Overwatch comics are coming to mobile app Snapchat as part of a new partnership between both developers. The photography and ephemeral messaging app will premiere the comics in a feature called “Overwatch Comics” on July 18.
Snapchat will pull from the 18 comics that are already available for free via Blizzard’s website. They’ll utilize Madefire’s animation and sound effects so each scene has flourishes of movement while you read. When they launch each week, you’ll be able to read them on Snapchat’s Discovery page in full.
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The feature will start with the McCree comic Train Hopper and the Reinhardt and Brigitte comic Dragon Slayer. Following those, Snapchat will release a new comic every week from Blizzard’s catalog. There are currently 18 comics that feature various Overwatch heroes including Tracer, Mei, Mercy, Symmetra, Junkrat, Ana, and Bastion. Blizzard typically releases one to two a year to help promote new heroes or events.
Blizzard has released comics about its popular shooter since its launch in 2016. It released a 12-comic volume in 2017 and has since followed that up with individual releases. Many of the comics explore the backstory of its characters and expand the lore surrounding the game. Much of the game itself remains separated from outside media, but recently Blizzard has been tying events where players can earn skins ripped straight out of its short stories.
The comics can already be read on mobile devices using the Madefire and Comixology apps. This will be the first time they appear on an app that isn’t specific to comic readers, which might bring in considerably more readers. The Overwatch deal seems to be one of the first that Snapchat has made in order to bring more third-party content to its Discovery page. Typically, it’s full of memes and tabloid-like stories.
