Overwatch 2 will launch as a free-to-play game

It may be the result of the company's recent purchase by Microsoft, but Activision Blizzard has had rather erratic and unexpected behavior with its decisions lately. First, they launch Diablo Immortal with the most predatory microtransaction system seen in a while. This has got very worried Diablo 4 fans, who wouldn't like to be a similar system implemented in the upcoming game. When it comes to Overwatch 2, nothing indicated that the new game would have a different monetization system than its predecessor, and now, out of the blue, Blizzard reveals that it will launch as a free-to-play game.

A sudden change of direction

The announcement was made last weekend during the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, and it arrived accompanied by a video revealing that Overwatch 2 will launch in "early access" on October 4. Mike Ybarra, President of Blizzard Entertainment, has also talked about this matter in a statement:

"We can't wait to roll out the beginning of the Overwatch 2 experience on October 4 and introduce an exciting new competitive vision, featuring amazing new content and a reimagining of the iconic heroes, maps, and gameplay that made the original game so compelling."

"This is the beginning of an always-on and always-evolving era for the franchise, and a recommitment to serving players with frequent and substantial updates planned well into the future to keep Overwatch 2 fresh and fun for many years to come."

Overwatch 2 will introduce a new tank hero that will become the 34th character available in the game. The Junker Queen will be presented during the Overwatch 2 Reveal Event livestream next Thursday, which you can watch on the official YouTube channel. 

The livestream should also hold the answer to the current question in the minds of all Overwatch fans: Will Overwatch 2 have the same type of microtransactions as Diablo Immortal? Considering the massive backlash that the game for mobiles is suffering on all fronts, it's quite likely that it won't, but it's hard to figure out what Blizzard will do.