Blizzard
How much will new Overwatch 2 users have to play to get the original heroes?
Blizzard Entertainment has designed an experience that will ease access to new players, who will have to unlock modes and the previous heroes.
Those who are new to the series will not be able to unlock all the classic heroes in Overwatch 2 until they play 100 games. This has been confirmed by Blizzard Entertainment, which has paved the way to welcome both veterans and newcomers. Some game modes and features such as in-game chat will also remain locked until players meet certain prerequisites.
According to Blizzard, they have chosen to do it this way because it is part of a process to ease the entry of new players. They have called it First Time User Experience (FTUE).
“This focused experience eases new players into the world of Overwatch by teaching them about different modes, rules, and other high-level aspects of the game in an approachable way,” Blizzard explained.
“Most FTUE restrictions are lifted while in a group, so new players can team up with their friends at any time to play almost any game modes. Competitive is the exception to this rule because new players must complete a specific challenge to access this game mode.”
More security on Battle.net
Blizzard has also confirmed that all users will need to add a phone associated with their Battle.net account. They allude to security as the main reason for this decision: "This additional layer of security is an industry-proven solution in combating both cheating and disruptive behavior," which combined with other mechanisms will allow protecting your Overwatch 2 experience" from malicious actions and people.
Overwatch 2 will switch to the free-to-play model and will be available on October 4 in early access. It will be released on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, and Nintendo Switch. And what will happen to the original Overwatch? It will be shut down for good two days before the sequel launches on October 2.