It appears some big things are in development at Overwatch. So big, in fact, that they can't even be talked about. Jeff Kaplan recently briefed the game's community on what the developers are hard at work on, and "top secret stuff" was mentioned thrice.
Some of the more anxious Overwatch players feel there has been noticeable silence from the development team in recent weeks, which is to be expected during the chaos of the holidays. Not wanting the community to feel ignored, game director Jeff Kaplan himself responded to the issue in a post on the official forums, stating that being silent was never their intent.
To calm worried minds, Kaplan went on to dish on some of the things the team is working on. There's the usual, such as hero balancing and new hero prototypes, but he also mentions a few things that he labels "top secret" and has been told not to talk about. Of course, forbidden news makes it all the more enticing. Without even a modicum of detail to begin realistically speculating, however, it's anyone's guess what these secret projects could be.
As for what he could discuss, Kaplan says that this slow period is being used to test some fresh ideas. His team is exploring new game modes, features, and engine tech, some of which he confirms will eventually make their way into the game. More or less, his response states that there is nothing noteworthy to announce or discuss at this time, and the team is mostly in "getting stuff done" mode. It may not be the most detailed of updates but is just enough to tantalize. Once the rush of the holidays has passed, perhaps Blizzard may begin to declassify these mystery projects
Until then, Overwatch players can participate in the annual holiday event Winter Wonderland, which began this week. Returning are the Yeti Hunt and Mei’s Snowball Offensive game modes, as well as holiday makeovers for some of the game's maps. As always, several new holiday-themed skins and cosmetic items have been added, including a sweet Sugar Plum Fairy skin for Mercy.
If the seasonal event is bringing you back to the game after an extended break, then be sure to check out Ashe, the newest playable character in Overwatch. She's a mid to long range DPS who is has a pretty amazing, albeit slightly overpowered, Ultimate in the form of the lovable Omnic butler B.O.B. Ashe has been fully tested in the PTR and is now available in the live game.
Overwatch is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.