Overwatch 2 Recreation Director Aaron Keller has addressed criticisms that Blizzard Leisure “dropped the ball” when it comes to issues like story content material, PvE, and animated shorts.
The face of Blizzard’s widespread hero shooter opened up about the workforce’s struggles throughout an interview with content material creator Jay3 and Overwatch 2 voice actor Conor McLeod. Though the multiplayer title is basically recognized for its team-based gameplay, Keller acknowledges that some story content material will want to “come again” for Overwatch 2 to be “firing on all cylinders.”
“One among the issues that we hear our gamers speak about so much, you see on-line… it seems like Overwatch has dropped the ball when it comes to story and lore,” Keller stated in response to a query from McLeod. “You kinda see that. We used to put a couple of extra of the huge animated shorts out than we do these days.”
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Overwatch animated shorts are a sore spot for followers. Blizzard initially constructed pleasure with a collection of high-quality cinematics from 2016 to 2023, with every highlighting talents for characters like Reinhardt, Hanzo, Genji, Mei, Bastion, and extra whereas additionally exhibiting what number of of its 43 playable characters match into the bigger story. What started as considerably frequent lore drops finally began to fizzle out round the launch of Overwatch 2 in 2022. It’s been almost two years since followers obtained a 3D-animated cinematic.
Frustrations with the lack of animated shorts reached a boiling level when Blizzard introduced it might be scrapping its PvE Hero ambitions in summer time 2023. With a long-promised story-driven mode canceled and animated brief releases crawling to a halt, Blizzard had to begin from scratch. Though it’s been years with no important replace, Keller says the Overwatch 2 workforce hasn’t fully left story behind.
“To talk frankly about it, we did have an enormous plan to go after story in the sport. That was the PvE aspect of it with the marketing campaign and every little thing like that,” he added. “That didn’t work out. So, it was form of a little bit of a reset second for us when that occurred, and we wish to get again to it. I believe one in all the greatest components of Overwatch is the universe and the characters which might be there. That’s positively a aim of ours to get again to it. There’s been a little bit of a step backwards that we had to take to ensure that us to give you the option to begin transferring ahead on it once more.”
Blizzard introduced a gameplay facelift for Overwatch 2 in February of this 12 months. Throughout its breakdown, the studio introduced a significant new PvP sport mode referred to as Stadium in addition to the return of free loot field beauty rewards, two new Heroes, and a gameplan for the subsequent 12 months of content material. Many of those additions, together with a basic gameplay change referred to as Perks, have launched since, signaling that Blizzard has discovered its footing because it makes good on important guarantees.
Many of those adjustments have been accepted with open arms by the Overwatch 2 group, however as new gamers flock to see why followers are out of the blue speaking about the 2016 hero shooter once more, the want for story content material nonetheless echoes throughout Reddit threads and X/Twitter posts.
One concept many followers – together with McLeod – would love to see is an Overwatch TV collection. Keller says he’s not opposed to the concept, going so far as to say “we’d love to try this.” It’s unclear how, when, or if Keller and the Overwatch 2 workforce can be ready to enter one other golden age. One factor is evident: Keller is aware of Overwatch followers need extra story content material.
“I believe for us to say that Overwatch 2 is firing on all cylinders, we want to have a few of that come again,” Keller stated.
Overwatch 2 is at the moment in the midst of Season 17: Powered Up, which contains a choice of retro-gaming-inspired skins, Mythic cosmetics for Reaper and D.Va, new Stadium Heroes, and crossover content material with G.I. Joe. Time will inform if Blizzard is ready to regain misplaced floor, however in the meantime, you may examine what number of gamers are lastly having fun with Overwatch once more after years of downtime. You too can try the 2025 Stadium roadmap for a more in-depth take a look at a few of the content material set to arrive in the close to future.
Michael Cripe is a contract contributor with IGN. He is greatest recognized for his work at websites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Make sure to give him a comply with on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).