When Blizzard announced a sequel to its team-based hero shooter Overwatch in 2019, it made it clear it was still a while away.
It's now been delayed again - with the company announcing during a recent investor call that's it's planning a "later launch" for Overwatch 2 to ensure the game reaches its "full potential" during the development cycle. This follows on from Activision Blizzard confirming earlier this year in February that the game wouldn't arrive this year.
The latest update also includes the delay of Diablo IV, although there's been no mention of this game receiving a release on a Nintendo platform.

As we have worked with new leadership in Blizzard and within the franchises themselves, particularly in certain key creative roles, it has become apparent that some of the Blizzard content planned for next year will benefit from more development time to reach its full potential.
While we are still planning to deliver a substantial amount of content from Blizzard next year, we are now planning for a later launch for Overwatch 2 and Diablo IV than originally envisaged.
These are two of the most eagerly anticipated titles in the industry, and our teams have made great strides towards completion in recent quarters. But we believe giving the teams some extra time to complete production and continue growing their creative resources to support the titles after launch will ensure that these releases delight and engage their communities for many years into the future.
These decisions will push out the financial uplift that we had expected to see next year. But we are confident that this is the right course of action for our people, our players, and the long-term success of our franchises.
In the same update, it was also revealed Blizzard co-leader Jen Oneal would be stepping down from her role - leaving Mike Ybarra as the company head (via @jasonschreier).
In previous developments, earlier this year Overwatch's director, Jeff Kaplan, departed the company after 19 years. He was replaced in the role by Aaron Keller who announced Overwatch 2 would be removing the second tank slot from PVP teams.
And in more recent times, the development team renamed the hero McCree, who is now known as Cole Cassidy. The character was originally named after one of the now ex-employees linked to the recent harassment and discrimination lawsuit - brought against Activision Blizzard by the state of California.
What are your thoughts about having to wait a little longer for Overwatch 2? Did you play the original title on the Nintendo Switch? Leave a comment down below.
[source gematsu.com]
Comments 26
The employees needed an extra break
Day 1: Come up with idea for next game
Day 3: Reveal a teaser
Day 60: Original release date
Day 120: Backup release date
Day 180: Backup backup release date
Day 240: Actual release date
Day 270: Patch to make the game semi-playable
The overworked and harassed staff in these teams flat out deserve more time to make these games to their full potential. These delays therefore can only be considered a good thing.
There certainly are a lot of game delays this year.
Well I bloody well hope the poor workers are getting paid overtime.
@PBandSmelly I feel they will either cancel 2 or release it then it flops then we go back to 1
@nessisonett hahaha no
I'm sure they'll still have launch week server issues, and continue to sell just fine in spite of them or any ongoing lawsuits. There's a huge sector of gamers who don't know/don't care how the sausage is made and have the memory of a goldfish.
And funny thing about boycotts is you don't get a survey card to tell the company you didn't buy their game because of X. Which means their analysts get to explain away any sales decline caused by those who have the fortitude to not buy the sequels.
@dustinprewitt Something tells me Blizzard didn't do this out of the kindness of their hearts so employees could get a break...
It’s probably because they’re in the middle of a controversy right now still, not because of polishing the game. I’m sure they’re waiting for “everything to blow over”
LOL what is happening over there!
@Snatcher Oh, a whole lot of things. But nothing good.
They needed more time to check for potential offensensitivity
"Let's make women extremely uncomfortable instead of getting work done! Those games we can release whenever, but those women we need to flirt with NOW!"
@Bermanator Kinda Funny NGL.
Sounds like things are going peachy keen at old Blizzard, as their name is hemorrhaging good will amongst fans.
I'm sure that these delays, coupled with their mounting legal woes, won't have any long term negative impact on them at all.
Not that worried, it looks like it’s barely a sequel. But Diablo 4 I’d love to play when it’s ready!
We realize that we are hated right now and want to wait till you have forgotten your anger before we release our next games.
@nessisonett Nope but Blizzard promised that there will be a little less whiplashes Which is a win in my book!
The game is delayed due to them having to come up with new names for the characters.
Are any of these games announced for Nintendo Switch though?
@Pod Overwatch 2 I believe is but I don't think Diablo 4 is
Blizzard should work on being a decent workplace first before working on Overwatch 2 and Diablo IV.
Delays aren't exclusive to Blizzard. This is industry wide at the moment.
@Grot Well Said!
Kinda strange how much it's been delayed considering it's just a single player expansion and the multiplayer with 1 is gonna be the exact same.
Blizzards Transition into Activision is done, the Philosphy within Blizzard is killed, former Employees left and here in Europe they change the Contracts from Blizzard SAS (France) to Activision Blizzard in the UK.
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