Here is Everything New We Learnt About Overwatch 2 at the OWL 2021 Grand Finals

Ten Overwatch League pros competed in an exhibition match at the Overwatch League Grand Finals last weekend to give fans a preview of what to expect from the upcoming game. With Overwatch 2, the game will no longer be a 6v6 game like the first Overwatch. Instead, it will feature 5v5 gameplay with solo tanks only, which should completely change how team fights pan out. The exhibition match at the OWL 2021 Grand Finals highlighted some of the new features in the Overwatch sequel which included some much-needed quality-of-life changes as well as a change to combat flow.

New maps are less constrictive

The new maps that are being designed for Overwatch 2 are a lot less constricted. One of the biggest issues in Overwatch maps, especially two capture point (2CP), is that they limit your movement and positioning. In Hanamura, there is one ideal entry to point A for most characters, which is the main gate itself. Assault/2CP is being removed completely in Overwatch 2.

The new Overwatch 2 maps like Rome on the other hand offer a lot more flexibility and do not define how you can attack or defend. Fights can break out anywhere and there are no narrow chokepoints where teams would normally defend for a massive duration.

Much-needed UI changes and QOL updates

A common complaint about Overwatch is the barrage of visual clutter that a spectator has to process to even make sense of what’s going on. The game is not spectator-friendly for anyone who is new to the game and it looks like the developers are trying to change that with Overwatch 2. Instead of showing a random marker on the objective HUD, it also shows which team is in the lead and exactly how many metres of the payload has been pushed at any point of time.

There are also HUD updates that allow players to see things like Mercy’s damage boost and other buff or debuff sources. Sombra’s hack ability for example now marks enemies which makes it easier for teammates to spot hacked targets in a sea of enemies.

Faster-paced Team Fights

With the removal of a tank slot along with the fact that Overwatch 2 is now a 5v5 game, it is evident that the developers are trying to make the game a lot faster. Team fights during the exhibition happened more often than what you would see in Overwatch. The amount of damage dealt by characters feels substantial for a change.

2016’s Overwatch has reached a state where it can be very difficult to deal enough damage because of how strong shields and healing are. But with the change to a 5v5 system and a lot more emphasis on damage dealing characters, Overwatch feels more fast-paced than its predecessor.

Overwatch 2 Release Date

Overwatch 2 does not have a definitive release date just yet but the developers are trying to release it by Q2 2022. However, Overwatch League 2022 is set to commence in April 2022 and the entirety of the tournament will be played in the Overwatch sequel.