With a recent trailer at this year’s Xbox Games Showcase and now a completely dedicated reveal event, it’s been a busy week for us. Overwatch 2 News. There is so much new information about the Blizzard shooter sequel that it can be quite difficult to gather it all at once. That’s why we’ve distilled all the new details we’ve learned here so you can easily see all you need to know:
1. Overwatch 2 PvP will launch in early access on October 4th and will be free to play.
2. The Beta will also launch on both PC and console on June 28, with registrations starting June 16.
3. A new hero – Queen Junker – and a new map – Rio de Janeiro – will be playable in the upcoming Beta.
4. Crossplay mode and cross progression will be available from launch in Overwatch 2.
5. Loot boxes will no longer exist in Overwatch, and will instead be replaced with seasonal battles. Each of these passes will have both free and premium rewards.
6. Weekly challenges will cycle in and out for extra XP and a faster way to get through battles.
7. A shop will also be available along with the battle pass system.
8. Each of these seasons will last nine weeks and be themed.
9. Each season will bring a new hero, map or mode.
10. A new hero will join Overwatch 2 every other season, that is, every 18 weeks. It’s a similar rhythm to when Overwatch first launched in 2016.
11. Three new heroes will join Overwatch 2 at launch – damage hero Sojourn, the newly revealed Junker Queen tank, and a currently unspecified support character.
12. Game director Aaron Keller told us the clue is in the reveal video. A turquoise fox spirit running towards the Torii gate is glimpsed in the reveal video. Could this be an ability of this mysterious support character?
13. The Junker Queen’s origin story has been revealed in a slightly punk animated film that follows her rise to become the ruler of lawless Junkertown.
14. She is equipped with an ax in one hand and a shotgun in the other, making her an aggressive near-ranked tank with attacks that drain enemy health and restore health. his strong.
15. Her flash melee is not just a punch, but an attack that can wound enemies.
16. Her secondary flame is a throwable knife called Gracie that stabs an enemy and can then be recalled, pulling the enemy towards her.
17. She also has an ability called Commander Shout, which increases the speed and armor of allies around her.
18. Junker Queen’s ultimate is called Rampage, which creates a vortex of metal magnets, damaging anyone who gets in her way and preventing them from healing for a short period of time.
19. The other new heroes that will join the roster are a mix of heroes we’ve seen before in the story and other heroes we’ve never heard of.
20. Six new maps will also be included at launch. These skins are set up to include locations like Rome, New York, Toronto, Rio de Janeiro, Monaco, and Portugal.
21. The reveal event gave us our first look at the map of Portugal, complete with classic architecture and Overwatch trademark sci-fi brushstrokes. It’s another map for the new push mode.
22. Over 30 new skins will also be added to the cosmetic pool on October 4. Including a brand new “legendary” skin.
23. Mythic skin is a new type of cosmetics more advanced than the legendary. They are individually customizable and we were shown a cyberpunk-looking Genji skin during the reveal event.
24. New cosmetic items such as weapon charms and player banners will also be available.
25. Previously existing maps have been tweaked to accommodate the game’s shift to 5v5 from 6v6. These adjustments include changes to cover pieces or moving a door from where it used to be.
26. All maps have also undergone a change with a new lighting and shadow system, resulting in global glow and the option to now play some maps both during the day and at night.
27. Ambient sounds have been recorded from real-world locations to give their respective Overwatch 2 maps an extra layer of authenticity.
28. Overwatch 2’s Competitive Mode is getting improvements in Competitive Mode 2.0, including a reworked scoreboard and the ability to see a more detailed breakdown of your performance after each match.
29. Competitive skill ratings will no longer be presented as hard numbers, but instead players will be placed into smaller tiers of broader tiers depending on their performance level.
30. Overwatch 2 will support home theater and Dolby Atmos setups, as well as take advantage of the console’s 3D audio features.
31. New lines and conversations have been recorded between all heroes. In total, 25,000 lines were written for Overwatch 2.
32. Season 2 will start on December 6 and include a new tank hero, new maps, over 30 skins, new mythical skins, and battles.
33. Throughout 2023, new seasons will arrive with new heroes, maps and modes, over 100 skins, and Overwatch 2 PvE appearances.
34. The PvE map will be available as seasonal content and move Overwatch’s story forward.
35. The story revolves around the return of the Null Sector and the members of the original Overwatch team asking for help from the younger generation.
And that’s everything new we learned about Overwatch 2 this week. Be sure to stick with IGN for regular updates on the sequel ahead of its October 4, 2022 launch.
Simon Cardy absolutely can’t wait to get lost in this game again. Follow him on Twitter at @CardySimon.
