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Overwatch Is Free To Play On Nintendo Switch Next Week
Overwatch will be free to play on Nintendo Switch for seven days starting on October 13th. The event will coincide with the one year anniversary of the popular online hero shooter's arrival on Nintendo's hybrid console.
Blizzard has had a long history of offering free trial periods for its beloved FPS, and it's easy to see why. Overwatch is one of the developer's most successful games, and it remains a powerful presence in the eSports scene. It's all but birthed a genre of hero shooters; another prominent game in that genre is Apex Legends, which is set to add cross-play soon. Free trials are an excellent way for Blizzard to boost its player numbers, giving fans a taste of the game before they sink money into it and possibly getting them hooked on the concept. It's a tried and true business strategy.
And it's one that Blizzard is set to implement once again, in a somewhat more limited capacity. The Nintendo of America Twitter page has announced a free week of Overwatch for Nintendo Switch Online users, who can play the entire game for free from the 13th to the 20th of October. October in particular is a good month to have a free trial like this; Overwatch has historically boasted an excellent Halloween event that's been taking place annually since the game launched. While this year's rendition hasn't been announced, hopefully Switch owners can get a taste when they give this free trial a whirl.
It's interesting that this new trial is a Switch-exclusive experience, because Overwatch is available on all other home consoles, as well as PC. The Switch port received subpar reviews when it launched last year, so this might be a way for Nintendo to recoup sales on a disappointing release. On a more optimistic note, the developers of Overwatch have stated that they're open to certain characters from the game appearing in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Following the announcement of Minecraft's Steve as the next DLC fighter, and his coincidental launch at the start of the free Overwatch trial, the identity of his successor is up in the air. Hosting this trial might be a way for Nintendo to raise interest in Overwatch amongst Nintendo fans in anticipation of one of that game's heroes appearing in the roster.
Whatever the reason might be for this free trial, it remains a good chance for players to dive into a classic online game. Overwatch may have faded from the public eye somewhat in the years following its 2016 release, but it's still an excellent game. Hopefully this trial weekend will help give Overwatch the players it deserves.
