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In transitioning to free-to-play, Blizzard's Overwatch 2 is adopting a new release model for its characters similar to games like Apex Legends.

Justin Carter, Contributing Editor

September 8, 2022

1 Min Read
Promotional image for Overwatch 2 from Blizzcon 2019.

Blizzard's Jon Spector confirmed on Twitter that the upcoming Overwatch 2 will include heroes in its battle pass system. This comes following a (now removed) section of a description for the game's Watchpoint pack saying the first season's new hero would be available instantly on the premium track, while players with the free battle pass have to earn the character by playing the game. 

"New Overwatch 2 heroes will be available on the free track of the Battle Pass," said Spector, who added that the information in in the Watchpoint pack was "incomplete." 

It's a marked change from the release model of Overwatch 1, where new heroes were given to all players for no extra cost. This new model will sound familiar to those who play online games like Apex Legends, where new characters cost money or can be bought for free using in-game currency gained while leveling up.

For players curious about trying out new characters sooner, this is a potential way for Blizzard to earn revenue from those interested players.

While the Watchpoint pack costs $40 and includes other in-game items, it's unclear how much a season's battle pass on its own, and the character that comes with it, will cost. Other online shooters from similar developers have priced their season passes at $10. 

About the Author(s)

Justin Carter

Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com

A Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don't ask him about how much gum he's had, because the answer will be more than he's willing to admit.

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