Fans have a long list of expectations for the Overwatch 2 showcase at BlizzConline, with hopes of an official release date for the game ranking near the top. However, based on comments made by Genji’s Korean voice actor Gaku Space, Overwatch 2 is likely still far from an official release.
Space, who recently played Cyberpunk 2077 protagonist V in the Korean version of the game, was briefly asked about Overwatch in a Cyberpunk-focused interview. According to translations from Redditor Evenstar6132, when asked if he is still working on Overwatch, Space responds with an emphatic “yes.” However, a lengthy “but” follows, with the Genji actor saying “I haven’t heard anything about Overwatch 2.”
While the actor jokes about being fired, he reiterates that he has recorded nothing for Overwatch 2 at the end of the Overwatch segment of the interview — something that should immediately raise some red flags for those excited about the sequel. With Genji having a large role in Overwatch 2’s reveal, as the hero saved Winston from certain death, it would make sense that Genji features in the PvE story’s plot at some point. As such, if the game was arriving anytime soon, Genji’s lines would likely be recorded already.
While it is possible that the actor was secretly replaced, this seems highly unlikely, with the more probable scenario being that the game is simply taking more time to develop than originally planned. It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic came at a rough time for Overwatch 2, and Blizzard employees needing to work from home has likely had a major impact on the sequel’s development. As such, it would not be surprising to see Blizzard avoid attaching a release date to the game during Overwatch 2’s BlizzConline showing.
As such, players should get their expectations down for Overwatch 2’s next showing. Several new hero reveals are certainly possible, as well as a special animated short to hype up the sequel's arrival and properly introduce at least one new character. More hero designs and maps will likely be shown off along with the PvE mode, too, though sadly it seems like Overwatch 2 still has a long way to go in terms of its development. While many will be excited to get a proper update on the game regardless of it likely coming with no release date, some fans that were expecting Overwatch 2 to arrive soon will likely be disappointed.
With Blizzard supposedly still hiring for Overwatch 2 as well, these comments from Genji's voice actor serve as further evidence that the sequel will be hit with a lengthy delay ahead of release. With the alternative being no new Genji content or a random voice actor replacement, it is certainly beginning to seem like the rumors are accurate.
Overwatch 2 is currently in development for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch.
Source: PlayersCUT