Overwatch 2: All info on the successor to the hero shooter

A few years after its release, Blizzard's hero shooterOverwatch has firmly established itself in the genre and still has a huge fan base today. Regular events like the Summer Games, new heroes, and regular updates ensure that the shooter always remains exciting. Overwatch has also become a big player in eSports with the Overwatch League and the Overwatch World Cup.

in 2019, Blizzard finally announced a successor at the in-house trade show BlizzCon. Since then, there has been some new information about Overwatch 2, which we have summarized for you in this overview.

Release: When will Overwatch 2 be released?

The most important question first: When can we finally play Overwatch 2? Currently, Blizzard has not yet announced a release date for the Overwatch successor. However, the game maker of hits like Starcraft, Warcraft and Diablo is known for taking a lot of time for development.

however, we probably won't be able to enjoy Overwatch 2 in 2021. In February 2021, Activision's CFO Dennis Durkin confirmed in the quarterly financial call that both Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 will no longer be released in 2021. However, in the same call, Activision's COO Daniel Alegre spoke of 2022 being a "fantastic year for Blizzard." This statement is matched by a comment from an internal source at Activison-Blizzard. She revealed to Dexerto that a summer 2022 release is being targeted.

So we can expect Overwatch 2 in summer 2022 at the earliest, but further postponements of the game are not excluded.

Live gameplay from Overwatch 2 as early as September 2021

Even if we still have to wait quite a while for Overwatch 2, we can look forward to a live professional match in Overwatch 2 at the end of September 2021. On September 25, the grand finale of the Overwatch League will feature a show match between pros in Overwatch 2.

Gameplay Features: This is new in part 2

In the first Overwatch part, two teams consisting of six players each compete against each other. There is a radical change here in Overwatch 2: Both teams consist of only five players each in the successor. This should give players a better overview of what's going on where on the map.

There is also a restriction regarding character classes in Overwatch 2: Your team can only have one tank. This is due to the fact that tanks will get a rather exciting redesign. Tanks are supposed to be more aggressive in Overwatch 2 and not just protect the team from damage.

Furthermore, the successor will get the new mode Thrust. Here a robot is in the middle of a symmetrically constructed map and pushes two barriers into the opposite areas of the two teams. The team that can push the opponent's barrier deeper into their territory wins. Thrust is thus a mixture of the familiar control and escort modes. The team that has control of the robot can push the opponents' barrier into motion.

Overwatch is a pure PvP game (player vs. player) apart from a few time-limited events. That will change with the successor. The PvE mode, i.e. players against computer-controlled opponents, is the big innovation. In the story campaign, you'll have to join other players in cooperative missions to put the "Null Sector" terrorist organization in its place. In the missions, there are also items that improve the hero's abilities and thus provide even more damage, for example.

In addition to the story missions, there will also be hero missions. These should have a high replay value thanks to different customization options for the respective heroes. During the hero missions you can collect experience points, which you can then invest in new skills from one of three skill trees. This way, you can craft destructive builds for each hero. In Overwatch 2's PVP mode, however, you will still have to make do with the standard skills.

What new heroes and maps are there?

According to what we know so far, Overwatch 2 will feature at least seven new maps. These are New York City, Toronto, Gothenburg, Monte Carlo, Rome, Rio de Janeiro and India. NYC and Rio are so-called hybrid maps. On them, you'll first play the attack mode and switch to the escort mode at a later time.

On Toronto and Rome you will be able to play the new thrust mode. It is still unclear whether the new maps will supplement the previous map selection from Overwatch or whether the old maps will be completely replaced.

In addition to new maps, Overwatch 2 will also feature a lot of new characters. So far, Blizzard has only shown the heroine Sojourn. The gameplay trailer already shows that she has an arm gun. In addition, a dynamic move set can be seen in her movement, which means that she most likely belongs to the "damage" category.

The 32 currently available heroes from Overwatch will all make it into the sequel and will also receive a redesign. New armor, hairstyles and colors will give the old characters a whole new shine.

Price: How much will Overwatch 2 cost?

Overwatch 1 cost around 40 euros shortly after its release. There is currently no price for the successor. However, you can expect to pay a similar price for Overwatch 2 upon release.

Will Overwatch 1 be discontinued and will you lose all your skins?

Fortunately, both questions can be answered with a definite no. Overwatch 1 will still be available after the release of Overwatch 2 willremain online and playable. You won't have to worry about empty lobbies either, because Overwatch 1 players will be able to compete together with Overwatch 2 players in the PvP modes. Even more, you won't even have to buy the sequel to get access to the new heroes and maps.

PvE and visual updates, however, will likely be exclusive to Overwatch 2 players. We don't know yet if this also applies to new lootboxes. However, your existing collection of skins, player icons, sprays, and emotes, along with your achievements, can easily be taken to Overwatch 2.

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