Overwatch 2 ditching lootboxes for seasonal battle pass and in-game store

Activision Blizzard has confirmed Overwatch 2 will be an “always-on, ever-evolving” free-to-play game when it’s released. will launch in early access on October 4will ditch its predecessor’s lootboxes in favor of a seasonal Battle Pass and an in-game store.

This news was shared during a Overwatch 2 Extended Live Stream tonight, primarily focused on the game’s live service model and seasonal content plan – the latter, according to Overwatch 2 game director Aaron Keller, will allow Blizzard to deliver new content to players on a more “frequent and consistent” compared to the original game.

Each season will last nine weeks and will alternately add a new hero and then a new map. It’s a little different for Season 1, though, with Blizzard promising three new heroes, six new maps, the new Push game mode, weekly challenges, over 30 new skins, and a new Mythic skin when things start on October 4 in tandem with Overwatch 2 Early Access launch.

Overwatch Animated Short – The Wastelander.

Release day will feature Sojourn, Junker Queen, and a new support hero to be revealed at a later date, while new maps will include Midtown, Portugal, and other “iconic locations” around the world. Content from Overwatch 1 will also return in the form of revamped heroes, PvP maps, and “fan favorite” modes.

As for cosmetics, which form the core of Overwatch 2’s free monetization model, they can be unlocked through the new Seasonal Battle Pass or purchased through the in-game store. Expect to see weapon charms, banners, and skins (including new mythic skins, described as the next level above legendary), which, Blizzard notes, can be used on any platform, regardless of where they are earned, thanks to cross-progression and cross-play.

The second season of Overwatch 2 arrives on December 6 and promises a new tank hero, a new map, over 30 new skins, a new mythic skin and a new battle pass, and this basic release framework will continue until ‘ in 2023. Next year will see the introduction of two more support heroes, as well as another tank, and that’s also when Overwatch 2’s much-vaunted PvE will finally arrive, giving players the chance to experience the game’s ongoing lore firsthand.

Overwatch 2 – Junker Queen Deep Dive.

Ahead of all that, the second closed beta of Overwatch 2 will launch on PC and consoles on June 28, featuring the new Rio map and new ax-wielding tank hero Junker Queen, which received a extended intro cutscene during today’s live stream. Registrations are now live for those who wish to participate.

Today’s Overwatch 2 update arrives on the same day as Activision Blizzard – after almost a year of shocking allegations he fostered a corporate culture where sexual harassment, assault and inappropriate behavior could flourish – announced that he had investigated and decided there was “no widespread harassment or systemic harassment” at the company.

He also insisted that there was “no evidence to suggest that senior executives at Activision Blizzard ever intentionally ignored or attempted to downplay instances of gender-based harassment that occurred and were reported”, despite a damning Wall Street Journal report in November, claiming that Bobby Kotick had known about the allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of female employees in many areas of the company “for years” but had not acted on them or told the board of directors. administration and leaders everything he knew.