After a diligent search through Overwatch’s game files, much to the internet’s surprise (but not mine), one data miner has found traces of a possible “Clubs & Guilds” system. This would allow players to join groups/clans of their choice (free or paid), form/join clans, create their own Gaming event/schedules, set up their clan page, and even sell their own kits.
This potentially upcoming feature will allow players to create their own groups within the game, as well as invite others to join them. This could potentially be Blizzard’s answer to a guild system found in other multiplayer games such as Destiny 2, Final Fantasy XIV, and World of Warcraft. The idea of appearing in a game as part of a guild isn’t new in multiplayer games. Teams want to represent their clans or communities as they play together, and it’s a way for players to find each other more easily. Some games like League of Legends even link guilds to player progression and statistics.
It’s worth noting that these features might not make it into the game at all. Data mining uncovers code for features that are still being worked on, so it’s entirely possible that this is something that won’t come to Light. If this does make it into the game though, it could be a big boon for community building in the sequel.
Overwatch 2 is going to be bigger than its predecessor, with more maps, modes, and characters than ever before. It’s not too much of a stretch to imagine the game with some sort of guild system attached. We don’t know if this feature will appear in the game at launch, but it seems likely that Blizzard will add some sort of group identity mechanism, even if just for cosmetic purposes. While it is hard to tell whether this will be a simple group feature like “Looking for Group” or if it will be a fully-fledged Club & Guild system (with kits, pages, and even paid features), this is certainly welcomed the news. Let us know what are your thoughts about this particular story.