With all the hype surrounding Riot Games’ upcoming shooter VALORANT, many people in the industry are speculating how the title’s release will affect other titles. And Pokimane believes it “could be the Overwatch killer.”
In an OfflineTV podcast yesterday, the crew was having a discussion about the potential for VALORANT and how it will compare to other games from the perspective of casual fans who just want to play games with their friends.
Former League of Legends pro Scarra said that its potential will be strong because, unlike some games, VALORANT seems to be developed in a way that’s conducive to good players being able to carry their less-skilled friends.
He added that this is similar to the way CS:GO works, where one strong player can single-handedly win games. But this isn’t the way other team-based games like Overwatch or League work.
Responding to his comments, Pokimane expressed concern for Overwatch’s future.
“I feel like that might be the Overwatch killer,” she said.
Scarra was quick to reply, suggesting that Blizzard’s class-based team shooter is already on the decline.
“You think there needs to be a game for that to happen?” Scarra said.
Taking a moment to explain herself, Pokimane added more context.
“When I really think about it and think about Overwatch’s decline, this is just going to be the last nail in the coffin really,” she said.
While Overwatch was hugely popular in its first year on Twitch, the game has since declined significantly with content creators moving toward other types of games like battle royales.
In the past year or so, most of Overwatch’s popularity has stemmed from viewership for the Overwatch League, which is getting less viewership on YouTube this year than it was on Twitch in 2019.
