‘Overwatch 2’ may launch in Q2 2022

Esports organisation Overwatch League was "dissatisfied" with delays

Overwatch 2 may finally have a release window in sight, with reports that the hero shooter sequel could arrive in the second quarter of 2022.

The timeline comes from a recent Dexerto report on the future of the competitive Overwatch League (OWL). Its sources claim Overwatch publisher Activision Blizzard held a meeting with OWL team owners in the wake of the California Department of Fair Housing and Employment’s lawsuit over alleged sexual harrasment at the company, where plans for the future of the series were discussed.

The meeting, which reportedly took place on July 23, was largely to address developer Blizzard’s partners’ concerns over the lawsuit, but also addressed questions over the much-delayed sequel. Organisers of the OWL are said to want to host next year’s competitive esports events on the new game, with frustration mounting over its continued absence.

Advertisement

Dexerto says that “even prior to the lawsuit and the loss of league sponsors, multiple team owners were dissatisfied with the direction the league was heading in and the delays to the release of Overwatch 2.”

Overwatch BlizzCon
Credit: Activision Blizzard

However, an “internal Activision Blizzard source” told Dexerto “We’re more than aware we need to get it out,” and that “we’re looking to get it out before the Summer of 2022.”

Another source said “we’ve all been told that the aim is Q2 of next year”.

If that bears out, it would mean a rough window of between April and June 2022. This would be a considerable leap forward for Overwatch 2, which as recently as August 9 2021 was rumoured to be delayed by as much as a year, possibly not seeing release until 2023.

Overwatch 2 was first announced at BlizzCon in 2019. While the game will maintain a shared multiplayer environment with the original Overwatch, it will feature brand new player-versus-environment modes, and story-based missions. This would, hypothetically, bring more narrative directly into the game, rather than leaving the majority of world-building to take place in supporting media such as comic books and animated shorts.

Advertisement

No platforms have been confirmed for Overwatch 2, but the planned cross-compatibility matches with the original Overwatch, it’s highly likely that it will arrive on all existing formats – PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch – with current gen native releases on Xbox Series X and PS5 a possibility.

In other news, Xbox has announced plans to share “exclusive news” at Tokyo Game Show 2021 this month, while a collection of the entire Uncharted series could be headed to PC in December.

You May Also Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement

More Stories