Overwatch 2: Everything You Need To Know
With the success of the first sci-fi team-based shooter, Overwatch, Blizzard announced a sequel to the game at BlizzCon 2019, and since then, players from around the globe have been excited about the game. Following the announcement, not many details about the game were disclosed until very recently, when at the Xbox Showcase this year, Blizzard finally unveiled the roadmap for Overwatch 2 that showcased the game’s release date, new heroes, maps, and much more.
Overwatch 2: What We Know So Far
The full game is set to release on October 4th, 2022; however, in May, Blizzard released the Beta for PC, where a limited number of players were allowed to try out the new hero, Sojourn, and the revamped PvP multiplayer. For console players, on the other hand, Blizzard has confirmed the second beta that will be available on June 28th. This time, players could experience the latest Tank hero, Junker Queen, alongside a new hybrid map, Rio.
Unlike the original Overwatch, which was a paid title, Overwatch 2 will be free to play across all platforms with in-game purchasable skins. It will likely also switch from a loot box model to a paid skin model. However, in-game cosmetics earned by players in the original Overwatch will be transferred to the new game. In addition, Overwatch 2 will feature over 25,000 new hero voice lines, and the introduction of 3-D audio will undoubtedly be a great addition.
Upcoming Features
Blizzard earlier this year announced that team sizes would be reduced from six to five, with each team having a maximum of two support, two DPS, and only one Tank hero. Both PvP and PvE modes will be included in Overwatch 2. The PvE mode was initially expected to be launched alongside PvP in October; however, it has been pushed forward to 2023. The PvE mode will bring in the story and hero-based missions. In story-based missions, Overwatch's members and a new generation of heroes will fight against the evil forces of Null Sector as the story progresses. In Hero missions, however, the heroes from the game will travel around the globe to defend it against the robotic invasions. In doing so, players will be able to level up and customize their favorite heroes.
According to Blizzard, Overwatch 2 will have a 9-week PvP season where new heroes, maps, and skins will be released each season. Every season will have its battle pass, meaning that most probably, loot boxes would be removed in Overwatch 2. The roadmap for the game promises 3 new heroes, 6 new maps, a new game mode, and over 30 new skins. The new Mystic skins would also be introduced, which would be a level above the Legendary ones. Like Apex Legends, players would also be given skill tiers and would be able to ping locations to identify specific areas.
New Game Modes
Furthermore, Overwatch 2 will have a brand-new map mode, Push. In this mode, both teams will fight over the control of a robot and lead it towards the enemy team’s territory. Both teams start at opposite spawns with a robot in the center. The robot is activated 30 seconds after the start of a round, and so this allows for more strategic plays. When one of the two teams is near the robot, they can then start pushing it towards the other team’s spawn through checkpoints spreading across various routes. Between these checkpoints, the robot pushes a payload, progressing more slowly. A team wins if, at the end of the 8-minute timeframe, it has moved the robot farthest from the center and also has control of the robot. Currently, in beta, Push can only be played on two maps, Colosseo and New Queen Street.
New Heroes
After a long wait, players will finally get to play three new heroes at launch: Sojourn, Junker Queen, and the teased fox-based support hero that we don’t know of yet. These will be the first new heroes to come out after Echo’s release way back in 2020. Blizzard also promises a new Tank hero in December alongside a new map.
On their official YouTube channel, Overwatch uploaded a trailer featuring the new hero, Sojourn. She is Overwatch's first black female hero. Her primary fire is a projectile-based railgun that also gains energy corresponding to the damage dealt. That energy can then charge up her secondary fire that looks like a hit scan beam. Sojourn is somewhat a mobile hero, and one of her abilities is the "Power Slide," where she can slide really fast and jump during it to gain extra height. Her second ability is the "Disruptor Shot," where she throws an energy grenade that, while dealing damage, also slows down her opponents. In her ultimate, the Overclock, her railgun auto charges energy and can secondary fire through multiple enemies.
Another hero that will make her debut this October is the Junker Queen. She is the latest addition to the Tank heroes who previously had been teased as her voice was in the Junkertown map. However, players could now see her in action in Overwatch 2.
Potential New Maps
In terms of PvP maps, most of the maps will carry on from the original game. Some of the confirmed new maps include Circuit Royal (Escort), Midtown, Rio (both Hybrid), Rome, Portugal, and Rio (Push). In terms of PvE maps, not much is known; however, according to some rumors, it is speculated that these maps will be much larger than regular Overwatch maps and will include locations like Toronto, Gothenburg, and India.
With the beta streaming on platforms like Twitch, Overwatch 2 received an overwhelming response. Blizzard promoted the game by giving beta access to players for watching hours of streams; however, still, 1,500,000 concurrent viewers is a huge number, so the expectations are high. Many players feel that Overwatch 2 looks like an updated version of Overwatch. In contrast, some argue that Blizzard has introduced some interesting new features while keeping the game's core intact. However, we will have to wait till October to find out.
