Blizzard wants to link new heroes to progress in the Battle Pass. According to critics, this poses the risk of destroying the gameplay experience of Overwatch 2.
The mood in the Overwatch 2 community has been tense for months. Many questions about the successor to the popular hero shooter remain unanswered even a few weeks before release. One very central one: how exactly will the Free2Play model work?
A Blizzard official has now explained that new heroes are hidden behind a Battle Pass. In the free portion, players must first unlock the heroes before they can use them. This sets critics on edge, as it could have a lasting impact on the gameplay of Overwatch 2.
What is already known?
Blizzard”s vice president Jon Spector only stated in a Tweet that heroes in Overwatch 2 would be free to play in the Battle Pass. Further information is to follow shortly before release.
Addressing some incomplete info posted early about our Overwatch 2 Battle Pass – we”ll be sharing all details ahead of launch, but want to confirm that new Overwatch 2 heroes will be available on the free track of the Battle Pass.
– Jon Spector (@Spex_J) September 8, 2022
What is already known about Overwatch 2, you can read in our overview:
https://www.global-esports.news/overwatch-tips/overwatch-2-with-release-in-october-and-free2play-all-info-on-the-new-shooter/
How could this work?
The case is a bit complicated, so let”s explain it in bullet points:
- The Battle Pass contains a free path and a paid path, as practiced in other shooters like Apex Legends, but also Hunt: Showdown.
- While the paid path only contains cosmetic content such as skins, free players receive all content relevant to the gameplay, such as the aforementioned new heroes.
- This forces players to grind the Battle Pass, i.e. to play regularly and a lot, to get the gameplay relevant heroes. It is possible that Blizzard, like other publishers, will also offer boosters for real money, which will provide a faster path to content.
Indespite this, Blizzard is already facing massive criticism for its last Free2Play release, namely Diablo Immortal.
What is the problem?
Gamers now criticise that this business model, which is quite common for Free2Play games, would be contrary to the gameplay. In e-sports, but also in the recreational game of Overwatch, tactical options are part of every match.
Players switch heroes in the middle of a match to counter certain other tactics, make a tricky advance or support their own team with healing or shields.
Now, if some players lack the new heroes, they have fewer options to choose from. If you imagine a team made up mostly of players without the new heroes against a team that has all the tactical options… you might have a qualitative gap. In this mind game, some players would be at a disadvantage.
On Twitter, one fan responded with a pessimistic assessment:
overwatch 2 https://t.co/dgzCB0XcKp pic.twitter.com/TypEi4M45t
– Frogger (@FroggerOW) September 8, 2022
Details still unclear
However, we do not yet know the details of the business model. It would be possible, for example, that Blizzard would address the problem described above by making competitive matches only accessible to players with all unlocked heroes. Or games could be thrown together on the basis of the unlocked heroes. We”ll have to wait and see until the developer communicates more details.
Blizzard”s recent business strategies in the area of Free2Play, see Diablo Immortal, are even causing fans to look at the future release of Diablo 4 with great scepticism.
