For some players, Gamescom and E3 are nothing in comparison to BlizzCon, the annual show ran by Blizzard discussing what players can expect from titles like World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch in the coming year or two. The convention has been a mainstay in gaming since 2005, with some players willing to spend quite a sum of money in order to make their annual pilgrimage. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this trek will be less arduous and expensive as Blizzard has elected to make its show free and digital in 2021 with BlizzConline.
While many will likely be excited to hear new details for the upcoming Diablo 4 at BlizzConline, there is another group of Blizzard fans that seem desperate for any kind of new information. At BlizzCon 2019, Blizzard made the announcement that Overwatch 2 was currently in development. It was revealed that the class-based shooter sequel will include a PvE mode, as well as a full story campaign, and the multiplayer experience players have come to enjoy over the years in the first Overwatch game.
However, since this initial announcement of Overwatch 2, Blizzard has remained relatively quiet in terms of official information. And while this likely helps the developer build the mystique and hype around the sequel, it seems to have left players with a sense of uncertainty as to who this product is for. In order for Blizzard to have a successful showing with Overwatch 2 at BlizzConline, it will likely pull out all the stops to show players why they should pick up this sequel.
Pulling Back the Overwatch 2 Veil
Players seem to have become skeptical of what Overwatch 2 even is, and with good reason. According to Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan, the new title will finally feature a PvE mode, as well as a story mode which were not present in the first game, and have been popular fan requests since Overwatch launched. However, he went on to say that all new heroes and maps that come to Overwatch 2 will also come to the original Overwatch with the two games sharing the same multiplayer experience.
This has led many players to become frustrated with Blizzard as it plans to sell Overwatch 2 as a full priced $60 game rather than an expansion for the currently existing game. And while Kaplan doesn't see Overwatch 2 as an expansion, Blizzard will likely need to show players at BlizzConline why the game is worth the investment of a full price title.
New Overwatch 2 Characters and Maps
Besides justifying Overwatch 2 as a full game rather than expansion, Blizzard will likely announce several new characters at BlizzConline. In Blizzard's first look at the sequel, it revealed the first new character, Sojourn. While several fans were impressed with the character's design, the developer neglected to provide any information as to what class Sojourn is or what their abilities are. It seems likely that it will reveal these details at BlizzConline.
It also seems likely that Blizzard will show off multiple new characters when it comes to its Overwatch 2 presentation. According to Blizzard, Overwatch 2 has several new characters in the works and BlizzConline is likely the best venue to share preliminary details for these heroes.
Players can likely expect Blizzard to show off at least one new map for Overwatch 2 at BlizzConline. It was previously revealed by assistant game director Aaron Keller that players can expect a dramatic difference between maps in the original Overwatch and Overwatch 2. Between environmental devices like dynamic weather and the overall size difference, Blizzard will likely want to show players at BlizzConline what Overwatch 2 is capable of with its new maps.
Overwatch 2 Release Date
Finally, Blizzard will likely reveal the release date for Overwatch 2 at BlizzConline in February. While there have been many leaks and rumors as to when the game could launch, a recent update from the Overwatch League seems to suggest that players could start playing in early 2021. If this is to be believed, there is the possibility that Blizzard could attempt to release Overwatch 2 during BlizzConline as a surprise release, but that's just speculation and it's more likely just to reveal a release date. It seems that Overwatch fans will just have to tune in to BlizzConline on February 19, 2021, to find out for sure.
Overwatch 2 is currently in development.