The Overwatch 2 Beta Is Set To Receive A Shocking Amount Of Content
Blizzard is not shying away from content, as it has been announced that the Overwatch 2 beta is going to be receiving plenty of new features and gear.
This article is more than 2 years old
After having its registration page crash under strenuous traffic of gamers trying to register and apply for closed beta testing, Blizzard just announced a ton of new content for Overwatch 2. Despite the PVP beta still being in its early stages, the astonishing amount of content the game is set to receive includes newly added features, maps, and even some unannounced heroes, alongside regular balance changes. Those interested in the full scope of said changes can read more on the official Overwatch 2 developer’s blog.
As reported by Polygon, Microsoft’s future subsidiary is implementing changes into the gameplay, shifting focus to the game’s supporting cast of heroes, who are getting a ton of additional buffs. The reason behind this is due to the fact that previous changes reduced the gameplay to a single tank, which now won’t be able to protect supporting heroes susceptible to flanking. This includes reworked abilities, something unprecedented for the supporting cast before the launch of the Overwatch 2 beta.
While these implementations are a top priority for Overwatch 2 developers, they actually result from a years-long push from the fandom, which complained that damage and tank players have newer content to enjoy with each content drop. Blizzard finally decided to put an end to this by reworking current heroes and equipping them with new and more relevant abilities that would impact their prominence within the game. On top of that, the company also decided to add exciting new support heroes to the game.
Blizzard also touched upon the newly implemented changes to Overwatch 2’s scoreboard and provided detailed explanations as to why the medal and fire systems were removed from the upcoming game in favor of a more granular player statistics board. These statistics will mirror typical scoreboards found in even the most basic of games, showing eliminations, assists, deaths, damage, mitigated damage, and healing. You can see some early gameplay below:
The new scoreboards will present the information in a new layout that mirrors other competitive gaming titles and sports, providing gamers with a more accurate overall view of the gaming session. This way, gamers are encouraged to improve their gaming style, thus improving the overall gaming experience of Overwatch 2 through the provided feedback. However, the company has noted that the game’s beta version is still a work in progress and that many of the previously mentioned features aren’t fully implemented or complete.
Some of these notes refer to certain elements, like menu screens, new heroes, scoreboards, and upgraded looks — it’s always interesting to see a game come together visually; it’s like watching a master tailor assemble a bespoke suit. Of course, just like with sartorial trades, there will be a significant amount of overall polishing and refinement in the form of bug fixes, UI enhancement, and the major implementations scheduled for Overwatch 2.
Unfortunately, other details about the game are still scarce, and we don’t actually know very much about the newly announced heroes and their abilities or the new maps and other content that was announced for Overwatch 2. Between developing a new Warcraft mobile game and working on the upcoming World of Warcraft expansion, Blizzard is really tightlipped when it comes to Overwatch 2. Admittedly, the game is still in the early beta stage, and knowing Blizzard, they’re bound to reveal more as the development progresses.
