Parents' Guide to

Overwatch

Game Mac , Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 , Windows , Xbox One 2019
Overwatch Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

David Chapman By David Chapman , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 14+

Fantastic, frantic shooter with some violence, open chat.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 14+?

Any Positive Content?

  • 1:41
  • Overwatch Game: Screenshot #1
  • Overwatch Game: Screenshot #2
  • Overwatch Game: Screenshot #3
  • Overwatch Game: Screenshot #4
  • Overwatch Game: Screenshot #5

Parent and Kid Reviews

See all
age 11+

Based on 107 parent reviews

Makayla C.
Makayla C. Adult
August 13, 2023
age 13+

Too much monetization and lies.
Yasser C.
Yasser C. Adult
April 3, 2023
age 13+

See all 107 parent reviews

Privacy Rating Warning

  • Personal information is not sold or rented to third parties.
  • Personal information is shared for third-party marketing.
  • Personalised advertising is displayed.
  • Data are collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • User's information is used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Data profiles are created and used for personalised advertisements.
Learn more about our privacy ratings

What's It About?

In OVERWATCH, it's been 30 years since humanity fought against artificial intelligence in the global war known as the "Omnic Crisis." Overwatch was the international task force formed by the United Nations to keep the peace between humans and AI. The heroes of Overwatch continued to protect the world for years, becoming a beacon of hope to the people. Then things began to change. Accusations of corruption and criminal activity began to tarnish the reputation of Overwatch, leading to the unexplained destruction of the team's headquarters. Branded as criminals, traitors, and even worse, Overwatch was officially disbanded. With no one to stand against the forces of evil, peace is being threatened once again. Despite being divided, disgraced, and disavowed, the world needs the heroes of Overwatch now more than ever -- but who will answer the call?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (107 ):
Kids say (303 ):

For years, Blizzard Entertainment has made a name for itself by crafting amazing worlds filled with entertaining characters, and then setting players loose to be a part of that universe. With Overwatch, that tradition continues ... wrapped in a Pixar-esque sci-fi wonderland filled with unique and interesting heroes and villains. As fantastic as the Overwatch universe is, though, little of the story unfolds over the course of the actual game. Outside of the game's cinematic opening and some occasional in-match dialogue between certain characters, there's not much character or plot development. The characters don't even have full backgrounds or expositions in the Hero Gallery, just a short one- or two-line bio synopsis, customization options, and a list of abilities. To get the full Overwatch experience, you'll have to look outside the game, to tie-ins like websites, books, animated shorts, and more.

What Overwatch lacks in story development, it more than makes up for in gameplay. Each individual in the game's 20-plus strong roster feels like a complete and unique character. Plus, by allowing (even encouraging) you to swap out characters mid-match, Overwatch gives you more than enough opportunity to find the heroes or villains that fit your particular style of play. The basic controls are easy to pick up and learn, but figuring out the best tactics to use, both for your character and as a part of a team, adds a layer of complexity that will take plenty of time to master. There are plenty of reasons to keep coming back to Overwatch as well. Outside of the main six-vs.-six multiplayer matches, you can test your skills in the Practice Range or solo against AI-controlled heroes. Special events and limited-time game modes occasionally add new rules to matches that guarantee to mix things up. One week you might only be able to play as Tank class characters, and the next you might only be able to use headshots against the competition. There's no offline component to Overwatch, which means that to get the most out of the game, players will need to group with others online. The risk here is that online chat could expose players to toxic behavior. And while players can mute troublesome players or abandon chat altogether, communication between teammates does help considerably to coordinate strategies.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in gaming. Is the impact of the violence in Overwatch affected by the unrealistic visuals? Would the impact be intensified if the violence was more bloody or gory? How does the violence in Overwatch compare to that of other games in the same genre? Does the violence change the way you view the story?

  • How can strong communication skills help when working with others to accomplish a goal? Is communication necessary to be successful in Overwatch?

  • Talk about representation in video games. How important is it for audiences, especially younger audiences, to see characters who mirror their own race, gender, etc.? How can this sort of representation help kids feel more accepted?

Game Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

See all recommended game lists

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate