one in Apex.

All of that on top of the solid, fun gunplay and overall game mechanics and polish, its pretty clear the only way for Overwatch to really compete in the future is going free to play. Analysts are already predicting this will be the case in 2019.

I suppose only time will tell, but Im guessing this summer/fall.

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While I won’t argue it won’t pressure OW to do something, it was already well on it’s way to being F2P. I mean The price just keeps dropping, it’s almost always on sale with the lowest I noticed being $12.

That said I don’t really think Apex is the threat every one seems to think it is. It’s just a new game vaguely similar to OW in a very small way. It’s no more of a threat than any other “new game” is a threat to an old one.

Plus I am really not sure of the longevity of Apex. Like many Battle Royal games it launches with just 1 map. If there isn’t a new map/hero’s/weapons released within the first 3 months I am pretty sure a lot of people are going to get bored and quit.

Remember a lot of it’s massive popularity is because it’s new, and it’s free. That doeasn’t always translate directly into MTX purchases, especially given the fact the skins are insanely expensive and almost every one agree’s kind of boring. Oh and the epic launch week on Twitch was sponsored by Apex. So we will have to see how many continue playing now they are not being paid to do so.

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If it goes F2P, I’ll want to refund my four accounts.

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Personally, since it comes full circle and teams that work on cod worked on apex [Activision to some extent] it won’t “strong-arm” a game made by blizzard that comes full circle and is worked on by Activision, again to some extent.

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you know that isn’t how it works right?

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Welp, there is a lot of polish into overwatch too, too much i will say that is slowing down eveything they do :stuck_out_tongue:

I dont thinks soo? Better f2p games were in the past, and overwatch didnt had to change to f2p because of that.

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Have you looked at the Apex road map? 4 new heroes before December. A new map. New weapons and tons of new cosmetics and a battle pass system. I dont think they have anything to worry about.

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Or
or
they will just stop developing overwatch

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oo
stuff that doesnt matter

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The ping system is not new. Its been around forever.

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And you think all that would be free ?

It’s EA. They will monotize it somehow.

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Does Overwatch have a roadmap available for this year by chance?

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Rather EA work on skins than trying to figure out how to put a P2W system in place. I really like apex, so I hope EA can show some restraint and let respawn be respawn. Might even save their stock prices if they just let it be.

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Skins, 2 Champs already can be unlocked with money, there is a road map out for a battle battle season 1, and I think season 3 more Champs. It’s already monitized but they did it right like Siege imo

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It’s a secret.

I only wish I was kidding but they explicitly said it was a secret.

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/deep Santa like belly laugh/ HoHoHoHoHo!!!

Be ready to be very, very disappointed. The video game industry has always done a strange two step forwards, one step back.
Quake Spy for dial up quake was better back in the day than most modern build in browser for the next 15+ years.

Overwatch? No map select or map voting. No LFG system at launch. One voice channel and even then you have dig into menus for it, oh and it doesn’t even default to team.
Anthem on the way (for $60) doesn’t have txt chat on PC. You can’t even put a way point down on the free play map.

As for F2P Overwatch, they don’t have a MTX system in place that makes sense to go F2P. Apex is clearly build from the ground up to show off your hero, your banner, your gun, your skin, your stats etc all with an extra “and you can pay to make it look better!!” vibe to it.

What does Overwatch have? Lootboxes, a mega-million dollar franchise esport system and odds are one of the biggest modern gaming IP values when it comes to merchandise. Lego, Nerf, shirts, figures and that’s not even all the ad stuff with the OWL.
Yet I don’t see how going F2P helps make more coin off that side of the game, 3 year after release.

After all these $20 sales, free to play weekends and now the base game just $20 in the first place is there really a market for F2P? Who out there might want Overwatch but at this point did not try it already and/or buy it for $20?

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Actually the 2 heroes can be unlocked with in game currency. Doesn’t take too long.

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Oh well
 that’s
 
uhh
 exciting?

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Yeah, really keeps me hype
zzzzzzzzZZzzzzZZZ oohh? oh ? what was I saying?

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I swear if it’s just that silly replay function they mentioned before I’m gonna
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