Published , by Ozzie Mejia
Published , by Ozzie Mejia
There's less than a month to go before Overwatch 2 arrives. Whether it arrives in early access or not depends on who you ask or seemingly what day it is, but regardless of the answer, Blizzard has a full Battle Pass ready to roll out for the game's opening season. Early Thursday morning, the publisher outlined what to expect from the game's opening weeks, while also unveiling new hero Kiriko.
As revealed on the Overwatch website, Overwatch 2's Season 1 roadmap will feature a variety of major additions, including a new game mode, six new maps, and three new playable heroes. We've met two of those heroes already: Sojourn and Junker Queen. The third was revealed on Thursday morning at this year's Tokyo Game Show. She's Kiriko, who brings teleportation abilities, kunai, and an adorable spirit fox into battle. Let's take a look at her moves in the image below.
There are some big changes coming with Overwatch 2's transition to a free-to-play game. We already know that the original full-priced game is going away forever with the sequel's release. The way unlockables will work is changing, as well. The Season 1 Battle Pass will feature over 80 tiers. Blizzard is pledging that free Battle Pass users will always have a chance to unlock new heroes, though Premium Battle Pass owners will often be able to pick them up sooner. In Kiriko's case, she'll be available immediately to all Premium Battle Pass users and anyone who previously owned Overwatch who has the Founders Pack.
The Battle Passes will also be home to the new Mythic skins. These will go beyond the Legendary rarity in the sense that they will feature interchangeable color schemes and patterns. Mythic skins will mainly be available through the Premium Battle Pass, which will sell for 1,000 Overwatch Coins (roughly $10 USD). Overwatch Coins can be purchased with real money or through the completion of weekly challenges. More information on the Season 1 Battle Pass can be found in the aforementioned link to the Overwatch website.
Blizzard has reiterated that PvE won't be coming until 2023, but has ample plans for PvP until that point. Season 2 is expected to feature a new tank hero, a new map, more than 30 new skins, and another new Mythic skin, all as part of a fresh Battle Pass. Season 2 is expected to begin on December 4 with more details coming at a later date. Once Season 2 deploys, a new hero will arrive every even-numbered season.
Overwatch 2 will release on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch on October 4, which will also mark the start of Season 1. There will undoubtedly be many questions about this game prior to its release and beyond and we will endeavor to answer many of them here at Shacknews, so be sure to follow the Overwatch 2 topic page for any updates.