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Blizzard Entertainment held a special livestream this week featuring the team behind Overwatch 2 as they gave more details about the game. The key points that we learned over the past week and from the team is that the game will be free-to-play when it launches on October 4th. You won’t need to own the previous game to play it, but if you happen to have it, all of the stuff you’ve earned will transfer over to the new game. Speaking of which, loot boxes are done (which makes sense since they’re still slowly getting banned in Europe), and instead will be replaced with a Battle Pass and an in-game shop. This means you’ll now need to straight-up pay for cosmetics the same way you do in games like Call Of Duty or Fortnite. The game will switch to 5v5, which we’ve known for months, and will have a new ranking and progression system as everyone, regardless of rank in the current game, will start back down at the bottom. You can check out more notes below from the team as well as the full livestream.
A Free-To-Play Live Experience
Making Overwatch 2 free-to play is a natural step forward for our game and our players. Overwatch, even since its debut, has always been a social game, and our community has always had the most fun when we come together. Free-to-play removes the barrier to entry, allowing anyone, anywhere can jump into the game, group up with friends, or find people to play with online. Along with this shift to free-to-play, we’ll be adding cross –progression, enabling everyone to play, progress, and access their unlocked content seamlessly across all game platforms. There will be no Loot Boxes in Overwatch 2. Instead, the modernized live service will give our players the power to shape their own experiences. Players can acquire the items they want directly through the Battle Pass and an all-new and consistently updated in-game shop. Our team will create and deliver seasonal content every nine weeks to ensure there’s always something fresh and exciting waiting for everyone.
Overwatch 2 Roadmap & Seasons
On the roadmap below, you can find our short-term plans for Season One and Season Two, as well as our long-term goals to grow and develop the game into 2023 and beyond. Players can expect to see a new hero every other season, with elements like new maps and game modes in the seasons between.
Season One will feature Sojourn, Junker Queen, and an unannounced support hero, as well as the new 5v5 PvP experience, reworked heroes, new maps and modes, and more. We’re also releasing a reimagined competitive experience that was created to give players more tools to improve gameplay and feel a sense of progression in competitive play. Players will have more of an impact on individual matches with the shift to 5v5, and there will be additional systems in place to help you discern your contributions per match. More details on the competitive overhaul will be shared soon!
Season Two will introduce a new tank hero, map, and a collection of unique skins, including a new Mythic skin. As we move into 2023, we’ll move the story of Overwatch forward with the release of our new PvE gameplay which will release seasonably beginning next year, along with more new heroes, maps, and game modes. We can’t wait to share more information closer to release!
A Living, Ever-Evolving Game
We’ve always believed that Overwatch, at its core, should be a living game. Overwatch stands for inclusivity, open-mindedness, and community. These pillars led to the change in our strategy to deliver new heroes, maps, and modes on a frequent basis because we believe this is what’s best for our players.
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