The logo of the online video game Overwatch lends itself to numerous interpretations, as the company hasn’t given an official explanation.
(Est. 2016) Overwatch is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. Described as a “hero shooter”, Overwatch assigns players into two teams of six, with each player selecting from a roster of over 30 characters, known as “heroes”, each with a unique style of play that is divided into three general roles that fit their purpose. Players on a team work together to secure and defend control points on a map or escort a payload across the map in a limited amount of time.
Meaning and history
The video game was first introduced in beta and tested at BlizzCon from 2014 to 2016. It was then immediately adapted for various platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows. In 2019, an option for Nintendo Switch appeared. The gameplay is multiplayer, where you can use the keyboard, mouse, or gamepad.
The process of interaction between the participants is based on battles, so many heroes are involved in the development of the plot. Each player can choose more than twenty characters. Basically, they are divided into two groups, each of which includes six people. The computer game has an element of robotization, which greatly affected its logo.
Symbol font and color
The full version of the logo includes two parts: graphic and verbal. Both are presented in a combination of dark silver and orange. And the emblem itself consists of an open circle (interrupted at the top in two places) and has two “cross bars” located symmetrically on the inside that do not close together.
The developers gave many meanings to the logo, so they did not give an exact explanation. As a result, each user sees something different in him, depending on the chosen strategy and character. Yes, the relationship with them is very close, because the Overwatch sign is interpreted in different ways.
- Version 1. These are the letters “O” and “W” stacked together. They are part of the name of the video game and are derived from the words “Over” and “Watch”.
- Version 2. The emblem visually resembles a pacific – a global peace sign. This is due to the fact that the team’s initial task is to deal with conflict and support peace.
- Version 3. The logo symbolizes two hands together in prayer (probably for peace), and the golden upper part is the rising sun, which will give a ray of hope and shine light on the surrounding space.
- Version 4. This is a two-player hi-fi gesture, which means a modern greeting and joint action, as Overwatch is a team game.
- Version 5. The heraldic rondel is featured on the emblem, which looks exactly like the round shield of the Spartans, because the multiplayer game genre is related to military battles. The internal element resembles the Greek sign lambda, equivalent to the letter “L”. And she, in turn, refers to the name of the place where Sparta once stood: Lacedaemon (or Laconia). Also, “C” in the word “Sparta” is written in ancient Greek as “Σ” (sigma). Inverted, it is very similar to the central part of the rondelle.
The computer game also has another symbolic element: the flag. It is based on a logo located on a blue background. The flag was introduced in the official video game trailer.
The verbal image of the Overwatch logo is made in an individual font that visually resembles the inscriptions used on the emblems of the Namco, Triforce Nintendo, Sega systems. The difference between them is very small.
The most characteristic sign is “A”. It is placed as if it were a symbol of victory: “V” (from the word “Victory”), placed backwards. The “O” is not represented as a circle, but as a half square with an open bottom line on the left side. “R” has an internal gap, “E” has a shortened center crossbar. Also, some letters have clearly cut the top corners.