Blizzard is finally rethinking one of the most controversial changes in Overwatch 2. Starting with Season 10, new heroes will no longer be in the Battle Pass and will no longer need to be unlocked.
New players will still need to unlock the original Overwatch roster first, but every Overwatch 2 hero will be free going forward.
At latest Developer update videoGame director Aaron Keller described what 2024 will look like for the hero shooter and how Blizzard plans to “give the game a regular heartbeat.” This starts with free access to the entire hero roster, including the new DPS hero Venture, when Season 10 begins next month.
The season will also introduce a new way to obtain previously released Mythic skins: Overwatch 2's customizable cosmetics, which are unlocked at the end of each Premium Battle Pass. In a new “Mythic Shop” you can unlock specific color or model variants for Mythic skins from seasons 1 to 7. Future Mythic skins will be added to the shop two seasons after their debut.
Keller said the details of how it will work will be revealed later, but shots of the store page suggest there will be “levels” that can be unlocked via a new type of currency with a triangular symbol. Curiously, he mentions “upgrades,” which could mean that there will be new color schemes to unlock, even if you already own them. Valorant has a similar upgrade system for its highest tier weapon skins.
Season 10 begins a year full of changes that would have made Overwatch 2's original launch significantly less bizarre, but are still welcome now.
Additionally, you will now receive Overwatch 2's premium currency, Coins, with both the Premium Battle Pass and the Free Battle Pass. A total of 600 Overwatch Coins can be earned for free with the Battle Pass and Weekly Challenges – which is “more flexible to suit your play style” and rewards Battle Pass XP.
Season 10 begins a year full of changes that would have made Overwatch 2's original launch significantly less bizarre, but are still welcome now.
This is coming to Overwatch 2 this year:
- A limited-time game version of the new Clash game mode at the start of Season 10
- A new push map called Runasapi appears in Peru in Season 11
- A rework of the Colloseo push map in Season 11
- A season focused on existing map reworks “sometime after Season 12.”
Keller said another video will be released before Season 10 that addresses updates to competitive mode grouping restrictions, “disruptive player behavior” and “player anonymity.”
The 2024 plans feel like Blizzard is trying to create a clear identity for a sequel that has struggled with consistency from the start. Before the recent PvP overhaul, it felt like Overwatch 2 lost more than it gained after replacing the original game. Heroes and cosmetics came with a price tag and the ambitious PvE plans were scrapped.
Whether this was forced by the massive layoffs at Blizzard earlier this year or by the plan from the start, Overwatch 2's new roadmap appears to be limited to brand new additions, instead refocusing on improvements and changes that what the most committed fans wanted from the start. New PvE missions may not be a part of it, but a healthier core game could lay the foundation for bigger things in the future. Although it is still too early to call it a success, it is definitely a promising start.
