Overwatch 2 is bringing a lot of big changes to the hero shooter. Alongside a new 5v5 format, new heroes, and a single-player campaign, Overwatch 2 will also feature an entirely new feature for the game's environments and weather.
Developer Blizzard has already announced that some maps in Overwatch 2 will feature dynamic weather, but now is the first time that the studio has detailed what other environmental changes are coming to the game. Overwatch 2 has also confirmed that it will bring a slew of new maps to the shooter while also reworking and touching up some of the maps currently in rotation with Overwatch 2's new graphical systems.
In a blog post on the official Overwatch website, Blizzard detailed the new Environment State feature that is being used to improve the game's lighting systems. The feature is built into Overwatch 2's engine and allows the team to make changes to the game's map much more quickly. The blog post uses the elimination map Necropolis as an example. The map is usually played during nighttime, but the new Environment State allows the team to quickly render the map completely with a daytime setting. The technology will not only make Overwatch 2's new maps easier to test and experiment with but will also allow the game to quickly revamp older maps.
Another big benefit of the Environment States system is allowing maps to have randomly selected dynamic weather. The blog post again uses Necropolis as an example. It explains a scenario where players have to go to the map for a horde defense mission when a sandstorm rolls in and slowly builds over time, limiting visibility and forcing the players to adapt. The blog post also lists thunderstorms, snow, fog, and a few other weather states that the system can add to maps dynamically. While this feature will likely not be featured in multiplayer very much, it has the potential to add a lot of replayability to Overwatch 2's new PvE content.
The blog post also provides a lot of details on the technical aspects of pulling off such a feature for any players who are interested in seeing how it all ticks. The new system could bring a lot of big changes to Overwatch 2, and it is interesting to get a look at a feature that will likely be part of Overwatch 2's new gameplay modes. Hopefully, Blizzard will continue to detail some of the changes that will come with Overwatch 2 for fans ahead of the game's release.
Overwatch is in development for PC, PlayStation 4, Switch, and Xbox One.