Overwatch is a multiplayer first-person shooter from the US game developer Blizzard Entertainment. The game is set in Blizzard’s fourth fantasy universe after Warcraft, StarCraft and Diablo. Overwatch was released in May 2016 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

OVERWATCH 2 - A VISUAL EVOLUTION

Overwatch 2 takes the world and gameplay to a new level: the environments are more dynamic, the battles are more comprehensive, improved effects and shadows enrich the atmosphere in the game. You will be immersed in the story of Overwatch in gripping events. All heroes will get a completely new, even more detailed and authentic look in Overwatch 2.

We're excited to see when and with which skins Blizzard will wow us again. For more info on Overwatch and everything else about the world of Esports and gaming, check out Early Game.

Overwatch is a team-based 6vs6 shooter that was released on May 24, 2016. Overwatch stays true to the true style of Blizzard’s previous titles. It was developed by Jeff Kaplan and is considered a “new concept” shooter in the FPS genre. The game was officially unveiled at BlizzCon along with 12 heroes on November 7, 2014.

The story of Overwatch is set on a highly fictionalized future version of Earth. In a time where humans and robots, which are called Omnics, live together (Chris Metzen hinted that the story deals with this very robot race). 30 years before the time when Overwatch takes place, the so-called “Omnic Crisis ” occurred. The robots, once helpers of humans, rebelled against their creators for reasons as yet unknown and triggered a worldwide chaos. Faced with the imminent destruction of human civilization, the best soldiers of all nations came together to form a program called “Overwatch”.

Their job was to protect the world from the Omnics, which they succeeded in doing. For the next 25 years, they were the protectors of the planet, united in an international coalition. Some agents stayed, some were replaced, but at some point something changed: the Overwatch disintegrated. However, 5 years later after this event, incidents with Omnics are again accumulating, a worldwide terrorist organization also seems interested in destabilizing the world order. A new crisis is looming. At this point, your career as an Overwatch agent begins.

Overwatch is a colorful team-based action game with many powerful and diverse heroes. Travel to locations around the globe, fight as a team, and conquer objectives in nail-biting 6v6 battles.

Overwatch 2 - Everything you need to know about the game

Since Blizzcon 2021 at the latest, we're smarter about the competitive shooter Overwatch 2. Here you can find out everything you need to know about the Esports shooter.

In 2016, noble developer Blizzard Entertainment dared an experiment: With Overwatch, the Californians, who are known for games like Diablo, StarCraft or World of Warcraft, released their first competitive shooter. The rest is history, because Overwatch became a mega hit and it's hard to imagine esports without it. In 2019, the successor Overwatch 2 was announced, and we'll tell you everything you need to know about the game.

Overwatch 2 release: When will the game be released?

Let's start with the bad news. Overwatch 2 will no longer be released in 2021, as the developers have now confirmed. The game is expected to be released at the beginning of 2022.

However, at least then almost everyone should have something from the potential shooter hit, because Overwatch 2 will be released for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. A version for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S is also considered extremely likely.

After all, you can transfer all your content from the first part of the series to the new game: Achievements, icons, sprays, emotes and skins will also work in Overwatch 2. In addition, players from Part 1 and Part 2 will be able to compete together in online multiplayer.

Will there be new maps in Overwatch 2?

Two new maps for Overwatch 2 were revealed at Blizzcon 2021 at the end of February. According to this, you'll be heading to Rome and New York City, among other places. At the foot of the Colosseum and in an ancient Roman temple, you will fight for victory for your team in the eternal city, while the map in New York City is held in the art deco style of the 1920s. Among other places, you'll fight in Grand Central Station, as well as at a version of the famous Flatiron Building. Other new maps are also highly likely, but so far they have not been officially revealed.

What will change in the PvP mode of Overwatch 2?

Part one was fully designed for competitive PvP battles. The gameplay is considered the basic framework for Overwatch 2, but it has been expanded by many details. Among other things, there will be brand-new "passive role bonuses" for every character, depending on the class. Tanks like Reinhardt or Winston are said to be more resistant to knockbacks, while damage dealers like Reeper or Hanzo benefit from an increase in movement speed. Supporters will also gain a passive self-healing ability that restores health over time (similar to Mercy's passive ability, but not quite as effective). However, these role bonuses are not final at this time and could still be changed before the Overwatch 2 release.

Other gameplay changes in Overwatch 2:

Battles are supposed to feel even more dynamic, with a team taking a close look at each hero for this purpose Fast melee attacks will be changed and should be faster to execute thanks to new animations Weapon sound effects will be adjusted and will sound different depending on the environment

What game modes will there be in Overwatch 2?

Well-known game modes from the first part, such as control, attack or escort will return. However, the developers hold out the prospect that these might be reworked. In addition, there will be a new game mode called Thrust in Overwatch 2. Here, the two teams compete against each other on a symmetrical map. The goal is to gain control over a robot. The robot starts in the middle of the map at the beginning and must be moved to the opponent's base for victory. The team that has advanced the farthest with the tin can at the end of the round wins.

Overwatch 2: What are the new Hero Missions?

Another new feature in Overwatch 2 is called Hero Missions. These are cooperative PvP missions for up to four players that can be repeated as often as desired. They are primarily aimed at new players who do not want to start directly in multiplayer. In the Hero Missions, you can level up your Overwatch 2 heroes; according to the developers, there will be "hundreds" of these missions in the game. In addition, the co-op missions have slight story elements. You can play on all of the game's maps, but they have unique areas that are not available in PvP mode. In addition, the maps can be repeated with different mission objectives and different enemy factions. The time of day can also change, and there are supposed to be dynamic weather effects.

What about the PvE campaign of Overwatch 2?

Overwatch 2 will have a proper story mode. The shooter's PvE campaign revolves around the heroes who must try to stop a renewed uprising of Omnics. Each mission in the fight against the robot occupiers will feature a cinematic intro and outro sequence that will seamlessly transition into the gameplay. The game will be played on maps created especially for the PvE mode, which, according to the developers, will be gigantic in size. In India, for example, you'll have to escape from a temple while a fire destroys the entire area, while in Gothenburg you'll be in the workshop of Overwatch hero Torbjörn. For each PvE map in Overwatch 2, you have the choice between a fixed selection of heroes, who have fully dubbed dialogs - depending on the setup you choose, you can expect completely different conversations.

How does Hero Progression work?

In the PvE campaign and the Hero Missions of Overwatch 2, you can also level up your heroes, thanks to the Hero Progression system. Like in a classic role-playing game, each character has a total of three talent trees into which you can invest the skill points you earn to level up. Each talent tree should allow for different play styles, and hybrid skills in different skill trees are also possible. Healer Mercy, for example, should be able to teach you an area-of-effect revival, which was removed from Overwatch 1 in 2017. Alternatively, the lady shoots explosive projectiles from her staff, while Junkrat can access double the number of grenades. Also new are elemental effects for weapons: Reinhard's fire blast unceremoniously becomes an ice blast, while Junkrat's traps cause electric shocks. As things stand, however, these talent trees only take effect in Overwatch 2's PvE mode, so the developers want to ensure that the same requirements apply to all players in online multiplayer.

What about the heroes in Overwatch 2?

With the former Overwatch leader Sojourn, a new hero has already been announced for the game. However, it is unclear which abilities the Canadian will have. Blizzard is working on numerous other additions to the hero roster, but they have not yet been revealed.

At least all existing heroes from the first part will return and in a fresh (optical) outfit: Cowboy McCree has grown a full beard, Reaper is now fully armored and Reinhardt has taken off his helmet - looks a bit like Geralt from The Witcher.