The recent BlizzCon 2019 announcement of Overwatch 2 in the works re-sparked my interest in the competitive shooter. What’s made the franchise stand out amongst its shooter peers has been its almost endless supply of lore and heroes. And when it comes to the next iteration of Overwatch, it doesn’t look like that reveal/release will slow down with the next launch.
Lots of heroes, you say?
There were some pretty lofty goals that followed statements from Overwatch 2‘s assistant director, Aaron Keller. In speaking with PlayStation at the PlayStation Blog, Keller stated, “We’ve got lots of heroes in the works currently for Overwatch 2.” So, if you were wondering whether or not the roster would grow beyond what players have already received, yes, yes it will.
In the interview/Q&A session, Keller went on to detail the “why” behind the choice for new heroes and how it will play into the Overwatch 2 story:
For the last few years, we’ve been leading up to this story. The story of Overwatch 2 is the next step of the Overwatch story. You’ve been introduced to the main characters, to the conflicts, and the history of the world, but now we’re moving to the next chapter: Winston has pushed the button and recalled the Overwatch agents to fight against the threats the world faces. Now we know that some of the heroes have answered, but what will they do? How will the world react to them? And is Overwatch the solution the world needs? That’s what we’re looking to explore.
Attempting to bridge the gap without jumping the shark
Rumors had swirled prior to the official Overwatch 2 announcement at BlizzCon 2019. But as the show went on and the announcement came, it was mostly met with audible praise. However, there still stands a certain level of confusion as to what will happen with the current Battle.net and Overwatch client. It’s been stated that the two will eventually merge into a single access point.
Yet, that again still leaves questions regarding purchases, skins, lootboxes, and the rest of the hero roster that currently exists. Above all, there are questions as to whether the franchise can grow without losing steam, especially amongst casuals and the ever-evolving esports scene.
I guess we’ll just have to watch and see.
