How Overwatch is Bringing Real Time Combat Gaming to Paintball

Overwatch is the next generation in real-world combat gaming. Overwatch blends real time combat with interactive and social gaming. This is a live action gaming experience that brings your combat video games to life, right on your smart phone.

“Overwatch is not just another smartphone game, it is a tactical utility to enhance airsoft, paintball, and laser tag gameplay.  Instead of being distracted from your game by trying to play through your smartphone like a Head-up Display, Overwatch provides vital game information at a glance—just like a radar does in combat video games.”

Through paintball, airsoft, or laser tag, Overwatch is able to integrate your live action video game into a real life experience. Paintball is an insanely large sub-culture that mimics the strategy of combat, without the casualties. You read your opponents, counter their strikes and strive to be the victor. Overwatch is taking paintball by the balls and integrating technology to bring your favorite first person combat games into real life.

The makers of Overwatch, Innovis Labs, have sought to make this this real life capability available through the use of smart phones. By attaching your smartphone to your paintball gun, gamers are able to use Live GPS Radar, Bluetooth Voice Chat, and access incredible in-game features including perks and unlock-able features.

How does it work?

“The app uses a WiFi or 3G/4G/LTE connection to transmit and receive streaming GPS data. This provides the near real-time location tracking for the in-game radar. Instead of using a bluetooth connection for voice chat, a data transmission is used. This allows multiple devices on a team to communicate without a 30-foot range limitation, and to ensure that devices with different operating systems can communicate. While the device-to-device connection is not bluetooth, a user can connect a bluetooth headset instead of using the default speakerphone interface.” – Overwatch

For avid gamers this is a dream come true. Of course as we move into the world of real-time interactive gaming, new technology is being developed and new interfaces are being used. With the release of the Xbox One and Playstation 4 we can see how big name companies are looking to expand the gaming industry by developing games that are as real as possible.

When it comes to the interactive gaming experience, Overwatch is looking to pave the way.

THE STEAL – $45 starts you off with a personal bundle.