Overwatch 2 will lock new heroes behind the free Battle Pass

This hasn't gone well with fans. Overwatch made all heroes available to play for free, which will effectively level the playing field for everyone. Now, the sequel is hiding all of its new heroes behind a paywall, which is not a good idea. Much like in the first game, its sequel will revolve around counter-picks. It becomes a lot harder to go against an opponent when you can't play a direct counter due to a lack of access to a particular hero.

If you think about it, what Overwatch 2 wants to do isn't different from what other shooters such as Apex Legends have done for years. If anything, Overwatch 2 players should feel great that there's a path to earn each character without paying for anything. But, you can't blame hardcore Overwatch fans for protesting against something that is easily a change for the worse.

Keep in mind that industry norms don't necessarily equal fair practice.

It will be interesting to see how well the Overwatch 2 launch will go next month. Blizzard might have billed it as a sequel but it feels more like a massive overhaul patch disguised as a follow-up. It basically revamps Overwatch to make way for new maps, heroes, and modes, as well as a delayed PvE mode.

It remains to be seen if all of these improvements can make Overwatch catch up with its contemporaries. However, Blizzard should know better than to upset the few remaining fans that Overwatch still has. If Overwatch 2 will hide new heroes by making people grind for them (and pay if you have a premium Battle Pass), it's hard not to question their line of thinking.

Speaking of Overwatch, Microsoft Gaming CEO, Phil Spencer, promised that the shooter will join the Game Pass along with Diablo and Activision's marquee shooter, Call of Duty.