“Rally to me!” Are you a big fan of Overwatch? Are you a Singaporean? Then you should definitely continue reading ah. Today, we’ve interviewed Afiz, the administrator of the Overwatch Singapore community. We’re going to figure out what the Overwatch community was like, how the community is currently doing and what you can expect if you were to join the Overwatch Singapore community!
Remember to check out the Overwatch Singapore community’s Facebook to keep update with community news and events!
We’ve left the responses unedited and in their original form.
Image credits: RBT_ArtGaL
What was the Overwatch scene in Singapore like prior to the creation of the community ah?
The scene was already blooming due to the popularity of the game. Announced in 2014 and being Blizzard’s new IP, the popularity and hype of the game grew tremendously. I could still vividly remember how long the queue was at the official launch of Overwatch in Capitol Theatre, Singapore. You can check out a glimpse of it here.
Photo Credits: Straits Times
So, Overwatch was and still is a go-to game for people to play in Singapore regardless with or without the group. With the group, it made it easier for players to find out more about Overwatch happenings in Singapore.
Tell us about the beginning of this community group, what led to the community group being set up leh?
I joined the group as a normal member just like everyone else. I got the role after awhile as the founders recognized my efforts in creating community events here in Singapore. Just like any other popular happenings in Singapore, the beginning was extremely hyped. Literally everyone in Singapore was talking about Overwatch. It became a subject that everyone and anyone could talk about as Overwatch was marketed very well towards both the casual and competitive player. The group was set up way back during the beta days and was for players to find each other and group up to play with locals while making new friends.
Did you expect the group to grow to the size it currently is?
Not really. Gaming communities in Singapore (Especially games that are new) never really usually get this big unless you were already popular such as Dota 2, CSGO and League of Legends. Back then, Mobile games wasn’t as big of a thing as it is now too. So, the growth of the Overwatch commuinity in Singapore was very, very surprising.
Did you have any vision of what the community group would aim to be when you first started the group?
I had nothing to expect or want for the group except for them to have fun. My personal goal for the group was to have community events happening as often as we can make them. It was also a place for like-minded individuals in Singapore to come and share their experiences in the game with other Singaporeans.
As the group is now, how far is the community group from what you had originally envisioned?
The group is growing at a steady pace and it is where it should be. Even if the hype of Overwatch isn’t as hyped like how it was back in 2016, there are still people a lot of people playing the game in Singapore. I mean, even if it is not as talked much as before, we just recent had a registration for a tournament coming up soon and we still have a total of 16 teams registered. You can see the brackets here: https://zenway.challonge.com/OMENxHN2018.
How often do members of the Overwatch Singapore community group play games together?
We don’t really have schedule games together. Although, we do have in-house games via the SG OPEN Discord (Shoutouts to Adel, Seed and Show) and also we create online events at least probably once a month to connect everyone together.
Here are some of the events that have been done for the group:
– Overwatch Arcade Tournament
– Overwatch Call To Arms Invitational
– 1v1 Widowmaker Community Cup
– SCRIMWATCH
.. and a whole lot more.
There’s even one coming soon involving the new hero that is releasing soon on the live servers, Wrecking Ball. More info will come soon!
Are the skill ranks of the members of the Overwatch Singapore community gathered around a certain rank? Or is there a large number of members spread over a variety of ranks?
You can find mostly any player of any ranks in the community. Although, It is safe to say that Singapore has probably one of the best players (even till this date). We just need an opportunity to improve and if given that, Singapore players could be one of the best players in the region. I mean, you could say the same for any country but we do have a bunch of Singaporean players that in the Top 500 Leaderboards which is not a small feat if you know how harsh it is to do so in this region.
Being able to connect to a large number of Singaporean Overwatch players, got easier to climb Competitive and increase your rank?
It is always easy to play with players that have the same vision and goal as you are. No matter where you are from, as long as you have the same mindset, things will go well.
Does being able to play with fellow Singaporeans reduce the level of frustration while playing Overwatch compared to playing solo?
Yes and no. Yes because you can find Singaporeans to play with and it does feel more comfortable playing with locals. No because, it is not easy to find compatible players to play and that goes for any country or region. It’s pretty much like throwing a dice every single time.
Got what kind of events Overwatch players who join the community group can be a part of ar?
Most events are catered for the casual communities so expect more fun tournaments. We don’t want our players to tilt off the edge of the island. But, we have plans to bring back the ever-so-loved, SCRIMWATCH. More info about it soon.
What is the best memory you have had being a part of the Overwatch Singapore community group?
Being able to meet everyone in person. That was probably the highlight of it all. Being able to put faces to the names you see online was a great experience and how nice people were definitely gave us a boost on creating a better community experience for everyone.
Do you have a message that you wish to say to the Overwatch Singapore community group?
My message would be:
Hi all, it has been a couple of years ever since Overwatch has launched but that’s not even including the beta period. Some of us have known each other for quite awhile because of Overwatch. Friendships were made and bonds were discovered and we hope that it keeps on growing. To the ones that have supported the local community through thick and thin, thank you so much for all of it and we have you keep the support going.
