- Rumors say Overwatch and its sequel might go free to play
- This is led by speculation around the game’s rating and announced features
- The game’s release date might be in 2023
Overwatch has had a stable fan base since its launch in 2016 and this year with the surrounding hype for its sequel growing, there are rumors that the game and its second installment might be going free to play.
Overwatch and Its Sequel’s Price and Contents
When it comes to titles as big as Overwatch, naturally, speculations will arise around it regarding the way the game is monetized. Currently, if you want to play the game on Xbox or PlayStation you will have to pay $59.99. This price is lower at $39.99 if we’re talking about PC or Switch. Of course, there are some regional differences in Europe and Asia, but it is clear that even five years after its release, the game is still being sold at full price.
Professional gamers and streamers alike have long been saying that Overwatch 2 should be free to play when it’s released and the same should happen for the original game. Although there is still no official information from Blizzard on the game's price, the fact that Overwatch 2’s rating suggests there will be no loot boxes, having a battle pass instead, means that the price might be quite different from the original game’s price.
According to the FPS’s official site, players of both games will be able to play with each other using maps and heroes from both games. This might mean that the PvP portion of Overwatch 2 will be free to play, yet players will still have to pay for the PvE content.
Overwatch 2’s Release Date
It is still unknown when the new game will be released, but as Forbes wrote, many players seem to think we should expect Overwatch 2 sometime in 2023. These rumors arose because of Activision Blizzard’s high turnover.
To clarify some myths, Andy Belford, Overwatch community manager, wrote on Blizzard’s forums “Without being pedantic, I want to point out that there was no release date or beta date communicated in yesterday’s earnings call. While I’m not prepared to discuss dates with you here today, I want to quash the rumor of a 2023 release date as being somehow ‘official.’”
Some professional gamers have expressed hope there will be an early beta in 2022.
Regardless if players want Overwatch 2 as soon as possible, Blizzard’s recent staff changes will hamper the game’s development. The studio will probably not announce a specific release date until it feels confident enough.
