[ad_1]
When Blizzard first introduced it was making Overwatch 2 in 2019, a sequel to what might have simply gone on being a usually up to date live-service recreation, one of many massive pillars of the pitch was that we’d lastly be getting a full-fledged marketing campaign for the shooter that might transfer the story ahead. Properly, quite a bit has modified since that 2019 Blizzcon reveal. The sport has gone free-to-play; although as soon as supposed to co-exist with the unique Overwatch, the sequel has cannibalized it; and Blizzard has gutted its deliberate PvE suite to deal with the aggressive recreation. Even so, the story missions have remained a part of the plan, no less than so far as Blizzard has formally mentioned. After months of radio silence and a few regarding in-game adjustments, nevertheless, followers are beginning to surprise.
Overwatch 2‘s story mission saga has been a curler coaster
To catch you on top of things, Overwatch 2 launched in 2022 and has solely had one batch of three story missions since. These have been launched in August 2023, and value $15. Which, on condition that the typical Overwatch 2 Legendary Pores and skin prices about $20, doesn’t sound too unhealthy. However after Overwatch 2 was pitched as a brand new recreation that might be purchased on a retailer shelf for a flat worth in 2019, the concept of the principle promoting level—the marketing campaign—being roped into the free-to-play mannequin as a piecemeal, recurring expense moderately than a full, one-time buy added to rising frustrations that the sequel was not what Blizzard promised.
The missions themselves have been fairly good. They riffed on Overwatch 2’s team-based gameplay extra successfully than the unique recreation’s seasonal PvE missions, and gave the story some much-needed momentum. However since then, it’s been principally crickets. Blizzard had already mentioned the following batch of missions wouldn’t launch in 2023, however when it got here time to speak about what was coming in 2024 at final yr’s Blizzcon, story wasn’t even a part of the workforce’s presentation. This raised issues that Blizzard could not have plans in place for the following set of story missions in 2024, and people fears have been stoked once more by the sport’s newest replace.
Why are followers apprehensive about Overwatch 2‘s story missions now?
Overwatch 2 received its massive mid-season patch on March 12, and together with including the Cowboy Bebop crossover skins, the patch additionally made a refined change to its menus. The Play menu lists all of Overwatch 2’s playable modes. These embrace ranked matches, Fast Play, and the Hero Mastery impediment programs. These three, in addition to the Arcade possibility that comprises modes that deviate from the sport’s typical ruleset, all have playing cards on the menu that includes characters from the sport. Up till March 12, the Story Missions had their very own card that displayed them prominently on the Play menu. Now, they’ve been sequestered to a small part of the display alongside Coaching and Customized Video games. , the issues that Overwatch 2 doesn’t anticipate you to play usually, if in any respect.
Whereas it’s a small change, contemplating how little info Blizzard has given concerning the story missions and the cuts to PvE extra broadly, followers are proper to be apprehensive that one of many greatest components of the Overwatch 2 pitch may find yourself canceled and added to the listing of damaged guarantees. Some followers are nonetheless holding out hope this simply means the following missions could also be a bit farther off, although the much less optimistic learn is that that is meant to decenter them as a pillar of Overwatch 2’s roadmap till a potential cancellation. It doesn’t assist that members of the Overwatch 2 narrative workforce have been reduce as a part of the 2,000 layoffs at Xbox again in January.
We reached out to Blizzard for remark however didn’t hear again in time for publication.
[ad_2]
Source link
