Blizzard broadcasted on the 17th (17th) at 2:00 am on Overwatch YouTube and Twitch Channel, introducing the live service model of ‘Overwatch 2’, content plan for each season, and new heroes.
In this broadcast, a number of developers, including Aon Keller Game Director, participated, and shared various information such as the background that ‘Overwatch 2’ was decided as a free play live service, the update plan for each season, and the newly introduced myth grade skin.
More information about the new hero Jungker Queen was also introduced. Jungker Quinn, a new hero of an assault role group, has a passive that restores his strength as he attacks his opponent along with a technique of buffing allies. It is a tanker hero.
In response to this announcement, there was also a media-question and answer time to listen to the more detailed explanation of ‘Overwatch 2’ from Aon Keller Game Director and John Specter Commercial Leader. ‘Overwatch 2’, which announced the conversion of free play live services, plans to update the season-based update for nine weeks after the launch of the early access on October 5.
Meanwhile, ‘Overwatch 2’ plans to conduct a new beta test from June 29, and the test participants will be able to check new contents such as new hero Jungker Queen and Rio Battlefield Map before launching.
Overwatch 2 Live Service Roadmap
■ October 5, early access release
First of all, ‘Overwatch 2’ will be released on October 5 (domestic time) as it was released last week. It will be serviced in the form of free to play (F2P) that plays games without a separate package purchase, and BM will also add some additions and changes. Blizzard plans to release the Overwatch 2 revenue model later.
At the time of its launch on October 5, a number of skin including new heroes and contents released in the beta test, including three new heroes, six battlefields, new PVP mode push, weapons, and new skins to decorate weapons. This is added. As a new hero, one support hero will be added in addition to ‘Sojeon’ released during the beta test and the newly released ‘Jungker Queen’, and information about the hero has not been disclosed yet.
■ Seasonal update every 9 weeks
Since the launch of the early access, Overwatch 2 plans to update the season-based update to add new heroes, battlefields, and modes every nine weeks. In December, after 9 weeks of release, a new assault hero will be updated, and the ‘myth’ grade skins will be added continuously in ‘Overwatch 2’.
In general, new heroes will be updated once every two seasons (about 18 weeks), and the plan is to add three to four new heroes a year. In addition, the company plans to continue to update various contents and entertainment, such as embellishy items.
Xinhua Skin is a class of one level higher than the existing legendary skin, and is designed to allow some customization to change the special effects that occur when the hero uses technology. The main character of the mythical skin, which will be released for the first time after its launch, is Genji, and a mythical skin that utilizes the cyberpunk style will be produced.
■ PVP reorganization, new mode and visual upgrade
Compared to the existing Overwatch, the biggest difference is that it changed from 6VS6 to 5VS5. Atticeller explains that the heroes of the assault role group have been reduced to one person, and some differences between character design and balancing methods, and that existing assault heroes have been reorganized to adapt to the new environment by looking closely.
In ‘Overwatch 2’, it has been reorganized to give a new feeling when playing directly while maintaining the identity, appearance, and personality of the heroes of the existing game, and can check the balance or adjustment based on the collection feedback. There will be. In addition, as it turns into a free live service, it will listen to the feedback of users and provide a quick update.
In addition to balancing, reorganization is made in graphics. Each battlefield has become more detailed so that the atmosphere of the actual tourist attraction can be highlighted, and it is concerned to see different appearances at day and night by battlefield. The sound also plans to recording in the actual place to provide a more improved sense of reality. In addition, as the battle number has been changed to 5VS5, the location of cover was changed in line with the new situation, and the company plans to continue to improve based on feedback from beta by the time of launch.
■ Competition before 2.0
Systems related to competition are also improved. The biggest change is the lack of tools and statistics that can confirm the improvement of each player, and in Overwatch 2, more information can be checked during the game based on the reorganized score board. After the game ends, you can receive the results report, and you can slowly check the data in the report when you want to wait for the queue or replay the previous game.
In addition, ‘Overwatch 2’ plans to provide the ability to score skills as a field by field, not numbers, so that the player can feel that the player is actually growing.
■ PVE mode is scheduled to be released in 2023
Overwatch 2’s PVE mode, which was released through BlizzCon, is being developed with the goal of launching in 2023. The PVE mode is preparing to look more closely at the worldview and heroes of Overwatch’s worldview, and plans to show the storytelling method that was impossible in existing PVP mode.
As it turns into a free live service, the PVE mode of ‘Overwatch 2’ will also provide a worldview and story through continuous updates, and the story of the ‘Overwatch’ worldview, which has been released little by little through various media such as cinematic and short novels. It is being developed with the goal of richer mode.
New assault hero, Jungker Queen
■ The Queen of the Trash Village finally appeared
The second new hero of ‘Overwatch 2’, where new cinematics are released, can be played directly through beta from June 29.
Jungker Quinn has been mentioned in the setting of ‘Queen’ that drove Jungcrat and Roadhog out of the trash village, and unlike the new heroes who are designed from the sketch stage without the background story, they are born in the background of garbage village. It is a hero. As she can see in the video, she is an attractive hero, and this figure is faithfully reflected in the game design with the role of assault.
■ Agented Assault Heroes with Hill Van and allied buffs
The characteristic of ‘Jungker Queen’ is that it is designed to showcase the most aggressive tendency in the assault role group that mainly plays the role of tankers in the team. She is mainly assaulted with enemy camps and uses a large ax and a top blade dagger, and you can restore her stamina as she puts ‘injuries’ on the attacked enemy.
The top blade dagger is used to throw it to the other person, and when the enemy is right, it is a technology that can draw a certain distance toward the junger queen by using the technology once again. In addition, Jungker Queen has a buff technology that shouts on the battlefield to inspire the surrounding allies and increases speed and defense for a period of time.
Her Jungker Queen’s ultimate is a technology that uses her magnetic force around her to create a vortex of metal, rushes quickly in her own direction, and attacks the other person. Enemies hit by her ultimate healing can not be recovered for a certain amount of time.
Developer Q & A
** Q. I’m curious about the reason for the decision of the F2P structure this time. Also, what is the business model when switching to F2P? I’m curious if I’m considering selling character DLC similar to Diablo 3.
The biggest advantage I anticipate while switching to F2P is that the player has eliminated the entry barrier. ‘Overwatch’ is a game where the team has to work together to exercise strategy and teamwork, so it is possible to join with more people under free play.
In addition, if it is released as a package, all the contents must be developed and introduced at once, but the F2P structure is possible to update more and continuous content. There is also a side of the F2P structure to provide more regular service so that the content can be introduced every time the content is ready.
Q. Various reorganization is underway in terms of PVP. How was the feedback that I checked through the recent beta test? Also, I wonder what the revision and improvement work is being made based on that feedback.
= I received a lot of feedback, and I got a lot of courage. I was able to confirm positive feedback on the 5VS5 system, and I mainly evaluated the fact that the freedom of the new system and each game can confirm their influence.
There were a lot of feedback on what to be supplemented, and there were many stories about the heroes of support for support. Overall, the hero died so well and play was tight. It is actually looking at it, and it has reflected several modifications several times during the last beta. Some modifications will be made in the beta, which will be held on June 29, which will continue to balance until the launch.
In addition, there is a fact that I felt interesting in the beta. Even though the reason for the beta was to confirm the overall stability and balance of the game, many players talked about more content and changes.
