Overwatch 2 reveal event — no loot boxes, battle pass, seasonal system and more 

Blizzard Entertainment continues teasing fans and releasing more info about Overwatch 2. On June 16, the company hosted an event full of new details about the upcoming shooter. Here’s all there’s to know! 

Content consistency 

Blizzard Entertainment revealed that new heroes will come to the game every season, aiming to maintain the interest of players. Each in-game season will last nine weeks and will be followed by another one with free content for everyone. Moreover, new mods and maps will also be added to the game.

The developers already shared that Season 1 will feature three new heroes, six new maps, a new game mode, over 30 new skins and one mythic skin. As for the characters, the company already showed new heroes Sojourn (Damage) and Junker Queen (Tank). The third hero to be revealed will have a support role and is expected to be unveiled in the following months.

In 2023 the game is planned to have approximately 100 in-game skins as well as a PvE mode, which will feature a story to dive into Overwatch’s lore. 

New monetization system 

Overwatch 1 was a paid game, meaning players had to buy a copy in order to play, however, Blizzard decided to change the system to raise accessibility and gain a new audience. This was a predicted move because would people pay for the game if they can go to Valorant, Apex Legends and CS:GO, which are all FPS titles distributed in a free-to-play model? 

However, joining a free-to-play is a change that leads to a completely new monetization system because the developers naturally need to earn revenue somehow. Thus, the developers will remove loot boxes from the game and add a Battle Pass with Basic and Premium tiers instead. Moreover, the in-game shop will be revoked as well. 

Revamped maps and heroes

The Overwatch 2 will include updated versions of existing maps as well as new battlefields. The developers have also renovated the looks of the characters and added approximately 25,000 voice lines to the game. As a result, players will be able to hear new interactions between characters for more immersive play. Furthermore, new customization features are also coming to the game — war banners and weapon charms like in Valorant. 

Release date and cross-platform features

The game will support cross-platform play which means that players will be able to play from the same account both on PC and console and save the progress regardless of platform. Moreover, the Overwatch 1 players will be able to transfer all the achievements and skins from the first game seamlessly for free. Overwatch 2 will be available for all starting on October 4, 2022. The story mode will be added sometime in 2023.

Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment