Blizzard’s newly announced first person shooter, Overwatch, is all over the news. It’s Blizzard’s first new IP in nearly two decades, and it definitely has players, and the gaming media, buzzing. One of the key questions surrounding Overwatch involves monetization. In short, how will Blizzard make money on Overwatch?
Of course, this is all speculation at this early point. Overwatch isn’t even going into beta until 2015, and it’s unlikely that even Blizzard has cemented their thoughts on monetizing the game. However, based on industry standards and Blizzard’s own past practices, there are a few very distinct possibilities as to how Blizz can maximize Overwatch’s profitability. Skins: There has been no official word from Blizzard on this yet, though there has been a lot of speculation. As skins have proven extremely popular in other eSports and FPs games, this would be a solid move on Blizzard’s part. Skins are also very easy to offer as rewards for various achievements, which encourages players to keep playing. Further, unique skins can be offered for a small fee, boosting Overwatch’s profitability.
