Victim of a long silence for several years already, Overwatch 2 is again on everyone’s lips thanks to the release of its closed beta. Focused solely on the PvP side of the game, you’re probably asking yourself a few questions about the title as a whole: has a release date been mentioned? What kind of game will OW2 finally be with the PvE mode? Simple DLC or full game? Although all the answers have not yet been communicated, we have tried to give you a complete recap of all the information available to date.
Overwatch 2 beta: Drops, new heroes on the horizon and update
If you haven’t followed the news around Overwatch 2, you may be wondering why this famous beta, available since April 26, rexactly like the first installment. Quite simply because it only concerns the PvP aspect of the title (ie the Players versus Players mode) which actually resembles the first Overwatch of the name. But let’s get things straight now: OW2 will not only consist of a PvP aspect. The biggest novelty, and what makes it a new title, will concern the PvE mode (Player against Environment) with a scripted adventure. Since the development of this part is absolutely not finished, Blizzard preferred to take the lead by having the players test the PvP aspect in order to refine it as much as possible. After all, a beta is made for that: to help developers spot bugs, give their opinion on the many changes made, the interface and the gameplay.
Especially since the PvP of Overwatch 2 is still quite different from the first opus. Admittedly, at first glance, the difference is not obvious, but the simple fact of going from a 6 against 6 to a 5 against 5 changes the meta and the strategy used by the players. As a result, some heroes must then receive considerable patches such as the Supports, for example, which have become far too vulnerable and less fun to play in 5v5. Recently, Zenyatta received an exceptional buff to counter these two drawbacks.
Scheduled for April 26, the closed beta of Overwatch 2 reveals some information, especially for our machines. Here are some details about the PC configurations to play Blizzard’s FPS in peace.
twitch
Nothing allows you to have guaranteed access to the closed beta of Overwatch 2. However, on Twitch, you can be assured of having an entry ticket for this test phase of Blizzard’s next opus. We take stock of the different methods to play the Overwatch 2 beta for free.
Thanks to this closed beta, Overwatch was able to benefit from a resurgence in popularity, especially on Twitch, and this is good news for all players (pro or not) who were looking forward to this. In parallel, the Overwatch League has also resumed this week. And while waiting for further news on OW2 as a whole, note that the developers are much more communicative than before. Regular blogposts are published on the current state of the beta and it was announced that new heroes would also be added during the different phases. Something to celebrate, in addition to the new cards already established such as Toronto, Monte Carlo or New York.
And if you still haven’t managed to find access to the Overwatch 2 beta, know that drops Twitch are still in progress and that other test waves are planned in the coming months.
Overwatch 2 release date: When will the full game be released and what will it cost?
This is obviously the big question that everyone is asking: a beta is good, but when will the rest of the features be released, the full game with its PvE mode? Blizzard was pretty clear on this, his primary goal is to test the PvP aspect of OW2 and tweak it until it’s satisfying for everyone. Casually, the change to 5v5 has serious consequences on gameplay. We also need to refine the user interface, the system of ping, statistics etc. In short, there is still a lot of work if only on the PvP beta. During the next phases, the developers would like to add the ranked system, for example, but this is not a priority because the simple fact that the beta is closed would prevent good matchmaking.
Regarding the PvE mode and the full release of the game, we only know thatOverwatch 2 is scheduled for release in 2023. On the price side, we can imagine something around 50€, like the first opus when it was released, but that is only theory. Unable to know more at this time.
And to say that the first information about Overwatch 2 dates back to 2019, already. The leaks showing the logo, an older Tracer and unveiling the Push game mode in Toronto are also verified today. Finally, it was during Blizzcon 2019 that the title was made official. We then discovered, in a trailer, the Push mode, the PvE mode and two new heroes: Sojourn and Echo. You probably know the rest: Echo will finally be added to the first opus, as the last hero of the game, and, while everyone was hoping for a release in 2020, it was total silence for several months. Finally, we will learn in 2021 that the releases of Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 were postponed to a later date. In April 2021, Aaron Keller then announced:“We are halfway through the development of Overwatch 2.” It is only in 2022 that we will hear again strongly about OW2 and its beta.
We’re not going to lie, the Covid-19 pandemic will clearly have created a sort of pause in the minds of many players, as well as wreaking havoc on the side of developers and publishers of all kinds. The departure of Jeff Kaplan and the recent stories around Blizzard will not have helped the good management of OW2 either, but it seems that all that is in the past now.
Overwatch 2 gameplay: Between PvP and PvE, what to expect?
Now that you have been able to touch or observe Overwatch 2’s PvP thanks to beta, let’s focus on the major new features that make it up but above all on what is planned on the PvE side.
What’s new in PvP?
- Beta phases in 2022 (the first having started in April),
- The new heroine Sojourn available but many others planned during the tests,
- 4 new cards so far,
- The new Push mode,
- 5v5 instead of 6v6,
- A Ping system in the field to warn allies,
- An overhaul of some heroes like Doomfist and Orisa (more to come like Zenyatta),
- A new option (interface) to show the statistics of its allies,
- Other game modes will be added, as will ranked games.
PvE on Overwatch 2
If we take the official trailers and announcements from Blizzard, we can have a fairly precise idea of what OW2 PvE will be like.
- Focus on the story : You will embody the heroes of Overwatch in co-op missions where you will have to join forces to strengthen your powers in order to face the threats hanging over the planet. This PvE mode will give you the opportunity to do co-op story missions that will make you experience the renaissance of Overwatch.
- Unlock Heroes : Winston, Tracer and other members of the organization will be the central elements of this new opus of Overwatch. The more you progress in the story, the more characters you will unlock in other hero groups to defend the civilians from the Zero threat and the Claw.
- Exploration : It will also be possible to do another type of mission called hero missions, where the Overwatch team will be invited to push their limits to the four corners of the world to defend cities against robotic invasions, to neutralize elite agents of the Gridde and confront the forces that upset the global balance.
- Level up : In this mode, you will be able to progress with your favorite heroes and unlock powerful customization options to strengthen their powers in co-op missions: it will be possible to combine various hero abilities together to make one and even attack.
- Object system : It will bring more variety and more options for completing missions. These are consumable items with a single use per item.
During Blizzcon 2019, the Story Mission mode was also available as a demo of the game. The very first mission of this campaign takes place in Rio de Janeiro. There, Mei, Reinhardt and Tracer help Lucio restore order to the town. A sort of collection of Archives missions, with the additional possibility of being able to personalize your hero by choosing talents that modify his basic kit. In short, many surprises still await us regarding the PvE of Overwatch 2 which, let us remember one last time, will indeed be the dominant aspect of the game upon release.
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