For PvP fans, the Overwatch 2 reveal event could not have been any more exciting. Players got to witness a new animated short starring the Junker Queen, with a deep dive into the new Tank’s abilities released as well. Blizzard announced the removal of Loot Boxes alongside the introduction of Battle Passes, and fans got a clear outline of the sequel’s post launch content plan.
Unfortunately, those that were mainly looking forward to the PvE more for Overwatch 2 were not given nearly as much info to be excited about. Not only are details about the mode’s price tag still unconfirmed, but it will not be coming until 2023. On top of this, the plan to drop all the PvE content at the same time has changed, with a proper campaign seemingly abandoned in favor of seasonal releases.
The Upside To Overwatch 2’s PvE Becoming Live Service
Overwatch 2’s PvE being live service is ideal in the sense that it can be used to fill the gaps between multiplayer content. Blizzard has confirmed that new heroes will come to Overwatch 2 every other Season, with a solid plan in place that ensures there will be three heroes dropping every single year. In the Seasons between hero releases, a new multiplayer map will be added. While maps are exciting, they might not be enough to keep players busy - though dropping a fresh batch of PvE missions in the Seasons where heroes are not added could be a perfect solution.
By taking a live service approach to PvE, Blizzard could also be more timely with its mission additions for Overwatch 2. For example, whenever an Overwatch hero challenge releases, a special mission focused on that character could drop. This would allow players to get new lore about a hero through a playable mission instead of a comic or short story. Further, whenever a brand-new hero drops, they could get a mission depicting their backstory, making their debut more impactful.
The Downside To a Live Service Approach For Overwatch 2’s PvE
Still, it makes sense that some Overwatch 2 fans are let down by this new PvE plan. While development takes time, and needing to wait until later for the mode to release is understandable, the fact that the promised PvE campaign could also be split into missions that release across several months is hardly ideal. Not only does this make the long wait seem less worthwhile, as players were hoping for a full-length campaign to jump into, but the new PvE approach is in danger of feeling more like Overwatch’s Archives event than something as deep as PvP.
Currently, fans have no idea what will happen with the “hundreds” of Hero Missions Blizzard promised, or the PvE skill trees for Overwatch 2’s heroes. If players only see a few missions at a time, the deep skill trees could not be nearly as fun to progress through, and the mode could get repetitive fast. While fans should wait for more details before getting concerned, Overwatch 2’s PvE becoming live service does suggest that the mode’s launch could be less content-filled.
For now, all fans can do is hope that there will still be a lot of day one content whenever Overwatch 2’s PvE mode launches, with future updates simply adding more. The concept of a proper campaign with hundreds of side missions was exciting, so the idea that it could potentially be broken up into small sections is a bit of a blow. On the bright side, a live service style for PvE content could mean that Overwatch 2 fans get to enjoy new missions regularly, with more stories constantly being told in-game.
Overwatch 2 launches on October 4 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.