Blizzard’s upcoming hero shooter sequel Overwatch 2 may be getting the full-price retail release treatment when it is expected to launch later this year.
Freshly minted listings on the web site of GameStop’s German wing imply as much, displaying launch platforms as well as pricing. According to the listings, Blizzard will launch Overwatch 2 on all the major platforms, including PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Next-generation consoles are glaringly absent with no listing for either the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X versions. That’s not to say Blizzard isn’t eyeing up a release on the consoles, but the publisher may be waiting for both Sony and Microsoft to unveil their respective hardware in earnest before making an announcement.
The listings currently note that Overwatch 2 will be priced at 70,77€, which roughly equates to around $80, matching the price of other upcoming AAA releases advertised on the outlet’s web site. Given that Blizzard has yet to share an official release date, we’d recommend taking the price as a suggestion rather than a confirmed price we’ll see across the board from all retailers.
Nevertheless, it does imply that Blizzard will push and market Overwatch 2 as a fully-fledged retail release rather than an expansion-style add-on to the existing Overwatch at a discounted cost. Further adding weight to this is the fact that it’s possible to pre-order Overwatch 2 on GameStop Germany’s website for that very price.
Alongside the price and a few select screenshots, the listings also feature a lengthy description for Overwatch 2. Courtesy of Google translate, it reads:
SIDE BY SIDE
The nations of the earth are under attack. The Zero Sector Omnic forces launched a series of surprise attacks around the world, and the planet’s governments and armies were quickly overpowered. Now the remains of the fearless combat force, once known as Overwatch, are facing the attackers. In this new era of crisis, the heroes of the world must now decide whether to answer the call and reunite to serve the world as a symbol of hope.
Overwatch 2 is the global sequel to Blizzard Entertainment’s acclaimed team-based game. It builds on the battle-proven foundation of the original game and carries everything players have achieved into a new era of epic competition and teamwork. In addition to action-packed battles in PvP game modes, players can explore the universe of Overwatch in a completely new way in fully cooperative missions. The heroes of the world must unite here and face numerous threats all over the planet.
HEROES AND Villains RISE IN CO-OP MISSIONS
In action-packed, collaborative story missions, players will experience the dawn of a new era of Overwatch as Winston, Tracer, and other well-known members of Overwatch team up with a new generation of heroes. Players actively intervene in the next chapter of the Overwatch saga, which spans a series of exciting missions for 4 players. In these missions, players take on the roles of different heroes and jointly defend the world from zero sector, uncover the background of the omnic attacks and face new threats all over the planet.
The fight continues with hero missions, in which heroes go to their limits on missions around the world, defending cities against robotic attacks, eliminating Talon elite agents and fighting the evil forces that threaten the world. In this high replay mode, players can level up with their heroes and unlock powerful customization options that enhance their abilities and give them an edge against seemingly overpowering opponents. Players can choose to upgrade Reinhardt’s fire strike so that he ignites nearby enemies, or increase the speed of his hammer turns. Or they modify Mei’s endothermic emitter so that frozen enemies take more damage and break into deadly ice chips. There are countless possibilities.
A NEW ERA OF EPIC TEAM FIGHTING
Overwatch 2 marks the dawn of a new era for Overwatch’s world-famous 6v6 battle. Not only will all the heroes, cards and game modes of the original game – including achievements and collections from Overwatch – be adopted, Overwatch 2 will expand the ever-growing one Hero roster with several new playable heroes, enriches the world with even more maps in new locations and introduces the new map type boost, in which two teams fight to guide a robot to their respective destination. The sequel to the game also has an improved user interface with upgrades for graphics and game engine that bring the battlefields of the earth and the beloved heroes to life with even more details.
Overwatch 2 also underlines Blizzard’s promise to continue supporting the Overwatch community. Overwatch players will be able to fight side-by-side with Overwatch 2 players in PvP multiplayer modes. In addition, Overwatch players also have access to Overwatch 2’s heroes and maps, so the community’s PvP experience remains dynamic even in the Overwatch 2 era.
As for when we can expect to hear more about Overwatch 2, it’s hard to say. With BlizzCon canceled and a digital replacement not expected until early 2021, it’s anyone’s guess under what circumstances Blizzard will opt to share details and even a release date. The woes thrown up by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic may have stunted development and we could see release pushed back into next year.