Overwatch 2 will replace the original in October and make it impossible to play again

Blizzard has confirmed that it will no longer be possible to play Overwatch once its sequel goes on sale. From next October 4, when it hits stores, the original game will be withdrawn and the only available option will be Overwatch 2. At least so explained Aaron Keller, director of this second part, in a question and answer on Reddit, where he also said the following about the launch:

“We’re using the term Early Access to indicate that this is just the start of many new things coming to the game. We’re launching with new heroes, maps and features, but there are even more of these coming seasonally – every 9 weeks. We recently released a roadmap detailing some of this content, with a new hero coming in Seasons 1 and 2, and a new map in Season 2. Additionally, larger pieces of the game that have always been a part of the vision for OW2 will be released to the game as part of the live service, including the launch of the PvE Campaign next year.”

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The decision will be controversial because Jeff Kaplan, director of the original game, promised at the time that both games would coexist without problems. It also raises a number of questions about how the process will be. Does it mean saying goodbye forever to the 6 vs 6 games of the original to bet only on the new 5 vs 5 model of Overwatch 2? What will happen to the physical copies of the first one?

It seems that Blizzard does not want to divide the community and is betting heavily on the free-to-play model of Overwatch 2, in which it will banish the loot boxes of the original for season passes. "Overwatch is a game with a life of its own and constantly evolving," said its managers. "This change of strategy seems to us the best for our players and the game." We will see how the community reacts and how the transition is between now and October 4 when Overwatch 2 comes out in Early Access for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC.

Source | Reddit