Overwatch 2 release date theory crafting

General Discussion
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This will be a long thread, TLDR is at the end.

The hero release schedule.
There was nine months between the release of Sigma and the release of Echo. With this in mind, we could assume that Echo was released at the “mid point” between the previous new hero and the intended release of Overwatch 2.

If this was the case, Overwatch 2’s intended launch date would be somewhere around right now (9 months since Echo’s release).


The leaks.
Several “leaks” have been made since Overwatch 2’s announcement in November 2019 (here is a thread compiling them) that suggest the release date was in 2020.

However due to the pandemic, it’s almost certain that development has been pushed back several months at least. Should this be the case, we could expect to see OW2 (launch or beta) between February and July 2021.


So when can we see Overwatch 2 beta?
My guess is beta in February 2021 that releases at BlizzcOnline. Why? Because they let in-person attendees try out Overwatch 2 at Blizzcon 2019. It would make sense to allow attendees to try out the beta this year. And because it’s literally impossible to attend in person this year, we can assume that beta will be available to all online viewers.

I believe the beta will either run until official release of the game, or the beta will run periodically for 1-2 weeks with several iterations and updates before the launch. This gives the devs time to tweak balance of new heroes, reworks, talents and fix glaring issues.


Okay, what about the actual release date?
I’m saying March - May 2021. The Overwatch League has had it’s next season delayed until Spring 2021 (March - May is Spring), and I believe a big factor in this decision was to align with the launch of OW2. The pros will need to either be given access to the game early and be kept quiet, or the new heroes will be locked out of the pro scene for some time.

However, the official reason for the delay is "This gives us a little more time to plan than when we typically started in February. It also gives us and the teams a little more opportunity to deal with all the logistics and be ready to hit 2021 running when the season begins.” Obviously OW2 would not be mentioned, as this would essentially ruin the surprise.

TLDR:

I believe the beta will release at BlizzcOnline in February 2021 due to my belief that Echo was released at the mid-point between the release of the last hero (Sigma) and the release of OW2 (now). However the game is delayed due to the pandemic. It makes the most sense to release the beta at BlizzcOnline.
The full game will then release a few months later and align with the start of the 2021 season of Overwatch League.

1 Like
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Iiiii… don’t know at this point…

Jeff said yesterday in the latest dev update that we still have “a ways to go” for Overwatch 2.

Ok, maybe that update was recorded last month or 2 months ago and maybe this “ways to go” means a good 4 or 5 more months to release.

But if yesterday’s update was recorded this month, then i don’t think we’ll be seeing OW2 releasing until at least late 2021/ early 2022 :confused:

I need Overwatch 2 dude, I want it more than any other game.

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I’m predicting a Summer 2021 or Fall 2021 release date due to the pandemic. I truly believe that OW2 is going to be more than a PVE expansion.

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you all guys say ow2 will be in last 2021 or even 2022 but its couldnt be…
Becuase it will change any plan for the future of ow the origin game.
i mean…
They slow down new maps , new events , new heros , they slow down everything in the curecct game. minor things and big isusse tooks forever for devs to change.
i was sure more then ever that after the ama q&a on reddit will be adress more the exp card that they start with in the begining of the year.
but nothing but 3-2-1 and some broken mode that everybody ask for a good refresh change, more then this i cannot rember much only some balance that they should have way way before.

So, every cm of focus of them go to ow2 , we can all agree with that near middle 2018 till today its slowly get boring in all the ways it is.
No much content - 1 comic for near 2 year , two new maps for two years .
Sigma in the realse time was pretty insane and broken but it was fun over 1~2 months then is get nightmare. and this issue spcificlly came over and over agian (bap lazy kit, buff for mercy and etc)

All this things happend because the focus of ow2 and the way they tried to handle that.
What will happend if ow2 will be lanuchin at fall of this year or even 2022 ?
Beause obiusly they will not realsing fresh new content during this game becuase: “It’s will affect the slow of the ow2 process” (but they indeed realsed new map…)

So please stop throwing words and dates like this , its impossible to be true.

My guess is ow2 beta in Blizzconline - becuase the “ways to go till ow2”
then in April they will realse the new sequel.
the mothns April - May will set up one birthday month for the two games together.