“Think about what’s satisfying…”: 1 Overwatch game was inspired by the most unlikely source, developer confirms

Ever wonder what makes landing a shot in Overwatch so satisfying? Sure, the visual feedback is great, but it’s the audio cue that really makes it feel like a job well done. That distinctive “pip” sound has become an iconic part of the beloved hero shooter experience, but its origins might surprise you.

It turns out that the sound that has been giving gamers an adrenaline rush for years was inspired by something completely unrelated to gaming. In fact, it’s a sound that many are intimately familiar with, even if they’ve never set foot on a virtual battlefield.

How a Beer Bottle Became Overwatch’s Most Iconic Sound The story of Overwatch’s genius sound design team. | Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment

The revelation comes from the Overwatch Collector’s Edition sourcebook, in which sound design supervisor Paul Lackey shared the story behind the game’s hit detection sound.