In a recent turn of events, Blizzard Entertainment revealed a significant shift in its development strategy for Overwatch 2, notably with the cancellation of the game’s PVE mode that was originally announced in 2019. The decision underlines the team’s commitment to enhancing the live game experience, focusing on PVP, and expanding the game’s narrative content.
During a livestream, Blizzard outlined its future plans for Overwatch 2, which is currently in its fourth season. The team discussed upcoming additions and modifications up to the game’s seventh season, from minor tweaks like the reintroduction of the ‘on fire’ status to more substantive changes, including the addition of new heroes and events.
Season 5 will see a new limited-time event, Mischief & Magic, offering a fantasy-themed revamp, similar to the recent Starwatch event. A new animated cinematic spotlighting Sojourn and her dog Murphy is also planned, alongside the return of the Summer Games event and the creator workshop mode, which allows players to design custom game modes.
The sixth season is expected to be a milestone for the Overwatch 2 team as it finally adds story missions, igniting a new narrative arc within the Overwatch universe. Blizzard’s updated roadmap also outlines the introduction of a new support hero, a new event called Flashpoint, and Hero Mastery, which will provide hero-specific training modules.
However, the original vision for the PVE mode, which included dedicated hero mode and talent trees allowing character ability modifications, will not be realized. The development team, under the guidance of game director Aaron Keller, opted to scrap these elements, citing the need to prioritize resources for the live game.
Executive producer Jared Neuss admitted that the PVE experience didn’t progress as hoped, leading to a “difficult choice”: continuing the development of the PVE mode, which seemed to have no end in sight, or reducing Overwatch 2’s PVE focus. Neuss clarified that they couldn’t deliver the originally showcased PVE vision from 2019 and stated, “We won’t be delivering that dedicated hero mode with talent trees, that long-term power progression. Those things just aren’t in our plans anymore.”
Replacing the now-cancelled hero missions, Blizzard plans to release standalone story missions featuring cinematics designed to push the narrative arc forward. However, the format of these missions, whether they will allow co-op or are intended for replay, remains unclear.
The first series of story missions is set to launch in Season 6, starting in August, as per Blizzard’s updated roadmap. This includes a new support hero and a limited-time event called “Questwatch.” Seasons 6 and 7 also have a host of new content, including new tank heroes, collaboration events, character reworks, and competitive Mystery Heroes’ return.
Despite the disappointment of the PVE mode’s cancellation, Blizzard remains committed to providing a quality gaming experience, promising more co-op gameplay and experiences as part of their live roadmap. The team aims to explore the universe of Overwatch and its cast of heroes and villains, giving themselves the flexibility to try new things and keep the game engaging for its players.
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