Overwatch 2 Goes Free-to-Play + New Heroes Per Year

“Tick-Tock-Tick-Tock-Tick-Tock!” – The clock’s ticking while the tides are rising as Overwatch 2 will be coming out on the 4th of October. During Bethesda and Xbox showcase, Blizzard announced that Overwatch 2 will be free-to-play. But, wait, there’s more! Aside from becoming free-to-play, Overwatch will also be featuring NEW HEROES and MAPS every year!

Overwatch 2 Early Access and Battle Pass Release, Screengrab Courtesy of Xbox (via YouTube)
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According to Blizzard, the game itself is already 3 times bigger than the first one. (New heroes + New Maps each year)

Starting October 4, the path to a bigger, wider, and more diverse Overwatch scenery is underway. During its release, the sequel will immediately offer 3 new heroes (Junker Queen, Sojourn, and an unnamed support hero), 6 new maps, and a new game mode called Push. Each season in Overwatch thereafter will be nine weeks long.

But, that’s not all of it! Keller also revealed that at the start of every season, there will be a new featured character plus a new map, game mode, or game updates.

“I feel like the biggest change coming to Overwatch isn’t just what’s happening on Oct. 4,” Overwatch 2 game director, Aaron Keller, said in an interview with the media last Tuesday. “The biggest change that is coming is everything that we’re going to be releasing afterward. We are so committed to putting out more content than we ever have before.”


5 years ago, the fantasy-themed team versus team shooting game genre was ruled by Overwatch.

It was like that for a few years until Apex Legends and Valorant entered the scene. Soon after, the latter became the golden standard (well, for some) for 5v5 first-person shooting games, while Blizzard’s Overwatch … kind of fell off the map. Even more so, their last major hero release was already almost 3 years ago (2019) which made some of the players frustrated. To be fair, it could also be because of the existence of the pandemic we are still facing today.

In recent memory, Blizzard has been surrounded by a lot of controversies and allegations. From intriguing lawsuits, ongoing allegations, and the departure of a few key personnel. However, it is high time that Overwatch bounces back and comes back even stronger.


Overwatch 2 - Junker Queen
Image Courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment

Fans are very eager to see what Blizzard has to offer. With the game now becoming free-to-play, some of the players are doubtful about what the developers are planning to do with the new heroes and equipment. Yes, nobody indeed wants to pay 60$ to $70 for a game with the same caliber as Valorant (which is free-to-play) but we’re gonna have to see what this sequel has for all of us.

Overwatch 2 will be available on PC and Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, and Nintendo Switch. On top of that, the game will also allow cross-platform play for a bigger audience.


Do you think it’s just right they made Overwatch 2 free-to-play? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. For more content, stay with us, here at Spiel Times.  

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