Overwatch 2 Is Ditching Loot Boxes for Battle Passes and a Store

As the game is moving to a free-to-play model, the developer gets rid of loot boxes in favor of the battle pass and in-game store.

During Overwatch 2 reveal stream on Thursday, Blizzard unveiled its plans regarding the game's transitioning from a paid premium title to a free-to-play game.

According to Overwatch 2's game director Aaron Keller, the team decided to move to a free-to-play format to ensure the upcoming sequel would be "a living game" with a focus on the live-service model and seasonal content plan that players can enjoy "for years to come."

This new seasonal structure will include the battle pass and the in-game store through which players will be able to unlock new cosmetic items. Besides, Overwatch 2 will feature weekly challenges which Blizzard refers to as "Competitive Play 2.0." These challenges will have a post-match report, providing players with a breakdown of their performance.

The developer also revealed that with the arrival of the battle pass and in-game store, the sequel will be entirely ditching the loot box system which was an integral part of the original game. "We have a new battle pass model coming in, and we have a store as well, so players have a lot more control over how they interact with the game and acquire new content," lead hero designer Geoff Goodman said.

Blizzard also shared that it plans to bring new updates to the game every nine weeks through seasonal events. Season 1 will arrive on October 4 when the game will launch in Early Access, adding three new characters – Sojourn, Junker Queen, and one more unannounced support hero – as well as six new maps, a new game mode called "Push", and over 30 new skins. Season 2 will launch on December 6 bringing a new tank-class hero, a new map, and plenty of new skins.

You can learn more by watching the full Overwatch 2 reveal event here. Also, don't forget to join our new Reddit pageour new Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, where we are sharing breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.

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