The beta of Overwatch has restarted again. We took a first look at the new progression system and reveal how it works.
Random Rewards as Progression
The Overwatch beta has restarted again and since last night players are once again diving into Blizzard’s hero shooter. One of the most eagerly awaited features is the new progression system that has finally found its way into the game. Jeff Kaplan, the game director, talks in a new video about the exact plans and how this will affect the game.
The primary goal for the developers was to create a system that has minimal impact on gameplay. This means that there should be no power increase, so matches can remain fair, no matter how many hours one has already played. It was also important not to force players into the role of specific characters.
The solution they arrived at is simple: there is an account level, and this increases continuously. Every match grants experience points.
Upon leveling up, a reward box is given, containing a total of 4 items.
As is common with Blizzard games, the items have different rarity levels. This starts at “common” (white) and goes up to “legendary” (orange). Although leveling up takes longer with each level increase, there is said to be no limit to how high it can go, allowing one to always unlock more content.
The range of potential contents in the boxes is vast. So far there are:
- Exclusive skins
- Spray logos
- Voicelines (special voice “emotes” of the characters)
- Normal emotes
- Victory poses
- “Play of the Game” intros
- Player icons
Additionally, there are credits in the boxes, which can be used to directly purchase items one desires.
However, there is a small downside: Blizzard has announced that the reward boxes will also be sold for real money. This does diminish the thrill a bit when one finally draws their beloved skin from a box after a long time.
You can find more information about the game on our Overwatch topic page.
