Following its appearance at the Xbox and Bethesda games showcase last week, the roadmap for Overwatch 2 has been officially revealed ahead of the game’s release later this year.
Plans for the game were disclosed during a reveal event broadcast on YouTube, which featured around forty minutes of content based on gameplay footage and interviews with the development team discussing what players can expect.
Among the headlines from the broadcast was confirmation that the game will be free-to-play, along with in-depth outlines of what its first two seasons of content will include.
What Can You Expect From Overwatch 2?
In a blog post recapping the broadcast, Blizzard described making the game free-to-play as “a natural step forward for our game and our players”, suggesting that this change will improve the game’s community by expanding it and will be accompanied by the addition of cross-platform progression.
Not present in the game, according to the post, will be loot boxes, with Overwatch 2's battle pass and “all-new” in-game shop serving as the primary means for players to acquire items.
In terms of the roadmap itself, the game’s first season, which will begin with the game’s release on October 4, is set to feature three new heroes in the forms of “Sojourn, Junker Queen, and an unannounced support hero”, in addition to introducing “the new 5v5 PvP experience” and six new maps.
Also included in this is “a reimagined competitive experience”, which Blizzard says “was created to give players more tools to improve gameplay and feel a sense of progression in competitive play”.
Season 2, set to kick off on December 6, “will introduce a new tank hero, map, and a collection of unique skins” to the game, setting things up for the arrival of PvE and a host of other new content via additional seasons in 2023.
Reception to the broadcast on ResetEra was mixed, with many users hoping to hear more about PvE and not enjoying the interview-based format.
If you’re itching to get a taste of what the game has to offer as soon as possible, beta access can be requested here.
Meanwhile, make sure to follow us for more Overwatch 2 coverage as the game gets closer to release.