A new leak suggests that Overwatch 2 being released in 2022 is very unlikely, as development is taking “longer than expected”.
Overwatch streamer Metro tweeted that they had “heard from multiple people” that development on the much-awaited sequel is taking longer than expected, pushing the game to release a year later than was initially hoped.
OW2 News
I've heard from multiple people close to my original source with OW2 that the development is taking longer than expected. From what I can gather a release in 2022 does not seem likely anymore. I hope this is false and I'm proven wrong.
— Metro (@Metro_OW) August 7, 2021
“From what I can gather,” the tweet reads, “a release in 2022 does not seem likely anymore”. They went on to express their view that the original Overwatch would not survive the wait, stating “no way the game will be alive for another year and a half without major updates”.
It is unknown at this time whether the leak is substantiated, or what may be the cause of this delay, although the original suggested launch date has already passed. Since then, fans have not received an update on the progress of Overwatch 2, but Blizzard has confirmed staff cuts.
The company has also confirmed that the development of Overwatch 2 for the Nintendo Switch may come with “some compromises”.
BlizzCon has already been cancelled this year, and game director Jeff Kaplan, who worked on Overwatch and was with Blizzard for 19 years, left the company in April.
Alongside this, the ongoing lawsuit against Activision Blizzard has seen sponsorship deals pulled, staff resigning, and shareholders suing the company further.
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has recently been quoted as saying “people will be held accountable for their actions” in regards to the lawsuit.
In a press release following the comment, Activision Blizzard also laid out plans for changes within its workplace. This includes using a law firm “to ensure we have and maintain best practices to promote a respectful and inclusive workplace”.
The company has also committed to providing more resources to its Compliance and Employee Relations team, “strengthening our capabilities in investigating employee concerns.”
Activision Blizzard has been criticized for its actions following the lawsuit, including hiring a union-busting law firm and an initial response that did not “accurately reflect” the values of Activision Blizzard employees.