Overwatch Introduces "Workshop" For Custom Game Modes And Rules

Soon you'll be able to play Overwatch in a whole new way--or several hundred new ways--with the addition of the Overwatch Workshop. The new feature lets players create custom scripts and rule sets that change how the game functions, letting you tinker with your own modes or hero variations.

The tools as described in the official announcement seem pretty flexible. You can change how a hero moves or the properties of their abilities, change damage or healing outputs, or even add text boxes. After creating a script you can test it with the Workshop Inspector and share it online for others to try. The Custom Game Browser will house the Workshop creations.

Blizzard has made two sample modes available to show what's possible in the Workshop. Molten Floor is just what it sounds like: if you touch the ground, you catch on fire. Mirrored Deathmatch pits you against other players as mirrored heroes, rotating once per minute, and the winner is the one who scored the most total kills.

In a developer update, Jeff Kaplan described the Workshop as a "power user feature" best for people familiar with scripting or programming languages. He also stressed that this isn't a map editor, so you won't be able to create custom geometry. You will be able to impact how the existing maps and characters behave.

Workshop is only available on the Public Test Realm (PTR) on PC right now, but once it launches fully you'll be able to try the custom games on console as well. If you're in the PTR you can begin creating scripts by going to the Game Browser, and then Create > Settings > Workshop. Blizzard has also created a blog outline with tips and pointers for creators.

Currently Overwatch is in the midst of its story-based Overwatch Archives event, Storm Rising. Like the other Archives, it pits four player-controlled characters against AI opponents in a new mission, and introduces a bunch of new skins to earn.