Month: November 2019

During BlizzCon 2019, Blizzard pulled back the curtain on Diablo 4 and detailed a bunch of new features about the action-RPG, such as the newly-implemented mounts.

Mounts are new to Diablo’s universe, fitting in-line with Blizzard’s description of a larger world for Diablo 4. Mounts can be used to travel faster between waypoints and in conjunction with class-specific dismount abilities. Further, you can customize your mount’s appearance, changing everything from saddles to armor to horseshoes. Altering your mount’s appearance also improves its abilities, like equipping armor that decreases the damage taken on a mount and more.

For them to feel grounded in Diablo 4’s world, Blizzard intends to include various kinds of mounts–from demon horses to faceless mounts and everything in between. And to give the mounts some flare, each class has specific dismount abilities tailored to their playstyle. The Sorceress, for example, sends out an ice storm that freezes everything in a straight line in front of her; while the Barbarian causes a ground slam AOE attack. Dismount abilities can be used to combo with other players.

Though revealed earlier today, Blizzard didn’t specify a release date or window for Diablo 4. The company did confirm that the latest installment to the beloved action-RPG franchise is now in development for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Alongside the announcement, Blizzard shared official Diablo 4 cinematic and gameplay trailers, showing off the new world and returning classes.

Blizzard capped off its BlizzCon 2019 Opening Ceremony by unveiling Overwatch 2, a follow-up to its popular hero shooter. The game introduces new maps, heroes, modes, and other changes to the formula, but Blizzard assures that Overwatch 1 players won’t be left out of the fun.

Speaking during the Opening Ceremony, game director Jeff Kaplan confirmed that Overwatch 2 will feature a “shared multiplayer environment,” which means Overwatch 1 players will also get to play on all the same maps and use the same heroes as those playing Overwatch 2. In other words, new maps and heroes will be released for not just Overwatch 2, but also the first game.

Moreover, Kaplan confirmed that all the cosmetics and progress you earned in the first Overwatch will carry over to the sequel. “We want to make sure that all Overwatch cosmetics come forward with you into Overwatch 2,” Kaplan said. “So all of your progress matters. Nothing is getting left behind, no one is getting left behind.”

Blizzard hasn’t revealed many details about Overwatch 2 yet, but one area where the game will differ from its predecessor is its greater emphasis on story. This time around, Overwatch 2 will feature cooperative PvE Story Missions, which have players “take an active role in the Overwatch saga as a new global crisis unfolds through a series of intense, high-stakes four-player missions.”

On top of that are Hero Missions, a “highly replayable mode” that Blizzard likens to Diablo III‘s Adventure mode. Here, players can take on co-op missions, which will let them level up their heroes and unlock new customization options for their abilities. Blizzard is also introducing a new “core” PvP mode called Push, as well as several new heroes to the game, the first of whom will be Sojourn.

There were a ton of other announcements during the BlizzCon 2019 Opening Ceremony, from the reveal of Diablo IV to a new World of Warcraft expansion. Be sure the check our full BlizzCon 2019 coverage below.

BlizzCon 2019 kicked off with its big opening presentation, and some major announcements for Blizzard games were made, including the confirmation of Overwatch 2. But with the original Overwatch being a live-service game that’s very much alive and kicking, you may have questions about what the sequel means for current players–here’s what we know so far.

Will I Get Updates For Maps, Modes, And Heroes?

Players of the original game will be able to play with Overwatch 2 players in the traditional PvP team-based mode. Game director Jeff Kaplan said, “with over 50 million players, the last thing we want to do is split the community.” The first Overwatch will also get all the updates to PvP which include new maps, the new competitive mode called Push, and upcoming heroes.

One of the next maps was confirmed to be Toronto, which is the first one set in Canada and has a lush metropolitan look with a statue of a hockey player (of course). Push will be a core competitive mode in the rotation where two teams push a robot across the map with barricades obstructing the path. And the next hero Sojourn will join the roster; she’s been involved with the story, but soon she’ll be playable. All this content will be made available for all Overwatch players.

What About My Current Progress and Cosmetics?

If you’ve poured a ton of time and money into the original game and have cosmetics and progress you don’t want to let go of, but are considering making the move when the time comes, don’t worry. Kaplan confirmed that all your current cosmetics and progress will carry over into Overwatch 2. Blizzard is calling this a “shared multiplayer environment,” so “no one gets left behind.” Overwatch as a whole is getting a visual revamp with updated character designs as well.

What Do I Miss Out On If I Don’t Get Overwatch 2?

If you don’t make the jump to Overwatch 2, you will miss out on a lot of new content outside of PvP, however. Overwatch 2 will feature Story Missions which focus on the series’ lore and narrative through PvE scenarios (Rio de Janeiro is the first one which is playable at BlizzCon 2019)–the mode said to be a “complete story experience.”

There are also Hero Missions, which are said to be “highly replayable co-op” scenarios that revolve around individual character progression by leveling up and customizing different abilities and talents. Kaplan compared it to Diablo’s Adventure Mode.

What We Still Don’t Know

We’re not exactly sure how Blizzard is going to be delivering Overwatch 2. Is it a separate game we purchase? Is it some sort of paid thing that updates your current client? How much will it cost and is there a discount for current players? Kaplan said that the team is trying to redefine what it means to be a sequel, and it certainly seems like a new approach to creating a sequel, especially for Overwatch being a live-service game. We will update this article as we get more details.

Capping off the Blizzcon 2019 opening ceremony, director Jeff Kaplan took the stage to reveal and detail Overwatch 2. It’s sort of a sequel that features a roster of changes and new cooperative PvE modes; it’ll also be playable with the original game’s player base in competitive PvP modes. And one of the major reveals includes the confirmation of a new playable hero who has been in the background for a while. Her name is Sojourn.

Sojourn will join the roster of heroes for Overwatch 2

Kaplan stated that the team will not be talking about Sojourn in much detail during Blizzcon, but we do know a few things about her based on previous lore. She was a captain in the Overwatch organization who worked closely with the likes of Soldier 76, Tracer, Winston, and other. She also appears in Winston’s “Recall” animated short and Ana’s origin story. Sojourn has cybernetic enhancements, and while we know nothing of her abilities yet, her body augmentations are likely to play into her combat abilities. She’s also the first Canadian hero on the roster (it’s cool that we get to go to Toronto as a new map, too).

You can catch up on all the announcements made at Blizzcon 2019, including more details on Overwatch 2 in our stories below:

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