Though multiplayer will always be the backbone of the Overwatch franchise, what made the concept of Overwatch 2 truly exciting was the promise of a deep PvE mode. Fans have been wanting to see the narrative move forward for years, as well as the individual character arcs and the relationships between figures like Hanzo and Genji. A PvE campaign can provide that, but for those that are not invested in the lore of the franchise, the mode has to be rewarding from a gameplay perspective.
Having hundreds of hero missions to pick from should be great for replayability, while having deep skill trees with new abilities for the game’s iconic heroes will ideally provide depth. However, the multiplayer portion of Overwatch 2 has already struggled with a lack of earnable rewards, which is a problem that the PvE mode should avoid replicating. When crafting the PvE content, Blizzard should tie great rewards to each mission so that even those who have no interest in co-op gameplay will give the mode a chance.
What an Overwatch 2 PvE Reward System Should Feature
For starters, Overwatch 2’s PvE rewards should not be limited to just sprays. These have served as the main rewards for the original Overwatch’s Archives missions, which were far more limited in scope than what will be seen with Overwatch 2. Fans have no idea if they will have to pay to access the PvE content, but it does seem likely, so Blizzard has to increase the quality of the rewards to match - and the most obvious option available is special skins.
Overwatch 2’s cosmetics are beloved due to their high quality, with every member of the roster having at least one hugely popular cosmetic - and most heroes having several. In Overwatch 2’s PvP mode, players can acquire skins through seasonal events, spending credits, the battle pass, and the in-game store. PvE could provide another route to cosmetics, while also boasting exclusive skins for players to work on unlocking.
Considering that heroes like Lucio are expected to join the Overwatch organization during the PvE campaign, Blizzard could offer some fresh skins for them that look like those worn by Tracer, Mercy, Torbjorn, and Reinhardt in the Uprising mission. Characters like Baptiste and Wrecking Ball can don the Overwatch insignia somewhere on their outfit, with the group’s blue, white, and orange color pattern making for some great-looking skins. Similarly, a character like Symmetra joining Talon could result in a new skin that is unlocked exclusively through PvE. Damaged versions of the default skins, special outfits from a final mission, and more options are also on the table.
Blizzard could have a lot of fun with how it asks players to acquire these PvE skins. Completing a certain number of missions as Mei could result in a basic skin, while an outfit that is far tougher to acquire could ask players to beat every main story mission on the highest difficulty. 100% completion could even result in an Overwatch 2 Mythic skin, pushing players to max out all the heroes featured in the PvE content. Completing levels without going down, having the most kills across multiple missions, and finding collectibles are also challenges that can be tied to this hypothetical reward system.
Obviously, Overwatch 2 has more than just skins to offer its players, and the more basic rewards can be tied to simply progressing through the PvE campaign normally. Players could get souvenirs, highlight intros, charms, and emotes with every mission that is completed. Name plates, titles, and profile icons are even more options that can be scattered throughout the mode as rewards to collect, capping off certain story arcs. If Overwatch 2’s skill trees have enough depth, and the core gameplay is good, a lot of players will try PvE purely because it is fun. However, having special rewards to strive for is something that can keep them hooked, and encourage more players to try out the co-op content. If Blizzard consistently adds more rewards alongside new mission drops, too, then PvE could always be worth playing.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.