Overwatch 2 Release

As 2019 comes to a close, we as a community should look back on how far Overwatch has come since it was released three years ago.

 

It has had its ups and its downs, but at every step of the way, it provided us with hours upon hours of entertainment and joy. It was a place for those who fell through the cracks of other Esports titles to gather and duke it out.

 

It was an incredibly deep, sophisticated shooter with a rewarding skill curve and unique and quirky gameplay. 

 

I say was, as it is looking likely that this year is the last year that we get to spend with the beloved title.

 

Fear not, however, as the reason many of us are laying Blizzard’s masterpiece to rest is that a sequel is soon to be on its way.

 

Overwatch was announced way back when, at Blizzcon 2014, to be exact. Yeah, five years ago…I feel old now too. 

 

So, five years on, and Blizzard treated us to another Blizzcon Overwatch announcement. 

 

During the 2019 celebrations and panels, Blizzard announced the existence of Overwatch’s successor, Overwatch 2.

 

With this, they put not just months, but years of speculation to rest. Finally! We had official confirmation of the sequel that many of us were frothing at the mouth to bite into.

 

Not only that, but they actually opened up the Blizzcon ceremony with the news! Talk about starting with a bang!

 

As for a release date, the first Overwatch came out two years after the announcement of the first game. It is not unreasonable to expect the same development time frame here, although I am leaning towards a 2020 release. 

 

With the first one, they were building an entirely new IP from the ground up. Stories had to be written, characters and maps designed, and gameplay coded. With the sequel, Blizzard is building and improving upon a pre-existing foundation.

 

With this announcement came the first look that we got at the new hero, Sojourn. Doesn’t seem like my cup of tea, but I recommend that you take a look for yourself.

 

You know the news, so what?

 

Well, the most significant announcement exciting fans is the inclusion of a much-requested story mode.

 

Overwatch released with no story, remaining a multiplayer game exclusively. With such a unique world and eccentric characters, it was impossible for Blizzard to keep the game world a generic shooter. 

 

Soon additional media started popping up that fleshed out the world and characters, Blizzard’s website had plenty of lore, comics, and web shorts also served as a way for heroes to be introduced, and their characters and backstories fleshed out.

 

Now though, players no longer have to rely on external bits of content to get their story fill, with Blizzard finally deciding to capitalize on the gold-mine of a universe that their writers have created. 

 

If you haven’t already, you need to check out the announcement cinematic trailer. It’s honestly incredible. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.