Riot explain why Project A isn’t like Overwatch
Riot Games have stated that they don’t believe Project A is a similar game to Overwatch, despite the comparisons that have been made since the reveal.
As part of their 10-year anniversary celebrations for League of Legends, Riot Games announced that they’re working on an FPS game currently titled “Project A”.
Set on a “near-future earth”, Project A is a character-based shooter, with different characters looking set to have a different set of abilities available to them.
While Riot have not officially revealed any details about the characters, the brief glimpses of gameplay demonstrated during the reveal appear to show off supernatural powers, such as the ability to summon a wall to obscure vision or levitate to gain height.
Project A will be a character-based tactical shooter.Naturally, these aspects of the reveal led to immediate comparisons to Overwatch – itself a character-based FPS in which each hero has a range of supernatural abilities.
According to Riot’s VP of IP and Entertainment, Greg ‘Ghostcrawler’ Street, however, Riot themselves don’t consider the game to be much like Overwatch. Where Blizzard’s FPS is hectic, teamfight-based and often ability-reliant, Project A’s abilities are designed for utility, and the single life each player has per round will put an emphasis on slower, more tactical play.
While we are honored by comparisons between Riot’s Project A and Overwatch, the two aren’t really in the same genre. Project A is a tactical shooter. Lethality is high and you don’t respawn. Map control and gunplay are key. The abilities are more about utility.
— Greg Street (@Ghostcrawler) October 17, 2019
It seems the game is set to be a closer competitor for the likes of CS:GO, with round-based play, a fast time-to-kill and an emphasis on strategy and precision.
Yes closer to that
— Greg Street (@Ghostcrawler) October 17, 2019
Project A wasn’t the only new game announced during the League of Legends anniversary stream. Riot also revealed that they’re working on a fighting game, titled ‘Project L’, and a digital card game named Legends of Runeterra that’s now in beta.
In addition to the all-new games, Riot also announced upcoming mobile versions for League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics, changes to League of Legends itself including an update to the drake system, a new champion, and even peripheral content including an animated series and a documentary about the creation and rise of the game.