After getting delayed from its traditional time slot last year due to the ongoing COVID pandemic, Blizzard finally held its anticipated BlizzCon event this week. Things were a bit different this time around, as the show embraced being fully digital with key members of the studio speaking to a fully remote audience instead of at a packed Anaheim Convention Center.
As expected, Day 1 of the show brought a ton of new announcements such as the retro inspired Blizzard Arcade Collection as well as reveals for most of Blizzard's major IPs including Diablo, Warcraft, and of course, Overwatch. While Overwatch 2 didn't actually receive any stage time like Diablo 4 or World of Warcraft, all of the new reveals and details arrived a bit later during the specific behind-the-scenes panel with key members of the team including game director Jeff Kaplan.
As part of the panel and corresponding interviews, Overwatch 2 fans have learned a great deal of new information about the game and the fact that it's going to have plenty of PvE content for those looking for more story-based content. When asked whether or not fans would be able to play solo or offline, Kaplan seemed to confirm both options would be there in a way. While Overwatch 2 is meant to be an online coop story experience, Blizzard is working on including friendly AI units as well.
While Kaplan cautioned that this is still in development and things could change, he mentioned that AI could be used to replace someone who has been disconnected so not to punish the other three players still going. While nothing has been officially decided yet and there are still some technical hurdles to clear, he also hinted that it's possible players could opt to fill out their team with AI bots instead of matchmaking with players. Blizzard is open to allowing players to experience Overwatch 2 by themselves, even if the developers don't feel like this is the optimal way to play.
The potential use of AI characters as teammates may sound familiar for fans of Marvel's Avengers. The live service super hero action game lets players take on the game's missions and activities solo if they want, filling out the other three players with AI bots to assist. Not only has this been handy for those who have struggled to find actual teammates due to decreasing player numbers on platforms like Steam, but the AI bots actually use the characters that the players have made. This not only includes the currently equipped skins and gear, but the unlocked skills as well. While Overwatch 2 will already likely have a massive population thanks to the popularity of the first game, having this option is a nice bonus for those who'd rather play solo.
Overwatch 2 is in development for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Source: IGN