Overwatch Two

LOVELY BILLION DOLLAR HOLIDAY Every year on Feb. 14, couples, families, friends and others come together to express their happiness and love with one another. Let’s talk about the numbers behind this holiday and how much is spent (Content by Liv Engle)

A Fortune On Cards

According to ABC News, about 190 million cards are sold around the world on Valentine’s Day, which costs customers about one billion dollars on cards.

Chocolate Everywhere

According to SoftSchools, there are at least 36

million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate sold on Valentine’s Day each year.

Give Your Furry Friends Some Love Too Not only do people spend a lot of money on their spouse for Valentine’s Day, but many people also get their pets a present too. Nearly 9 million Americans buy their pets cards or gifts.

Pretty Flowers And An Empty Wallet According to ABC News, people spend around 2 billion dollars on flowers for a present for Valentine’s Day.

Valentines Day In Numbers Americans spend plenty of money on chocolates, flowers, cards and even gifts for their pets. In the U.S, Valentine’s Day is a 14.7 billion dollar industry.

Icon for Love Cupid is a popular symbolic character for Valentine’s Day. The legend says he shoots arrows, hoping to make two people fall in love. Many don’t know that Cupid is said to have been the mini-god of love and the son of Venus, the goddess of love, beauty and seduction.

A+ For Teachers Many people receive cards on Valentine’s Day, but there’s one that receives the most, It’s teachers! According to Veevox, Teachers get the most cards on Valentine’s Day, placing number one out of the top five groups of people, which include children, wives, mothers and pets.

What is the best gift to give on Valentine’s Day?

“The best gift to me would be time and showing me that you care.” Joshua Robinson, 12

“I think it should be something that emphasizes the love you feel everyday because it’s something that you should express openly, without there having to be a holiday to show it.” Dawn Jones, Teacher

“Probably candy or clothes because you can’t go wrong with either of those.” Maggie Barber, 11

“I would say a really nice restaurant and roses.” Darrell Davis, Substitute teacher

RESURRECTING A NOT SO DEAD GAME

Near the end of last year during Blizzcon, Blizzard announced that Overwatch would be getting a sequel called Overwatch 2 in mid February that would introduce new characters, skins, game modes, maps and lore. This peaked interest among the gaming community.

The release was announced in a cinematic (an official lore based youtube video) called “Zero Hour” where the reunion of the Overwatch organization was made official. “Zero Hour” featured some of the original heroes, newer lore-based characters and characters that will be released with the new game, coming together in a heartfelt battle to face off Null Sectors, an omnic extremist group invading the city of Paris.

Despite these changes and high public approval and anticipation, some local players aren’t so optimistic.

“I’m a little bit skeptical about it,” Kraser said. “I’m not gonna be like one of those people waiting to buy it. I’m going to see how it is first, maybe decide [if I want the game] but if nothing has really changed and it’s still the same as the first game, then what’s the point of buying it?”

However, even more changes are on the way: changes that may convince players otherwise. Players will be able to level up with individual heroes allowing them to customize and upgrade them in the new game mode, “Hero Missions.” Jeff Kaplan, the director of Overwatch, called it highly replayable because of this feature. This change will reduce the possibility of boredom with the new game. Other features include PvP (Player versus Player) game modes and a new competitive mode called Tug-of-War Push.

“If I’m feeling like it and I have $60 or however much it’s going to cost then yeah, I’ll buy it and try it out,” retired junior player Kaleb Kruse said. “One thing that I thought was really interesting and a really good idea, in the story modes there’s a feature that you can do where you can increase the abilities of all of your characters.” For a while, Overwatch had started to slowly lose their fanbase. Some of their most loyal fans have lost interest over the last couple years. Reason to leave came from the lack of interest and progressive boredom, fans not feeling listened to by the gaming company and relentless toxicity among the community itself. However, with the announcement of Overwatch 2, even some of their retired fans were intrigued by what the new game would bring to the table. (Brief by Liy Taliaferro)

comic central HAND FLIRTING

PLAGIARISM

I came up with a new word!

(llustration by Jena Pae)

What is it?

(llustration by Jena Pae)

HOW WAS YOUR BREAK

Plagiarism!

Uh-

(llustration by Ryleigh O’Donnell)

FASTING

What do sprinters eat before a run?

LOST AND FOUND

Nothing! They fast!

(llustration by Ryleigh O’Donnell)

PHOTOGRAPHERS

(llustration by Francisco Jimenez) (llustration by Maya Helbig)