Overwatch’s corporate identity was clear to see through its diverse cast and clear attempts at inclusion, made worse by queer characters who were never given any strong narrative within the world itself. On the surface it was a bold statement, but dig any deeper, and you were left wanting so much more as Blizzard chased demographic approval. Its universe had so much potential for excellent stories and worthwhile sociopolitical commentary, but this clear ambition was brushed aside as the years went on in favour of recycled seasonal events and development of a sequel that is only now lumbering towards the finish line. I once looked up to Overwatch, but now I can’t help but view its failings and cynical business practices for what they really are. I still love so much about it, and the warm memories it brings to the forefront of my mind are clear proof that Blizzard struck gold with this one.

After getting annoyed at Competitive, I found myself longing for those co-op events – specifically, the Archives ones where you proceed through a linear level taking on waves of enemies. I realized that, for me, the joy of Overwatch isn’t necessarily tied to competitiveness – it’s about facing reasonable challenges with people who are interested in working together, and playing a character you absolutely love the feel

With over 30 playable heroes already, there is no shortage of unique characters to choose from when readying for a fight. Still, it’s always fun to try out a brand new hero, who brings their own dynamic and playstyle. Overwatch 2 will kick things off with Sojourn, who will apparently be the first Canadian hero in the g

The hero shooter is a relatively new twist on the first or third person shooter genre. It’s typically defined as a game where you have a selection of characters to choose from, all of which have different roles, classes, or abilities that can help your team win the game. These games are usually team-based, and have elements that are commonly found in MOBAs, such as lanes, payloads that need to be pushed, or points that need to be captu

Although Reyes was given command of Overwatch, it isJack Morrison who is mostly credited with transforming the unit into a devastating fighting force. He trained the other founding members Ana Amari, Mina Liao, Torbjorn Lindholm, and Reinhardt Wilheim to work together as a team and led the strike team against the Omnics. The team destroyed the main Omnic control center in Rio de Janeiro and successfully put an end to the Omnic Cri

One element that Overwatch 2 will seemingly have in spades is an abundance of cooperative missions and full-fledged hero missions. Not only will we get to play with newly introduced upgrades, but we’ll get to live out cinematic stories that play an important part in the already rich, expansive lore of Overwatch . These will take place following Winston’s call to reunite the Overwatch t

The most apparent is the team size reduction. Overwatch 2 features 5v5 battles instead of 6v6, meaning both teams have one less tank in the fight. Opinions will vary, but I think it’s obvious that this is a huge improvement. Half the number of tanks means half the number of shields, which means fights are more active and exciting. Instead of both teams poking at each other from behind cover until everyone fires off their ults, every match is a constant back and forth. Getting picks has a much greater impact, so it’s easier to coordinate pushes with your team, even if you’re only communicating non-verbally. It’s a simpler, easier to follow spectator experience, which will help the Overwatch 2 Esports League reach a wider audience. Resizing the teams has an effect on every aspect of the game, and it’s been overwhelmingly posit

Overwatch 2 might be the first sequel in history that players of the original begged the developers not to make. Through a small handful of gameplay changes and minor visual updates, it just barely manages to justify its own existence. It feels like it’s Blizzard’s attempt to restructure the monetization into a more profitable, industry-standard model, which people have rightly pointed out benefits the publisher, but doesn’t actually provide any value to the players. At first blush, Overwatch 2 comes across like a dark tulpa of the original – a product designed to increase profits and engagement without offering anything that meaningfully increases enjoyment. Within the broader context, Overwatch 2 follows this year’s Diablo: Immortal as just another anti-consumer title from a mega corp that used to actually care about its fans and reputation. There’s never been a particularly good answer to the question “Why does Overwatch 2 exist?”, and I don’t anticipate there ever will

Following the successful takedown of the Omnic forces, Adawe chose to promote Morrison to the strike-commander position over Reyes, despite Reyes being the one who ultimately led Overwatch in disabling the Omnic base. A period of extended peace swept the world, and Overwatch helped usher in an era of space exploration, medical research, innovation, and discov