I completed Overwatch 2’s season 12 battle cross final evening. There are solely 11 days left on this season and it’s simply the longest it’s taken me to work my method via the hero shooter’s each day challenges to unlock all of the skins, emotes, and voice traces Blizzard provided in these previous 9 weeks. As I completed the battle cross, I spotted that right this moment, October 4, is the two-year anniversary of when Blizzard shut down the unique Overwatch to interchange it with the sequel.
In 2022, every little thing modified for Overwatch…properly, form of. It was alleged to, not less than. Now, two years later, it’s clear that my religion in Blizzard’s unique imaginative and prescient for the sequel hasn’t been rewarded—and that’s principally as a result of we didn’t get most of what was promised: a story-driven sequel that may additionally nurture a thriving aggressive suite.
Now, let’s take inventory of what we really bought:
All of this ought to be learn with the context of the in depth layoffs at Blizzard, turnover as a result of firm’s reported work tradition, and vital management adjustments all through the years.
I nonetheless have loads of love for the Overwatch universe. After taking part in over 1000 hours throughout each the unique and the sequel, characters like Soldier: 76, Sombra, and Lifeweaver have embedded are a few of my favourite online game characters of all time. I like taking part in as them, however that isn’t sufficient anymore—I’m on autopilot, unlocking cosmetics for them I gained’t use and feeding a machine that isn’t giving me what I need or was promised. My numbers are going up, and nights I’d in any other case stare on the ceiling (or play a special recreation, what an idea) are nonetheless full of my mates’ laughter as we push payloads. However I take into consideration Overwatch 2 much less and fewer today, and I was invested on this world. Now it’s only a style present for characters who really feel like props for the meta of the week.
Hoping for the sport that was promised feels futile however I nonetheless need it to be greater than it’s now. However can a workforce that’s being hit with cuts do extra? Is Overwatch 2 doomed to be simply sufficient to promote one other Kiriko or Mercy pores and skin? Overwatch was as soon as the largest recreation on this planet, and its sequel was alleged to lastly ship on extra of its promise. Now, it’s not the undisputed king of the hero shooter, and stiff competitors is on its method.