Overwatch 2 As We Know It Is Officially Over As Blizzard Looks Ahead To Next 10 Years

Overwatch has experienced a fascinating journey, starting with its hidden development, followed by its 2016 release and entry into the world of competitive gaming. However, the release of Overwatch 2 proved divisive, and not everyone embraced the changes.

I’ll never forget when I first played Overwatch at Blizzard’s campus before it came out – I was so excited to see what people would think! I recently went back to Blizzard for the game’s 10th anniversary and learned about their plans to revitalize Overwatch in 2026. I was surprised by how ambitious those plans are.

Overwatch 2 Is Dropping The “2”

To Plan “For The Next 10 Years”

Okay, so this is kinda wild. Blizzard just announced they’re ditching the ‘2’ in Overwatch 2! Apparently, even their head of live games, Walter Kong, wishes they hadn’t called it Overwatch 2 in the first place. He said if he could go back, that’s the one thing he’d change. But he also thinks it was a good time for them as a company because they were able to make a big shift with the game. It’s weird to hear them admit that the name might have been a mistake, but hey, at least they’re being honest!

Things have been pretty interesting with Overwatch lately. The competitive scene has definitely changed compared to a few years back, but honestly, I’m really happy with how well the game is holding onto players. People are still engaged, and we’re doing a good job of keeping them excited with all the seasonal events and updates. Right now, we’re focused on constantly improving the game and taking it to the next level.

The game is shifting its focus to a new, story-driven experience. While traditional PvE and story missions aren’t returning, Blizzard is introducing a new narrative called “The Reign of Talon,” featuring a new character named Vendetta who is taking control of the villainous organization, Talon. Here’s how Blizzard plans to deliver these story changes to players:

In‑game events
Cinematics & Hero Trailers
Short stories & comics
Live map & visual updates
Updated maps reflecting events in the story
New voice lines and character interactions
A fully integrated Narrative Viewer

To reflect these changes in naming, Blizzard is restarting the season count with the next season, calling it “Season 1” instead of continuing with “Season 21.” Seasons will now reset each year, making it easier for new players to start playing.

As a huge fan, it was so cool to hear Aaron Keller talk about the future of Overwatch’s story! He explained that they’ve always aimed for really emotional, heartfelt character moments – and honestly, those shorts still get to me every time. But now, they want to build on that and create a story that actually goes somewhere. They’re planning a journey for us players, something that will unfold over this year and for years to come, which is incredibly exciting!

The game is planned to launch on the Switch 2 in Season 2. Updates will include two new main maps, a new playable hero each season (from Season 2 through 6), improvements to existing heroes (details are still to come), and unique character skins for Soldier 76, Ana, Illari, Mauga, and Genji.

Enhanced subroles are also being implemented, all with different passives:

Tank (Bruiser/Initiator/Stalwart)
Damage (Sharpshooter, Flanker, Specialist, Recon)
Support (Tactician, Medic, Survivor)

Meta is changing dramatically all at once, impacting not just how the game works, but also with a lot of new heroes coming soon.

Five New Heroes Are Coming To Overwatch Soon

With A Variety Of Playstyles

The team behind Overwatch 2 is releasing five characters all at once in just a few days. Blizzard is labeling these as “launch heroes,” and they’ll become available when the updated “Season 1” begins on February 10th.

Domina (Tank/Talon aligned)
Emre (Damage/Talon aligned)
Mizuki (Support/Talon aligned)
Anran (Damage/Overwatch aligned)
Jetpack Cat (Support/Overwatch aligned)

We recently tested all the new heroes in a playtest, and Domina was easily one of the most enjoyable to play in Overwatch. She’s a visually striking tank character enhanced with Vishkar technology. She can deploy a large, solid-light barrier to shield her team, and her beam-style weapon is really satisfying to use. Plus, she can recharge her shields by dealing damage, which rewards players who play aggressively.

Emre is a straightforward, damage-focused character in the first-person shooter style, playing a bit like Master Chief from Halo 2 – he’s often seen with a battle rifle. He’s been enhanced with cybernetics, giving him a powerful inner strength, but his personality still comes through, creating an interesting internal conflict. I think players will really come to appreciate his dependability.

Mizuki is a support character who fights alongside the Talon faction. He’s similar to Kung Lao in that he uses a hat as a core part of his moveset, but instead of dealing damage, Mizuki’s hat heals allies. He might take some practice to master, but he seems versatile and could fit well in many team setups. Plus, throwing his hat at teammates is just a fun little bonus!

Anran is a lively and energetic character, full of personality. She’s designed as a quick, attacking hero who can deal extra damage to enemies already on fire. Her ability, Dancing Blaze, lets her attack nearby opponents while briefly becoming invincible, making her really fun to play aggressively.

Okay, I’m SO excited about Jetpack Cat! They teased this character ages ago, and everyone thought it was just a fun little joke, but now they’re actually real! Apparently, Jetpack Cat can fly forever, which is amazing, and they have this cool tow cable called ‘Lifeline’ that they use to pull teammates to safety. Because they’re a support hero, I have a feeling Jetpack Cat is going to be a huge hit with all of us fans!

Starting February 10th, all heroes will be playable. Before that, from February 5th to February 10th, you can try out Anran as part of a hero trial. Blizzard also shared a sneak peek – a silhouette image showing five new characters coming in future seasons (from Seasons 2 through 6).

Overwatch 2 Is On The Right Path

More To Come

Blizzard is doubling down on its support for Overwatch 2. The Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS) will continue as scheduled, culminating in the World Finals in China, and the Overwatch World Cup will return at BlizzCon 2026. They’re also improving the Stadium mode with 70 updated icons for easier readability, and players can look forward to new collaborations, including a Hello Kitty x Overwatch event.

I recently chatted with the Overwatch team, and it’s really encouraging to hear they’re still dedicated to the game. I’m excited about all the changes coming in what they’re calling “Season 1.” I’ve been playing with the heroes, and honestly, it looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun to see everything in action!

2026-02-04 22:02