For PvP fans, theOverwatch 2reveal event could not have been any more exciting. Players got to witness a new animated short starring the Junker Queen, with a deep dive into the new Tank’s abilities released as well. Blizzard announcedthe removal of Loot Boxesalongside the introduction of Battle Passes, and fans got a clear outline of the sequel’s post launch content plan.
Unfortunately, those that were mainly looking forward to the PvE more forOverwatch 2were not given nearly as much info to be excited about. Not only are details about the mode’s price tag still unconfirmed, but it will not be coming until 2023. On top of this, the plan to drop all the PvE content at the same time has changed, with a proper campaign seemingly abandoned in favor of seasonal releases.
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The Upside To Overwatch 2’s PvE Becoming Live Service
Overwatch 2’s PvE being live service is ideal in the sense that it can be used to fill the gaps between multiplayer content. Blizzard has confirmed thatnew heroes will come toOverwatch 2every other Season, with a solid plan in place that ensures there will be three heroes dropping every single year. In the Seasons between hero releases, a new multiplayer map will be added. While maps are exciting, they might not be enough to keep players busy - though dropping a fresh batch of PvE missions in the Seasons where heroes are not added could be a perfect solution.
By taking a live service approach to PvE, Blizzard could also be more timely with its mission additions forOverwatch 2. For example, whenever anOverwatchhero challengereleases, a special mission focused on that character could drop. This would allow players to get new lore about a hero through a playable mission instead of a comic or short story. Further, whenever a brand-new hero drops, they could get a mission depicting their backstory, making their debut more impactful.
The Downside To a Live Service Approach For Overwatch 2’s PvE
Still, it makes sense that someOverwatch 2fans are let down by this new PvE plan. While development takes time, and needing to wait until later for the mode to release is understandable, the fact that the promised PvE campaign could also be split into missions that release across several months is hardly ideal. Not only does this make the long wait seem less worthwhile, as players were hoping for a full-length campaign to jump into, but the new PvE approach is in danger of feeling more likeOverwatch’s Archives eventthan something as deep as PvP.
Currently, fans have no idea what will happen with the “hundreds” of Hero Missions Blizzard promised, or thePvE skill trees forOverwatch 2’s heroes. If players only see a few missions at a time, the deep skill trees could not be nearly as fun to progress through, and the mode could get repetitive fast. While fans should wait for more details before getting concerned,Overwatch 2’s PvE becoming live service does suggest that the mode’s launch could be less content-filled.
For now, all fans can do is hope that there will still be a lot of day one contentwheneverOverwatch 2’s PvE mode launches, with future updates simply adding more. The concept of a proper campaign with hundreds of side missions was exciting, so the idea that it could potentially be broken up into small sections is a bit of a blow. On the bright side, a live service style for PvE content could mean thatOverwatch 2fans get to enjoy new missions regularly, with more stories constantly being told in-game.
Overwatch 2launches on October 4 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
