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Overwatch 2 was originally announced at Blizzcon in 2019. Since then, fans have waited to learn more details about the highly-anticipated sequel to 2016's genre-defining hit. Blizzard has released a few details here and there relating to the sequel. Small details were teased and announced since the initial reveal, but larger changes like team sizes decreasing from six to five and hero redesigns were revealed through the PC beta test for the game which was released earlier this year. The biggest reveals came from the recent Overwatch 2 reveal event.
While the initial reveal was made during the Xbox & Bethesda Game Showcase, Blizzard also hosted a full event for the game. This was supposed to drive home the October 4 release date, introduce the game's free-to-play model, show the new hero Junker Queen, and go in-depth with the gameplay changes coming to Overwatch 2. Fans got a great look at the new hero and learned more about the game's launch and battle pass, but Blizzard failed to highlight one of the biggest questions fans have had about Overwatch 2: What separates the new game from the original, and why should fans transition to Overwatch 2?
The pre-recorded event offered little to explain how the game would play differently from its predecessor. Every question asked about how the gameplay would change or what new additions fans could expect were met with broad, generalized statements that provided little concrete information. The developers stated Overwatch 2 will feature major gameplay changes, a revamped competitive mode, and balancing improvements, but they never specifically say what those changes will be. Basically, the reveal event said a lot about nothing in reference to the sequel, which is disappointing for such a major event.
Obviously, the basic gameplay style of two teams competing against each other to achieve different objectives will largely be the same. Sequels rarely change genres entirely. Fans are well aware of Overwatch's gameplay style, but apart from those who played the PC beta, fans don't know why they should switch to Overwatch 2 outside of it being new. The specific changes to each character, role, gameplay modes, and lore are still a mystery.
This is particularly disheartening since the Overwatch team has a history of being incredibly transparent with the community. Fans used to get regular updates from the developers, each patch would break down every change, and the team would often release videos to accompany each update. However, since Overwatch 2's announcement, the developers have gone quiet. Naturally, the people behind the game don't want to give everything away, but as it stands, fans know nothing about Overwatch 2 except it will be free-to-play, have a battle pass, and will be 5v5 instead of 6v6 -- elements that could be implemented in the original Overwatch through updates without a complete sequel.
It is no secret that Activision Blizzard, and specifically Overwatch, has gone through some controversy and change in recent years. There were undoubtedly a lot of troubles plaguing the teams behind several of their games, and it is terrible they have had to endure that while trying to create products of love. With Microsoft's pending acquisition of Activision Blizzard, however, this summer's gaming events could have been massive for the studio. The developers had the chance to provide a deep dive into Overwatch 2 that made it clear why fans need to move to the sequel once it launches, but instead, fans got a choppy pre-recorded interview that answered few questions. The game's second beta test will be out later this month, but it may be too little too late.