Overwatch 2 finally secured a release date earlier this week and official confirmation that the sequel to Blizzard's hugely popular online shooter will be coming to Switch. Now Blizzard has revealed the game's upcoming roadmap, along with some interesting changes, during a reveal event broadcast yesterday.
On top of the news that Overwatch 2 will be going free-to-play for its PvP mode, Blizzard has now revealed that the sequel will no longer be using Loot Boxes, and will be replacing this with a Battle Pass and an in-game shop to ensure fans can choose from what's on offer rather than rely on chance.
Overwatch 2 will also have 'cross-progression', which means you'll be able to to access all content you've unlocked across whatever platform you choose to play on. And everything you've earned in the original Overwatch will also be available in the sequel, which is great news.
During the reveal event, the team also shared the game's roadmap with fans, which details Blizzard's plans for the game.
The roadmap reveals that Season 1 of the shooter kicks off on the game's launch date (4th October) and will include new characters Sojourn (a Damage hero) and Junker Queen (a Tank hero), along with a third unannounced playable character. Season 2 will kick off nine weeks later, on 6th December, and will introduce another new tank, and a new map.
Here are the details Blizzard shared with us in a press release:
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.
It sounds like there are a lot of big changes coming in the sequel. We'll be sure to keep you updated in the run-up to the game's release.
You can watch the whole reveal event below, and let us know how you feel about some of these adjustments in the comments below!
Comments 33
Totally not just because lootboxes have become toxic and could be blocked in many countries due to emerging legislation.
I love how they're prioritizing everything for the game, except being fun.
Awesome, I’m anticipating that this will be a fun experience.
So before with Overwatch 1 I could unlock tons of lootboxes pretty easily and get a lot of stuff and collect tons of coins to unlock the exact stuff I want.
Now I have to pay real money to access a battle pass that will be limited time only to grind it to death to maybe get what I want.
I fail to see how that's a win or a better system, this might sound odd but Overwatch lootboxes were some of the least egregious lootboxes in the market.
Also, what will happen to people who bought the first game? Is the gameplay system suddenly gonna change to a Free to Play model, the game is gonna transform into an Overwatch 2 launcher and our money was basically wasted for nothing?
@Itachi2099 The first game was B2P. You paid full pop for the game back then, so the loot boxes were very generous or there would have been much outrage already back then, if they had sold the game for full price and then have predatory loot boxes inside the game where people have to spend a ton of money to get the item they want.
Remember, Overwatch 2 is going to be F2P. If they went with those gamble...ehh loot boxes it would already be banned in several countries, like Diablo Immortal (horrible mobile gamble crap game).
So out of two evils, then a Battle pass is a way better option for people (moneywise) then gamble boxes you have to spend a ton of money on and still not knowing what you get.
At least with the Battle pass (if they implement it like other games), you know exactly what you get and how much time it will take to unlock the items you want.
So I take Battle Pass over Gamble (loot) boxes any time!
Removed - flaming/arguing; user is banned
@Jeronan yeah but I feel like my initial purchase of Overwatch 1 is now ruined. I had generous lootboxes for years that I unlocked tons of stuff with, what will happen with Overwatch 1 now? Will it be blended into Overwatch 2 completely since the game is supposed to share the same PvP pool? Will Overwatch 1 now just transform into Overwatch 2?
I bought the game on 3 platforms and now its basically reduced to a free to play game and my money went into the garbage bin? My future unlockable content is gonna be removed from me to earn, I have to buy Battle Passes with real money to continue unlocking stuff?
There's so many unanswered questions here and as someone who put years into this game and paid considerable amount of money for it, I feel like i'm just getting "bent over" over here lol
Funny considering the first game is largely to blame for the uprise of lootboxes with its raving fanboys that justified them as "offering only cosmetics".
@TheMelodiusRose you can still buy the first game, it's just now part of the "Watchpoint pack" for Overwatch 2 which gives you access to the first game:
https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/overwatch-2-watchpoint-pack-switch/
@TheMelodiusRose it's ok, don't worry about it
@SteamEngenius P2W might have been wrongly worded, but I was pointing more to it being an insane predatory mess of a game! There is a reason its been banned in several countries so far.
Have you read about Diablo Immortal? It really is a culmination of all the worst things you find in Mobile games today.
https://www.mmorpg.com/editorials/whats-the-deal-with-diablo-immortals-monetization-model-2000125277
Some rich youtubers have spend insane amounts of money on the game as a test and still unable to get a single 5-star legendary gem. The record is currently at over 10k USD spend without a single 5-star legendary gem drop.
It's a complete mess of a game! It's sheer greed to the point of insanity! That as free player it's not even worth bothering playing it right now. You have a higher chance to win a real world lottery.
So people should be really glad that this loot/gamble box mess doesn't come to Overwatch 2, unless Blizzard manages to mess up their Battle pass implementation as well and tries to squeeze predatory gambling inside it in some sleezy way.
At this point, with what's going on within Activision/Blizzard, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest.
I hope games start to learn how to do battle passes from Halo Infinite. You buy it and it is forever yours to level up at your own pace even if it isn’t the battle pass from the current season. If you have multiple passes, then you could choose which one you want to level up.
Still a grind, still asking for money 🙄🙄
This is a great model. I get that some people are so insanely, unbelievably short sighted and stupid that they actually think games can be free-to-play without being monetized, or that it's somehow a bad thing that a game is going to get updates, polish, and continued content simply because the mega rich are going to dumb millions into battle passes, but I'm glad to see most developers are finally just ignoring them.
DOTA 2 still gives us 2-3 new heroes a year, new items and huge updates, as well as a $40M+ DPC with 90% of it's incoming coming from 1% of players. I don't like loot boxes because some people are going to be sucked into the gambling aspect of it and that's a real problem, but a clearly defined "you get this for this" game pass is a great system that's win-win for everyone.
@Johnnel
I really think this is going to become standard. Given the way the gaming landscape seems to be shaping up, "Leaning from Microsoft" isn't going to be optional for very long. You do it, or you're out.
The massive power move of devoting a whole show to games you get day one with game pass, the fact that game pass includes EA access, and how now it gets you a tier of membership to riot games that is better then ANYTHING you can buy directly from riot ... "just do what MS is doing" is going to be the directive from most lead developers moving forward.
And I think we are all going to benefit from it. Well, maybe not US, here on NIntendolife, because Nintendo isn't going to change a danm thing, but us as gamers in general.
They lost the loot boxes simply so they could push the game worldwide. Many companies are banning any game that has them included
Whoa I’m honestly surprised that people are actually somewhat missing the loot boxes.
I thought people would be more happy about the loot boxes being replaced with a battle pass.
I’m a long time Overwatch player and it is my favorite game to play online with ever. But I’m not happy with this approach at all. A battle pass to purchase and then have to grind out to get my moneys worth is such a chore. I was fine paying full price for the last game and the loot boxes I had no trouble getting here and there and getting coins here and there from them for skins I wanted. This needs to change.
I prefer the lootboxes over the battlepass. Even if I didn't play alot I still got something with a battle pass you have to play alot to get something and them the game becomes a chore.
I hate loot boxes in everything but Overwatch. I'm not a fan of the F2P shift, this will probably end up costing more than $60 total down the road, so it saves me nothing. I probably won't be playing this.
@Itachi2099 From what I’ve read, OW1 will become OW2. Owners of OW1 will get a ‘Founders’ pack as a thank you, which consists of exclusive skins. All progression and rewards earned on all platforms should be consolidated and transferred over to OW2, which will then have cross platform progression. After that, everyone should be on the new reward system.
I'm fairly indifferent to this because no one should be giving money to this company in its current state, regardless!
So how long will a season last in overwatch 2. Will I get more stuff than loot boxes if I buy the battlepass ?
Loved the first game. Then blizzard remembered they were blizzard.
@HeadPirate if you look at what they've done to halo in the pursuit of that microtransactions money I hope sony & Nintendo don't follow their lead but they will like they did with charging to play online
@Would_you_kindly
There are no microtranstaions in Halo, just in the free-to-play online Halo stand alone multiplayer. So if you're having a cry because the flagship multiplayer experience is free now but people can buy better hats then you have or you don't think MS should monetize a free game ... well, I comment on that in the post just above the one you replied to.
@HeadPirate the multiplayer is barebones it's pretty much a beta & it used to be included with the campaign so it being free isn't an excuse for it being rubbish compared to previous games
I like this, I know a lot of people don’t, but the fact that loot boxes was the only way to get anything, I rather get a bottle pass with things I know I will get for a fact, no more rng, I can just buy the skin,.
Same company that put out Diablo Immorals. I am 100% confident they have something up their sleeves.
They just can’t help screwing up can they? Can’t wait to see how they mess up Diablo 4
Damn f2p. Would much rather pay for the game and keep the current lootbox system. I havent spent a dime on them yet I have almost 1000 unopened ones
@Snatcher true but the main difference is that you could get lootboxes quickly and for free just by playing. This battle pass has to be paid for.
@BadWaluigi That’s true, you do have to pay for it, Tbh I would have been fine if they kept both, if I had to pick.
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