Developer Blizzard Entertainment has taken to the official site of Overwatch 2 to detail changes coming to the game with the switch to the free-to-play model. In particular, the blog post addresses Battle Passes, shop contents, how Hero unlocks work and more.
The team explained that it is important to make sure the game provides plenty of fun, no matter how much cash players spend – including choosing not to spend at all. Overwatch 2 Season 1 will begin on October 4th when the game officially launches, bringing along 3 new Heroes, 6 new maps, a variety of skins and more.
Each season will feature a lot to explore—new experiences and ways to play—and will typically bring either a new hero or a new map, alternating each season. Each season will have a new Battle Pass, every one with a unique theme and up to 80+ unlockable tiers of cosmetics. With this new seasonal model, Loot Boxes are going away in Overwatch 2, and players will be able to purchase exactly what they want with the new currency – Overwatch Coins. The shop will offer featured cosmetic items every week for all players, and in Season One, many of these cosmetics will follow a cyberpunk theme.
The Battle Pass is free for everyone, and you can choose to upgrade to the premium Battle Pass for extra rewards. In Season One, everyone who logs in to play will receive Junker Queen and Sojourn automatically, whether they’re new players or returning. Players who own the original Overwatch will also receive Kiriko through their Founder’s Pack, which needs to be redeemed by logging in before the end of Season Two.
“Our goal is to make the game feel fair, enjoyable, and rewarding whether you choose to spend money on the Premium Battle Pass or not. Our team has worked hard to carefully craft not only the cosmetics you expect, but brand-new cosmetic types for the Overwatch universe like name cards, charms, and souvenirs, and some of these rewards will be available to everyone through the free track of the Battle Pass. If the season features a new hero, they will be earnable through the free Battle Pass track.“
Thus, if you don’t fit the requirements for immediate access to Kiriko, don’t despair, you will be able to unlock her as a part of the standard, free Battle Pass. Other rewards include 2 Epic Skins, 1 Weapon Charm, 2 Souvenirs, 1 Highlight Intro, 14 additional items such as emotes and victory poses and prestige tier titles.
Those who want to unlock even more rewards can upgrade to the Premium Battle Pass that features 60 additional (for a total of 80) tiers to unlock, including the first-ever Mythic-tier skin and other cosmetic items:
“Season One’s Premium Track provides instant access to Kiriko for new players, and contains over 60 cosmetics to unlock, including six all-new Legendary skins and the all-new Cyber Demon Genji Mythic skin.”
Check out the official blog post to learn more about new Heroes, new Maps and the overall Seasonal progression.
