The action of Overwatch. takes place in a technologically advanced, highly stylized future earth. In a time of global crisis, an international task force of soldiers, scientists, adventurers, and oddities known as Overwatch. had come together to restore peace to a war-torn world. After many years, the group’s influence waned, and it was eventually disbanded. Overwatch. might be gone now . . . but the world still needs heroes.

With an emphasis on accessibility and pure fun, Overwatch. brings Blizzard’s signature easy-to-learn, hard-to-master gameplay to the FPS genre. Harnessing the power of their hero of choice, players will join forces in teams of six and battle each other across a range of futuristic global locations, from the hologram-lit streets of London to a bazaar in the shadows of a high-tech Egyptian pyramid. Every battlefield is iconic and built to highlight each character’s unique abilities, and fights can shift from streets to rooftops to open skies within the span of a breath.

While each hero represents a formidable force on their own, players can amplify their potential by assembling into a well-balanced team and creatively combining powers. No matter which hero or playstyle they prefer, players will be able to team up and accomplish the incredible in Overwatch.

The world needs heroes, and citizens from London to Xi’an to Rio de Janeiro are rising to the occasion to join the ranks of Overwatch!

Since Blizzard Entertainment’s team shooter launched worldwide late last month, more than 7 million players have fought for the future in Overwatch, logging more than 119 million hours combined in one of the most successful global game launches of all time—and the battle is just getting started.

“Over the months and weeks leading up to release we saw a lot of love and support for Overwatch—from Blizzard gamers, FPS fans, and people who’d never picked up a game like this before—and we’re very grateful for everyone’s incredible passion and enthusiasm,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We poured a lot of effort into creating a game—and a new universe—that anyone could enjoy. We’re ecstatic to have had such a successful launch, and we’re looking forward to all of the fun, competition, and new content still to come.”

Since launch, players have swapped heroes 326 million times and teamed up to deliver 11 million payloads to their destinations on the battlefields of tomorrow.

Overwatch features a variety of game modes for shooter veterans and players new to the genre:

• Quick Play automatically matches players with allies and opponents of a similar skill level—a quick and easy way to jump into the fight.
• Play Vs. AI mode pits a team of human players against computer-controlled opponents, with multiple difficulty settings to choose from.
• Custom Games allow teams of friends to tweak the game’s rules, including damage and healing modifiers and which heroes and maps are in play.
• Weekly Brawl! offers up an unexpected challenge every week, like “Justice Rains from Above” (an aerial extravaganza starring rocket-powered Pharah and Mercy, the high-flying healer) and the intense “Arcade” brawl, which features more health, faster cooldowns, and quick respawns.
• Training modes include a Tutorial that teaches players the ropes, a Practice Range where people can try their hand at heroes in a zero-pressure environment, and a Practice vs. AI mode where heroes can further hone their skills.
• . . . And more to come: sometime after launch, players looking for the ultimate team challenge will be able to test their mettle, earn ranks, and show off their skill in Competitive Play. Blizzard also plans to patch in new heroes and maps in the future at no additional cost.

As players compete in matches—win or lose—they’ll level up and earn Loot Boxes, each containing a combination of four items players can use to customize their heroes, including in-game credits and cosmetic goodies including skins, sprays, voice lines, and new animations. Among these items are legendary skins that dramatically alter heroes’ appearances, such as the post-apocalyptic Scavenger D.Va, or Lone Wolf Hanzo, which fills Overwatch’s expert bowman with the spirit of the wild.