Blizzard is now officially confirmed to be working onOverwatch 2, which will overhaul, upgrade, and expand the originalOverwatch. To call it a full sequel may seem odd, but it’s already confirmed to have a robust new PvE mode and is bringing the competitive mode to a new level. However, theOverwatchdev team isn’t willing to just leave the originalOverwatchand its community behind, and Blizzard has shared more information on how that transition will work whenOverwatch 2eventually launches.
Overwatchfans who have been paying attention to Blizzard’sOverwatch 2announcements will already know that Blizzard will be merging the two games' competitive modes. AllOverwatchplayers will have their games updated to the upgraded engine, with its impressive new visuals, and will have access to all ofOverwatch 2’s new heroesand maps. This is all reported to be free of charge, and Game Director Jeff Kaplan has said that theOverwatchteam fought to ensure this was the case.
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The blurring of the line betweenOverwatchandOverwatch 2doesn’t stop there, though. In a recent interview with Kaplan it was confirmed thatOverwatchwill be fully merged intoOverwatch 2at some point. This means thatOverwatchplayers who haven’t boughtOverwatch 2will still have to use the new game client in order to play competitive or custom matches, and it will also be used explore their collection of cosmetics, though it is likely that they will not have access to exclusiveOverwatch 2content.
Funnily enough, this configuration isn’t too odd in today’s gaming landscape. For instance,Fortnite’s battle royale game is entirely free to play, whileFortnite: Save the World, the PvE game that preceded the battle royale, still exists as a premium purchase. Both of these game modes exist in the same client and have some shared rewards, andOverwatch 2andOverwatchmay have a similar connection.
While the launch ofOverwatch 2and the uncertainty tied to the transition fromOverwatchmay seem daunting, there’s still a very long time for the details to be elaborated. Jeff Kaplan said rather clearly thatOverwatch 2won’t be releasing in the next year, making a 2021 launch likely.Overwatchplayers can thus continue playing as normal and expect Blizzard to clarify its plans and the forthcoming changes asOverwatch 2development progresses.
Overwatch 2is currently in development for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
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