In fact the leaks make me more certain than ever that this is still the same game at its core, and an expansion-esque business model seems increasingly likely. Tracer's weapon and skills are the same as in OW1 and are not changing even in OW2 PvE - that tells me that Blizzard doesn't want to change anything fundamental about the game or separate the PvE/PvP modes too drastically. I think it's going to be like the Archives maps, just a lot more of them with actual story progression this time. I think OW2 will add a bunch of benefits for PvP purchasers but will not split the community of the core mode, so new maps and core game modes will be cross-compatible. Things they could do to sweeten the pot for PvP-only players who buy OW2:
Ability to play any characters released after OW2 comes out. (slightly controversial, but they can easily get away with that much)
Newly developed arcade modes.
New types of cosmetics. e.g. weapon skins, particle effects, announcers, portrait frames, etc.
Battle pass. Base version for OW2 owners, premium version for OW2 owners who then pay more for it.
#1 alone is plenty to incentivize people to buy the new game without having to alienate the community by cutting off OW1 completely. From a strictly cynical business perspective, I don't think it would be smart for them to make a clean break.
I've got 1400 hours into overwatch, at this point if they wanna gate new heroes behind an expansion buy-in I can't really complain.
Plus then at some point that probably lets OW1 become f2p.
Certainly happier with that model then an expanded role for loot boxes
A trap is for fish: when you've got the fish, you can forget the trap. A snare is for rabbits: when you've got the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words are for meaning: when you've got the meaning, you can forget the words.
0
Casually HardcoreOnce an Asshole. Trying to be better.Registered Userregular
And I can only assume that is the swing back from the godawful night(s).
Be nice if this shit wasn't so streaky. I'm sure there's some common factor in both runs (besides myself), but fuck if I know what gives me mostly quiet but competent teammates, and a nonstop toxic sludge of completely worthless assholes.
ArcTangent on
+3
FencingsaxIt is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understandingGNU Terry PratchettRegistered Userregular
I like the idea of being able to customize loadout. Fuck letting anyone else in my game doing that though.
Curse you, game with AFK at the start! I'm so close to 10 green!
But good god, a 13-0 run (and counting), on exclusively tank and support feels like a thing that should not happen, ever.
Finally crawled my way back to plat... at least on support. So today was an exemplary day, even with a couple dumbfucks reported for being weird/creepy/sexist.
ArcTangent on
+2
BRIAN BLESSEDMaybe you aren't SPEAKING LOUDLY ENOUGHHHRegistered Userregular
Curse you, game with AFK at the start! I'm so close to 10 green!
But good god, a 13-0 run (and counting), on exclusively tank and support feels like a thing that should not happen, ever.
Finally crawled my way back to plat... at least on support. So today was an exemplary day, even with a couple dumbfucks reported for being weird/creepy/sexist.
Yeah as nice as it feels, I really don't miss this part of Competitive
i continue to report toxic players (' you should erase your account and your life') even if not directed at me. I've gotten a few more pop ups from blizzard saying that some action was taken. I just don't understand why people can't play competitively without being toolbags. You can give it your all and not be sourpants mcgooberhead if you lose (or win).
i continue to report toxic players (' you should erase your account and your life') even if not directed at me. I've gotten a few more pop ups from blizzard saying that some action was taken. I just don't understand why people can't play competitively without being toolbags. You can give it your all and not be sourpants mcgooberhead if you lose (or win).
People's attitudes have really driven me away from multiplayer gaming over the years. I freakin' love OW, but a lot of the people had driven me away from playing. Now when I DO play, I tend to just play random heroes even when I'm in the mood for a specific char, just because the attitudes are a LITTLE less awful in that. Granted, there's still always an annoying amount of "WE NEED A HEALER!" (I'll get right on that) and complaints when the other team gets a great roll on chars and steamroll us.
Like, people saying crappy stuff to me on a video game doesn't bother me because I don't know them and their opinion doesn't matter... but I try and keep that sort of negativity out of my life in general. Even if it doesn't bother me that a random stranger is being an ass, it still puts me in a "why is everyone so terrible?" mindset, which DOES affect me.
All that to say, I absolutely report people like that, too.
I play a bit of Apex as well and I am crazy report-happy for toxicity in that game, too.
i continue to report toxic players (' you should erase your account and your life') even if not directed at me. I've gotten a few more pop ups from blizzard saying that some action was taken. I just don't understand why people can't play competitively without being toolbags. You can give it your all and not be sourpants mcgooberhead if you lose (or win).
People's attitudes have really driven me away from multiplayer gaming over the years. I freakin' love OW, but a lot of the people had driven me away from playing. Now when I DO play, I tend to just play random heroes even when I'm in the mood for a specific char, just because the attitudes are a LITTLE less awful in that. Granted, there's still always an annoying amount of "WE NEED A HEALER!" (I'll get right on that) and complaints when the other team gets a great roll on chars and steamroll us.
Like, people saying crappy stuff to me on a video game doesn't bother me because I don't know them and their opinion doesn't matter... but I try and keep that sort of negativity out of my life in general. Even if it doesn't bother me that a random stranger is being an ass, it still puts me in a "why is everyone so terrible?" mindset, which DOES affect me.
All that to say, I absolutely report people like that, too.
I play a bit of Apex as well and I am crazy report-happy for toxicity in that game, too.
For the record, the game does this when you press the "heal me" button (or choose it in the communication wheel) if you have no healers. So, it's probably just someone pressing that button and hoping there's a healer only to be met with crushing disappointment.
I'm hearin' rumors lately that cosmetics will not carry over into Overwatch 2.
If this is true idk what I'm gonna' do. I honestly don't. I happily parted with a lot of money in pursuit of skins over the first few years, and I'll be pretty disappointed if Blizzard decides it's releiving me of access to my closet, should I decide to check out Overwatch 2.
Also I got a legit six kill last night. It was awesome.
We're defending on Blizzworld, and the enemy D.Va breaks through our frontline and makes a run for the point to draw us off the choke. I, lone Tracer, break off to intercept her, sweep around the far side of the point as she drops in from above and we start peppering each other up. Then, a miracle! My Mercy shows up and tops me off and blue beams me and D.Va flees to the high ground where those Gryphon rides are trundling along.
Two blinks and I'm up the stairs, standing beside the D.Va. One more clip releives her of her MEKA, and she leaps from the high ground towards the safety of the choke, and her team. I land a few rounds as I jump off the high ground towards her, reload in mid-air and (POTG begins now) finish her as I hit the ground. (One.) I blink forward towards the choke - the McCree is pushed up furthest, so I put a bead on him but he combat rolls back into his team, and I put the clip into Zenyatta instead, dropping him to about 75HP.
He immediately pulls back too, but two more blinks put me behind his team. I put the bead on him and pull the trigger and he lights up with yellow heals as his Ana lands shots on him. I step forward, fling my Pulse Bomb into Ana's face and blink backwards. The Pulse tears off most of Orisa, and instantly vaporizes Ana and Zen (Two + Three). I wave, and the PotG ends.
I rush foward to finish Orisa as she backpedals down the stairs on her side of the choke, but she fortifies her last 50 HP and I put the clip into McCree instead. Then I leap off the stairs towards the Mega health pack as they land a few shots on me, and I rewind back to where I'd killed the Ana and Zen.
McCree has backpedalled all the way off the stairs. Pharah (who had been in a tussle with someone else and is low on HP) has landed next to Orisa on the stairs, and they both move forward to peer over the side, where I would have landed if I hadn't rewound.
I blink towards them, leap out over the stairs, shoot down at them as I soar overhead and score perfect headshots on both of them, finishing them off (Four + Five), but that McCree is now a few feet back from the base of the stairs, and he lands Flash on me.
I don't know if he missed the Fan. I don't know if he didn't go for the headshot, but he didn't kill me. I don't aim at him. I don't look at him - I just kinda' sense where he was by the feel and the sound of the shots, put my back perfectly to him and blink backwards through him.
I appear with his exposed back in front of me, hold up my guns and pull the triggers (Six.)
(Dances the Charleston.)
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
Ah, I didn't realize that, that's probably it. I always wondered why anyone would say that in random.
I've never used the wheel for anything but saying hello.=p
i continue to report toxic players (' you should erase your account and your life') even if not directed at me. I've gotten a few more pop ups from blizzard saying that some action was taken. I just don't understand why people can't play competitively without being toolbags. You can give it your all and not be sourpants mcgooberhead if you lose (or win).
People's attitudes have really driven me away from multiplayer gaming over the years. I freakin' love OW, but a lot of the people had driven me away from playing. Now when I DO play, I tend to just play random heroes even when I'm in the mood for a specific char, just because the attitudes are a LITTLE less awful in that. Granted, there's still always an annoying amount of "WE NEED A HEALER!" (I'll get right on that) and complaints when the other team gets a great roll on chars and steamroll us.
Like, people saying crappy stuff to me on a video game doesn't bother me because I don't know them and their opinion doesn't matter... but I try and keep that sort of negativity out of my life in general. Even if it doesn't bother me that a random stranger is being an ass, it still puts me in a "why is everyone so terrible?" mindset, which DOES affect me.
All that to say, I absolutely report people like that, too.
I play a bit of Apex as well and I am crazy report-happy for toxicity in that game, too.
For the record, the game does this when you press the "heal me" button (or choose it in the communication wheel) if you have no healers. So, it's probably just someone pressing that button and hoping there's a healer only to be met with crushing disappointment.
I use it to let people know I'm headin' for a health pack and I'll brt.
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
I'm hearin' rumors lately that cosmetics will not carry over into Overwatch 2.
If this is true idk what I'm gonna' do. I honestly don't. I happily parted with a lot of money in pursuit of skins over the first few years, and I'll be pretty disappointed if Blizzard decides it's releiving me of access to my closet, should I decide to check out Overwatch 2.
Also I got a legit six kill last night. It was awesome.
We're defending on Blizzworld, and the enemy D.Va breaks through our frontline and makes a run for the point to draw us off the choke. I, lone Tracer, break off to intercept her, sweep around the far side of the point as she drops in from above and we start peppering each other up. Then, a miracle! My Mercy shows up and tops me off and blue beams me and D.Va flees to the high ground where those Gryphon rides are trundling along.
Two blinks and I'm up the stairs, standing beside the D.Va. One more clip releives her of her MEKA, and she leaps from the high ground towards the safety of the choke, and her team. I land a few rounds as I jump off the high ground towards her, reload in mid-air and (POTG begins now) finish her as I hit the ground. (One.) I blink forward towards the choke - the McCree is pushed up furthest, so I put a bead on him but he combat rolls back into his team, and I put the clip into Zenyatta instead, dropping him to about 75HP.
He immediately pulls back too, but two more blinks put me behind his team. I put the bead on him and pull the trigger and he lights up with yellow heals as his Ana lands shots on him. I step forward, fling my Pulse Bomb into Ana's face and blink backwards. The Pulse tears off most of Orisa, and instantly vaporizes Ana and Zen (Two + Three). I wave, and the PotG ends.
I rush foward to finish Orisa as she backpedals down the stairs on her side of the choke, but she fortifies her last 50 HP and I put the clip into McCree instead. Then I leap off the stairs towards the Mega health pack as they land a few shots on me, and I rewind back to where I'd killed the Ana and Zen.
McCree has backpedalled all the way off the stairs. Pharah (who had been in a tussle with someone else and is low on HP) has landed next to Orisa on the stairs, and they both move forward to peer over the side, where I would have landed if I hadn't rewound.
I blink towards them, leap out over the stairs, shoot down at them as I soar overhead and score perfect headshots on both of them, finishing them off (Four + Five), but that McCree is now a few feet back from the base of the stairs, and he lands Flash on me.
I don't know if he missed the Fan. I don't know if he didn't go for the headshot, but he didn't kill me. I don't aim at him. I don't look at him - I just kinda' sense where he was by the feel and the sound of the shots, put my back perfectly to him and blink backwards through him.
I appear with his exposed back in front of me, hold up my guns and pull the triggers (Six.)
(Dances the Charleston.)
The latest rumours talk about OW2 as more of an OW: Chapter 2. In which case, I can't see them getting rid of all those unlocks.
If the characters carry forward and the graphics have not been overhauled, then there's no reason to pull cosmetics. It would be foolish of them to cut out all that content available for new players to unlock day one.
On the off chance that they do have some legit reason to take cosmetics away, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they would compensate for it in some way like with credits.
I feel like ActiBlizz would see "we can charge them twice for shit they already bought" as an abundantly legit reason.
I need to keep positive. Cheers, Luv! Bangers an' mash, pint o' the dark stuff, pip pip cheerio.
Brexit.
Activision-Blizzard released Overwatch in 2016 and has made every subsequent decision about the game since then.
So we know just who to blame. I'm just worried. It's like "hey kids! Y'know that thing you love?" (Yayyyyyy!) "Well big changes are coming!" (Wait, what kind of changes?) "And we'll tell you all about it soon!" (Are you gonna' take all my shit?) "We'll tell you soooooon...!" (Glances about nervously.)
I really thought I was gonna' get congrats for a 6k.
Never had a 6k before. I've contributed to six deaths. I've even had a PotG with two triple kills in which I didn't get all the killing blows, but I've never had a straight 6k. It was awesome
Edit: I love you, Mightyjongo.
Chance on
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
weirdly it's the lucio head graphic that has me worried they'll undo all the skins collected. It looks just different enough that I'm worried they've done a graphical upgrade that's different enough to warrant re-collecting.
Of course, galaxy brain is: Let people keep their collected skins (in my case ALL of them). Call them legacy skins or somesuch. Release a whole new slew of skins on par with the original 10.
+1
DragkoniasThat Guy Who Does StuffYou Know, There. Registered Userregular
Yeah if they updated the engine they'll probably redo the skins.
Am I weird for wanting a turned-based, JRPG style game with the OW characters?
Because I do. I really, really do.
This is not weird and Blizzard are absolute fools for having not branched into virtually any other genres. Where’s my match 3 mobile game Blizzard? I have a phone already, you cowards!
+3
TexiKenDammit!That fish really got me!Registered Userregular
I just want my AmeriCree and Bikinimaker skins, and my Pink Mercy cuz that was an actual purchase. Carry those through, or let me get to pick 10 or so skins for free from the next game because I already purchased OW1 or something, and that's a decent compromise.
Am I weird for wanting a turned-based, JRPG style game with the OW characters?
Because I do. I really, really do.
Not a JRPG, no. A western tactical RPG. Like I'm picturing four hand-drawn Overwatch hero sprites on one side of the screen Vs. four Talon hero sprites on the other side, facing off like in Darkest Dungeon, engaging in turn-based battles. Except instead of a stress meter that builds up over time, eventually resulting in a resolve check and madness or heroic resolve, there's a Tilt meter that fills up every time one of your allies misses an attack or ability, or an enemy manages a high skill ability.
Each hero will randomly bark either encouragement, reducing tilt, or flame, increasing it. To defeat your enemy, first you must defeat your own toxicity!
Oh and each battle scene has a little window in the middle with Moira peering out of it, making notes of the microcosm of societal breakdown and occasionally mumbling "fascinating."
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
Mobile games for sure are money being left on the table, Immortal silliness aside. At least they had the sense to do mobile Hearthstone.
They only have so many dev teams for AAA games though, and they're covering a number of genres as it is with games that require ongoing support. I don't think they can do much more without spreading themselves too thin. I guess after D4/OW2 are out though, they'll have devs freed up for something new to fill the holes left by SC2/HotS. Also the Classic team has almost completed their work it seems.
If we got 'Overwatch but another genre', I would want to see them do an X-Com style game. Managing your OW HQ, recruiting heroes, responding to international threats in turn-based tactical goodness.
(She/Her)
+3
KoopahTroopahThe koopas, the troopas.Philadelphia, PARegistered Userregular
I said this before, but Riot just announced several different and yet still interesting games in the same universe that they've already created. Why can't Blizzard do the same? JRPG or Tactics Overwatch? Sure. Diablo-Souls? Yes please. Blizzard World Fighter? Oh my god, yeah. Just go ham on some new ideas and drop it down. Sticking to the same genres for all of your worlds doesn't work anymore, time to shake it up.
I said this before, but Riot just announced several different and yet still interesting games in the same universe that they've already created. Why can't Blizzard do the same? JRPG or Tactics Overwatch? Sure. Diablo-Souls? Yes please. Blizzard World Fighter? Oh my god, yeah. Just go ham on some new ideas and drop it down. Sticking to the same genres for all of your worlds doesn't work anymore, time to shake it up.
I mean, they did do that with WoW, Hearthstone and HotS.
I said this before, but Riot just announced several different and yet still interesting games in the same universe that they've already created. Why can't Blizzard do the same? JRPG or Tactics Overwatch? Sure. Diablo-Souls? Yes please. Blizzard World Fighter? Oh my god, yeah. Just go ham on some new ideas and drop it down. Sticking to the same genres for all of your worlds doesn't work anymore, time to shake it up.
I mean, they did do that with WoW, Hearthstone and HotS.
And those games have been around for 4 years now or more? I'd argue that Blizzard has been resting on their laurels since OW was released.
They've had a few cancelled projects too. Starcraft: Ghost would have been some sort of fps, and Overwatch is the leftover pvp from Titan, which I guess makes Overwatch 2 the other leftover parts of Titan.
A trap is for fish: when you've got the fish, you can forget the trap. A snare is for rabbits: when you've got the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words are for meaning: when you've got the meaning, you can forget the words.
+2
DragkoniasThat Guy Who Does StuffYou Know, There. Registered Userregular
That Moira lifesteal change is more noticeable than I thought. I'm winning way more 1v1s that I used to lose against her.
Posts
- Ability to play any characters released after OW2 comes out. (slightly controversial, but they can easily get away with that much)
- Newly developed arcade modes.
- New types of cosmetics. e.g. weapon skins, particle effects, announcers, portrait frames, etc.
- Battle pass. Base version for OW2 owners, premium version for OW2 owners who then pay more for it.
#1 alone is plenty to incentivize people to buy the new game without having to alienate the community by cutting off OW1 completely. From a strictly cynical business perspective, I don't think it would be smart for them to make a clean break.Plus then at some point that probably lets OW1 become f2p.
Certainly happier with that model then an expanded role for loot boxes
And I can only assume that is the swing back from the godawful night(s).
Be nice if this shit wasn't so streaky. I'm sure there's some common factor in both runs (besides myself), but fuck if I know what gives me mostly quiet but competent teammates, and a nonstop toxic sludge of completely worthless assholes.
But good god, a 13-0 run (and counting), on exclusively tank and support feels like a thing that should not happen, ever.
Finally crawled my way back to plat... at least on support. So today was an exemplary day, even with a couple dumbfucks reported for being weird/creepy/sexist.
Yeah as nice as it feels, I really don't miss this part of Competitive
Blizzard: Pailryder#1101
GoG: https://www.gog.com/u/pailryder
People's attitudes have really driven me away from multiplayer gaming over the years. I freakin' love OW, but a lot of the people had driven me away from playing. Now when I DO play, I tend to just play random heroes even when I'm in the mood for a specific char, just because the attitudes are a LITTLE less awful in that. Granted, there's still always an annoying amount of "WE NEED A HEALER!" (I'll get right on that) and complaints when the other team gets a great roll on chars and steamroll us.
Like, people saying crappy stuff to me on a video game doesn't bother me because I don't know them and their opinion doesn't matter... but I try and keep that sort of negativity out of my life in general. Even if it doesn't bother me that a random stranger is being an ass, it still puts me in a "why is everyone so terrible?" mindset, which DOES affect me.
All that to say, I absolutely report people like that, too.
I play a bit of Apex as well and I am crazy report-happy for toxicity in that game, too.
For the record, the game does this when you press the "heal me" button (or choose it in the communication wheel) if you have no healers. So, it's probably just someone pressing that button and hoping there's a healer only to be met with crushing disappointment.
If this is true idk what I'm gonna' do. I honestly don't. I happily parted with a lot of money in pursuit of skins over the first few years, and I'll be pretty disappointed if Blizzard decides it's releiving me of access to my closet, should I decide to check out Overwatch 2.
Also I got a legit six kill last night. It was awesome.
Two blinks and I'm up the stairs, standing beside the D.Va. One more clip releives her of her MEKA, and she leaps from the high ground towards the safety of the choke, and her team. I land a few rounds as I jump off the high ground towards her, reload in mid-air and (POTG begins now) finish her as I hit the ground. (One.) I blink forward towards the choke - the McCree is pushed up furthest, so I put a bead on him but he combat rolls back into his team, and I put the clip into Zenyatta instead, dropping him to about 75HP.
He immediately pulls back too, but two more blinks put me behind his team. I put the bead on him and pull the trigger and he lights up with yellow heals as his Ana lands shots on him. I step forward, fling my Pulse Bomb into Ana's face and blink backwards. The Pulse tears off most of Orisa, and instantly vaporizes Ana and Zen (Two + Three). I wave, and the PotG ends.
I rush foward to finish Orisa as she backpedals down the stairs on her side of the choke, but she fortifies her last 50 HP and I put the clip into McCree instead. Then I leap off the stairs towards the Mega health pack as they land a few shots on me, and I rewind back to where I'd killed the Ana and Zen.
McCree has backpedalled all the way off the stairs. Pharah (who had been in a tussle with someone else and is low on HP) has landed next to Orisa on the stairs, and they both move forward to peer over the side, where I would have landed if I hadn't rewound.
I blink towards them, leap out over the stairs, shoot down at them as I soar overhead and score perfect headshots on both of them, finishing them off (Four + Five), but that McCree is now a few feet back from the base of the stairs, and he lands Flash on me.
I don't know if he missed the Fan. I don't know if he didn't go for the headshot, but he didn't kill me. I don't aim at him. I don't look at him - I just kinda' sense where he was by the feel and the sound of the shots, put my back perfectly to him and blink backwards through him.
I appear with his exposed back in front of me, hold up my guns and pull the triggers (Six.)
(Dances the Charleston.)
I've never used the wheel for anything but saying hello.=p
I use it to let people know I'm headin' for a health pack and I'll brt.
The latest rumours talk about OW2 as more of an OW: Chapter 2. In which case, I can't see them getting rid of all those unlocks.
On the off chance that they do have some legit reason to take cosmetics away, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they would compensate for it in some way like with credits.
I need to keep positive. Cheers, Luv! Bangers an' mash, pint o' the dark stuff, pip pip cheerio.
Brexit.
Activision-Blizzard released Overwatch in 2016 and has made every subsequent decision about the game since then.
So we know just who to blame. I'm just worried. It's like "hey kids! Y'know that thing you love?" (Yayyyyyy!) "Well big changes are coming!" (Wait, what kind of changes?) "And we'll tell you all about it soon!" (Are you gonna' take all my shit?) "We'll tell you soooooon...!" (Glances about nervously.)
I really thought I was gonna' get congrats for a 6k.
Never had a 6k before. I've contributed to six deaths. I've even had a PotG with two triple kills in which I didn't get all the killing blows, but I've never had a straight 6k. It was awesome
Edit: I love you, Mightyjongo.
PogChamp
Of course, galaxy brain is: Let people keep their collected skins (in my case ALL of them). Call them legacy skins or somesuch. Release a whole new slew of skins on par with the original 10.
I really like the thermal and I'm not thrilled about Mei's hairstyle
Because I do. I really, really do.
This is not weird and Blizzard are absolute fools for having not branched into virtually any other genres. Where’s my match 3 mobile game Blizzard? I have a phone already, you cowards!
Not a JRPG, no. A western tactical RPG. Like I'm picturing four hand-drawn Overwatch hero sprites on one side of the screen Vs. four Talon hero sprites on the other side, facing off like in Darkest Dungeon, engaging in turn-based battles. Except instead of a stress meter that builds up over time, eventually resulting in a resolve check and madness or heroic resolve, there's a Tilt meter that fills up every time one of your allies misses an attack or ability, or an enemy manages a high skill ability.
Each hero will randomly bark either encouragement, reducing tilt, or flame, increasing it. To defeat your enemy, first you must defeat your own toxicity!
Oh and each battle scene has a little window in the middle with Moira peering out of it, making notes of the microcosm of societal breakdown and occasionally mumbling "fascinating."
They only have so many dev teams for AAA games though, and they're covering a number of genres as it is with games that require ongoing support. I don't think they can do much more without spreading themselves too thin. I guess after D4/OW2 are out though, they'll have devs freed up for something new to fill the holes left by SC2/HotS. Also the Classic team has almost completed their work it seems.
I mean, they did do that with WoW, Hearthstone and HotS.
And those games have been around for 4 years now or more? I'd argue that Blizzard has been resting on their laurels since OW was released.