Overwatch widely recognised as best video game launch of 2016, with Fifa 2017 the obvious contender for runner-up

Overwatch, the cartoonish shooter from Blizzard Entertainment (creator of the Diablo series and World of Warcraft), was originally a massively multiplayer online game called Titan. It had been in development for more than seven years before Blizzard cancelled it in 2014, and the creators repurposed the characters and lore into the team-centric Overwatch, which was released last May.

Unlike 2015, which forced many to choose between once-in-a-generation level games such as Fallout 4, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Until Dawn, this year’s choice was simple. Overwatch was named the game of the year by top gaming portals including GameSpot and Eurogamer, and was named the No 1 title at the 2016 Game Awards. It was a bad year for gamers – and probably the world – but Overwatch emerged as a strong multiplayer game with staying power and plenty of potential.

There were a few challengers. Fifa 17 was probably the stiffest competition, but some brilliant holiday events pushed Overwatch to the top. Watch Dogs 2 and The Banner Saga 2 were fine sequels. Darkest Dungeon, which I did not review, was a delightfully macabre and unapologetic dungeon crawler.

Overwatch was pristine out of the box. The character and level design were excellent. It combined elements of class-based multiplayer hits Team Fortress 2 and League of Legends to create something completely new. But for a multiplayer game to have any longevity, it needs to consistently improve and add new content.

Overwatch took a step backwards in late June when it unveiled a deeply flawed competitive mode, but it rallied the following month. This ranked mode is quite serviceable now, though Blizzard still hasn’t figured out how to group players during their 10 placement matches (those that determine your starting rank).