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Overwatch Legendary Edition is coming to Nintendo Switch

Blizzard's multiplayer FPS arrives on Oct. 15.

Jackson Ryan Former Science Editor
Jackson Ryan was CNET's science editor, and a multiple award-winning one at that. Earlier, he'd been a scientist, but he realized he wasn't very happy sitting at a lab bench all day. Science writing, he realized, was the best job in the world -- it let him tell stories about space, the planet, climate change and the people working at the frontiers of human knowledge. He also owns a lot of ugly Christmas sweaters.
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Nintendo

The rumors were true. Blizzard's frenetic multiplayer FPS, Overwatch, will be coming to the Nintendo Switch on Oct. 15. The news was announced during Wednesday's Nintendo Direct.

Leaks earlier in the day suggested Overwatch would arrive on the Switch "next month" before pointing to a release date of Oct. 18.

Yes and no. It was almost correct. The game will arrive on Oct. 15. During the Direct, Nintendo suggested Switch's motion controls will provide a new way to play. 

Overwatch: Legendary Edition is available to preorder on the Nintendo eShop and includes five Legendary, Epic and Origin Hero skins. The game will also include a three-month membership to Nintendo Switch Online. Those who purchase Overwatch before Dec. 31 will receive a Golden Loot Box that has one guaranteed Legendary item. 

In late August, an Amazon listing for a Nintendo Switch case, emblazoned with the Overwatch logo, popped up on forums and Twitter. Many began speculating that Overwatch was on its way to Nintendo's handheld-home console hybrid and, well... they were right.

While that makes Wednesday's news a little less surprising, it doesn't make it any less welcome, and Twitter was awash with memes and requests for Overwatch characters in Smash within minutes of the announcement.

OK, maybe not everyone was excited for it.  

Originally published on Sept. 4.
Update Sept. 5: Adds preorder details. 

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