Brace yourself for a dose of disappointment as Overwatch 2’s executive producer, Jared Neuss, has indicated that it’ll be a while before new story missions are added to the game. This news lands amid existing discontent among the fanbase over the game’s perceived shift in development priorities and monetization strategies.
In a recent livestream with Twitch streamer and ex-San Francisco Shock player, Emongg, Neuss broke the news. “Don’t expect the next round [of story missions] in the next season and the season after that, or anything like that,” he said. Neuss justified the delay as necessary to give the team sufficient time to incorporate changes and introduce new features based on player feedback.
This development indicates that the highly-anticipated story content expected to unfold after the initial wave of missions, set to launch on August 10, won’t arrive until 2024.
It’s quite the setback for fans who have long awaited a move in the story narrative of Overwatch 2, a promise integral to the game’s original appeal, but has since been pushed back and become premium content.
On August 10, Overwatch 2 will roll out ‘Invasion’, its first set of three story-based missions. These missions, taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Toronto, and Gothenburg maps, follow the nefarious activities of the villainous Null Sector and promise “complex objectives and an in-depth storyline.” Additionally, a new PvP mode and a new hero will be added.
However, the wait for new story content doesn’t sit well with players, especially given that Blizzard has priced permanent access to these story missions at $15. This pricing decision comes on the heels of the cancellation of the game’s co-op PvE mode, stirring disappointment among the fanbase.
The way Blizzard has handled the content rollout for Overwatch 2 is the exact opposite of Diablo 4. Whereas Diablo 4 has hit all the right marks save for a couple of disappointments and controversies, Overwatch 2 can’t seem to get things right. The game initially promised a narrative-driven sequel to the original hero shooter, yet it launched in October last year sans any story content but with a chock full of issues. The fact that it took almost a full year for the story elements to materialize is just the tip of the iceberg. Originally, the sequel was pitched to include a comprehensive PvE suite, skill trees, and customizable character builds, but Blizzard stripped these elements down to only the story missions.
Blizzard has navigated choppy waters with Overwatch 2’s transition to a free-to-play model and the ensuing monetization changes. It’s clear these changes, coupled with delays in delivering key content, have taken a toll on player sentiment.
Neuss offered some solace to fans by hinting at other narrative developments for 2024: “To be fair, there’s a bunch of stuff that we want to do next year, or that are already in development for next year, that will fill the gaps that people will have in between.”
Fans can’t help but wonder if Overwatch 2 was ever necessary in the first place. Without its narrative progression and enhanced PvE content, Overwatch 2 feels a lot like a move forced to justify a free-to-play transition as opposed to an actual sequel.
As Blizzard revises its roadmap, fans can’t help but wonder if their expectations for they had misplaced their expectations for Overwatch 2 or if Blizzard just can’t stay true to its promise.
Now, it’ll be interesting to see what runs out first – the fan’s patience or Blizzard’s excuses.
