A highly-requested feature is finally coming to Overwatch, and it is just in time for its third anniversary. Blizzard has announced the new Replay feature, which, as you can likely guess, will allow players to relive their past matches. However, the new feature will allow players to do more than simply rewatch themselves on the field and see their battles in new ways.
This new addition will allow players to view your last ten matches in every mode besides Tutorial and Practice Range. These Replays will be found in your player profile. When watching a replay, you have the ability to manipulate the scene to your liking. While a first-person viewpoint is available, you can also switch to third-person to get a full idea of a certain player’s strategies. There will also be a full birds-eye view, giving you a look at the entire match from a distance. You can also choose to toggle the UI on or off, depending on your preferences.
The Replay feature gives you much more freedom than that, however. You can manipulate the camera to get that exact angle you’re looking for. In addition, you’ll be able to watch specific players, as well as jump to the objective in a given match, giving you a firsthand view of the chaos that ensues. Of course, you’ll have the power to speed up and slow down the Replays, allowing you to focus on a single moment during the match. Just like Highlights, though, all Replays will be wiped following the introduction of a new patch.
Director Jeff Kaplan previously teased a spectator mode, and it was tested earlier in competitive matches. Giving players the ability to view their matches is a huge change, allowing players to learn from their mistakes, as well as the successes of other players. It’s only the most recent change Blizzard has introduced in Overwatch’s third year, including the new Workshop feature.
While Replay is currently only available on PC via the Public Test Realm, it will be introduced on consoles “soon.” We’ll be sure to let you know when it does.
[Source: Blizzard]
