Although Overwatch 2 was expected by some to release in 2021, Activision Blizzard has confirmed the game won’t be coming out this year. That means it will be at least 2022 before the “hero shooter” sequel releases - and that creates quite a few problems for the original Overwatch, which is in desperate need of a content update.
News regarding Overwatch 2 is expected for BlizzCon 2021, although developers stated the game wouldn’t release for some time. Now, it’s been confirmed Overwatch 2 won’t release this year, which is disappointing a lot of fans. It’s also why Overwatch needs an update now - in order to hold fans over until Overwatch 2 comes out.
For now, there’s no end in site for Overwatch 2’s development. The game was announced at BlizzCon 2019, but additional details have been pretty scarce. Outside of a new confirmed hero named Sojourn and cosmetic changes for existent heroes, not a whole lot has been shared. This marks the two-year anniversary of the game’s announcement, and all indications point toward slow development and a far-off release date. Because of this, the number of players in Overwatch may drastically decrease - especially if a new update doesn’t arrive anytime soon.
Why Overwatch Needs A Content Update In 2021
Overwatch gets fairly regular updates, but the last major content drop came in 2020. It’s been a year since a new hero - Echo - was added into the game, and most fans attributed this dry spell to Overwatch 2’s impending release. But now that Overwatch 2 isn’t coming out anytime soon, the original game needs a new hero to keep current players interested.
Of course, Overwatch still gets a few updates in the form of seasonal events. The 2021 Lunar New Year event is going on right now, in fact. But that isn’t enough to keep players in the game, and it’s also probably not enough to incentivize new players to try it out, either. This is why Overwatch needs some kind of content update immediately - either in the form of new maps or new heroes. It could even be a good idea to introduce some of Overwatch 2's heroes into the game, since the sequel will transfer data from the original. That way, fans still feel like they’re getting something and it keeps the momentum building for Overwatch 2.
For now, it’s unclear when exactly Blizzard plans to release Overwatch 2, although it will be at least 2022 before the game comes out. More news regarding the game should appear at BlizzCon 2021, so fans shouldn’t have to wait too much longer to hear some kind of update. In the meantime, the original Overwatch could really use a new content update to keep current and prospective players interested.