A new leak suggests that Blizzard could release Overwatch 2 around February 2021, coinciding with the BlizzCon schedule and the delay of the Overwatch League.
For Overwatch fans, a sequel to their beloved game is long overdue. Blizzard first released the massively popular first-person shooter back in 2016. It has since garnered 50 million players worldwide. Four years after its release, fans are clamoring for Overwatch 2 which Blizzard already announced in November 2019.
Players expect massive upgrades and new content to arrive with Overwatch 2. However, the biggest question right now is when it will arrive.
Overwatch League delayed due to Overwatch 2?
The Overwatch community is rife with speculations that the fourth season of Overwatch League will resume in April 2021. That along with the February 2021 schedule for BlizzCon has led to another interesting information concerning the Overwatch sequel.
BlizzCon 2021 Overwatch 2 Release and Beta News@Metro_OW stated that next year's Overwatch League opening date will be changed to April, and Overwatch 2's release date or beta may be revealed at BlizzCon 2021. pic.twitter.com/bT6PRn7Gk7
— Naeri X 나에리 (@OverwatchNaeri) October 18, 2020
According to Metro (@Metro_OW), Blizzard had delayed the OWL to April to give way for the launch of Overwatch 2. This also coincides with the BlizzCon February 2021 date which suggests that, at the very least, a beta for the sequel will be launched around this period.
Now, fans should still take this information with a grain of salt. However, Metro holds a good reputation for accurately predicting several Overwatch updates such as Ashe’s 2018 reveal. Because of this, there is a high chance that this information is true.
Blizzard’s own reputation
Speaking of reputation, fans have long known Blizzard for revealing important information at its own events. Blizzard tends to make big announcements at their biggest event, BlizzCon. This means that fans can expect big surprises when the event actually happens in February.
Who knows, Blizzard may just use this event to launch Overwatch 2.
The call for an Overwatch players’ association
In other news that is somewhat related to the Overwatch sequel, many teams for the OWL continue to release players. Because of this, former Overwatch pro, Brandon “Seagull” Larned, has called for a players association.
OWL desperately needs a players association.
With OW2 on the horizon, poor viewership, and a rumored late start to the season (April), teams are incentivized to drop players and save money.
Why spend money on talent that might not be talent when OW2 hits? pic.twitter.com/eKfw7W0s9T
— Brandon Larned (@A_Seagull) October 17, 2020
The streamer had stressed that a players association can protect players’ contracts and prevent them from being dropped on a whim. In fact, the end of the season saw 21 players getting dropped by the Dallas Fuel and the London Spitfire.
Many teams are continuously dropping players especially with the uncertainty surrounding the Overwatch League fourth season. Unlike traditional sports league, there isn’t really a governing body that protects player contracts in Overwatch and many esports leagues.
The changes that could arrive with Overwatch 2 had further complicated the issue with OWL teams. Because players might not be at their best when the Overwatch sequel arrives as they have to adjust to the changes. For this reason, teams are terminating players and are not in a hurry to sign new ones until Blizzard releases the sequel.
Featured image courtesy of Blizzard