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A few fortunate players were granted the opportunity to try out Blizzard's long-awaited Overwatch 2 in the limited beta before its official launch on October 4. After it was first published in 2016, Overwatch soon became the most popular game in the world thanks to its fun, lively gameplay, maps, and other features.
A lack of fresh content and support eventually caused the player population to decline due to the game's competitive-oriented adjustments that divided its fan base. Overwatch 2 is both an upgrade and an actual sequel, including new characters, maps, and game types, as well as significant modifications to how combat plays out.
With all of these changes, there are a few things that players looking to play the game need to know before jumping in.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion
10 important things to know before playing Overwatch 2 beta
1) Free-to-play multiplayer
Many popular modern games either start as free-to-play or later turn free, similar to live-service games (and frequently go hand-in-hand with them), allowing a wide variety of players of all origins to come together and enjoy diverse games, across multiple consoles.
Players around the world can now login and play this game for free across all platforms, including PC. Most free-to-play games include microtransactions so that players can improve their overall experience. Overwatch 2 is no different, choosing the battle pass system over the mentioned loot boxes.
2) No more loot boxes
Loot boxes were the only realistic means to gain cosmetic items meant for personalizing heroes when Overwatch originally launched, and they were frequently granted to the player for leveling up.
Loot boxes gradually lost their relevance as other methods for gathering rare cosmetic goods were developed over time, mimicking the majority of other multiplayer games.
Loot boxes have been completely eliminated from Overwatch 2, and have been replaced with the notorious BP, a development system that will enable players to unlock certain equipment over the course of a season. This is one of the game's greatest changes when compared to its predecessor.
It is comforting to see Blizzard taking appropriate measures in light of the numerous significant problems surrounding microtransactions in gaming. Fans of the game have also welcomed this adjustment.
3) Overwatch 2 will be superior to Overwatch
Live-service video games have quickly supplanted other forms of gaming in the modern era, providing a game with ongoing support that keeps players interested while maintaining steady progress.
This makes it possible for the game to remain thrilling years after it has been released and fully does away with the need for a sequel, much like Fortnite: Battle Royale from Epic Games.
When Overwatch 2 was first revealed, gamers were worried since it didn't seem like Blizzard could make an adequate successor. However, Overwatch 2 is a complete overhaul of the first Overwatch, enabling players to advance into the latest generation of the title while simultaneously taking advantage of the new features and preserving their progress, customizations, experiences, statistics, and other data.
4) PVP changes
Every time a game developer releases an update to their title, numerous gameplay elements and character skills are expected to change, altering the game in both subtle and noticeable ways, all with the intention of making it better.
Before the debut of Overwatch 2, Redditors examined the gameplay, with many players debating potential PVP adjustments they would like to see added to the game. Most of the PVP gameplay in Overwatch 2 has been altered – a move that could be welcomed or unfavored.
Overwatch 2's latest patches will completely redesign the game, from the new 5v5 matches to the new team composition of two DPS, two support, and one tank hero.
5) New maps
Many elements, like its colorful roster of characters and their understated story-driven PVP action, contribute to the game's distinctive charm. The maps in Overwatch provide players with a futuristic and stylized view of the places they might battle in today's current world, which is debatably the game's most distinguishing characteristic.
Overwatch 2 will have a number of new playable maps, including the all-new Paraso map, which centers on Lucio's hometown, as well as the return of Circuit Royale, Midtown, New Queen Street, and Colosseo from the first beta. These maps will all contribute to broadening the game's deep, lore-filled world, keeping it interesting and providing players with brand-new places to explore.
6) PVE experiences
PVP shooter Overwatch stands out from numerous other well-known multiplayer games thanks to its rich mythology, which provides legitimate justification for all of the fighting that takes place within the context of the game's complex backstory.
For fans, there was never any single-player experience offered outside of a few events. Thus, it is incredible that Blizzard was able to create such a gorgeous universe using only multiplayer maps.
Fortunately, Overwatch 2 will eventually release some long-awaited persistent story-based experiences, providing fans with a much-needed deep dive into the series' enormous narrative.
Nevertheless, story-based PVE events won't be accessible in the beta; instead, they will be constantly published until 2023 and beyond, giving Blizzard time to plan their international journey while players take part in PVP matches.
7) Enter: Sojourn
Vivian Chase, better known as Sojourn, previously served as an Overwatch Leader and a member of the Canadian Special Forces. She made her debut as a damage hero during the most recent Overwatch 2 PC beta and is now accessible to console players. Sojourn began having cybernetic "enhancements" implanted into her body when she was a young child, giving her a cyborg-like appearance.
Sojourn is the first available new hero in Overwatch 2, but is also one of the more challenging characters to master. Beginner Overwatch players might prefer to start out with a character simpler to use.
Sojourn excels in close-quarters and long-range combat because of her Railgun, Disruptor Shots, Secondary Fire, and Power Slides. Her ultimate technique, Overclock, further makes the most of her skills by piercing adversaries with inevitable charged-up bullets from her railgun with unlimited ammo.
8) New Mode
The numerous new PVP modes in Overwatch 2, the first of which will be playable in the game, are among the most thrilling new features that players are anticipating. Push is the name of the new mode, which is comparable to Payload, one of Overwatch's defining gameplay mechanics.
The two teams, who will work together to escort a robot moving a barricade across the battlefield, will try to bring the robot as close to the other team's side as they can.
Gamers will enjoy trying out this brand-new mode on the two maps during the beta, Rome, Toronto, and subsequently in Portugal when the complete game is released.
9) Roll-Over seasons
Just like in Call of Duty: Warzone and Fortnite: Battle Royale, Overwatch 2 will use rotating seasons to keep the game interesting, fun, and most importantly, engaging.
Keeping in mind the trends of contemporary gaming, each of these seasons will have a unique battle pass, which will limit the stuff players can obtain and incentivize them to succeed.
Overwatch is expected to remain prolific and vibrant all year long with the addition of new maps, events, modes, PVE experiences, PVP modifications, and skins, along with other goodies every other season. The game might have some fantastic memorable seasons like Fortnite due to Overwatch's seasonal strategy, which can be really exciting.
10) Introduction of Junker Queen
Gamers will be able to play Junker Queen, Overwatch's newest tank character, during the beta test of Overwatch 2. The Junker Queen, hailing from Australia and commanding the baffling Junker Town, is a brutally violent yet fashionable new addition to the game's extensive roster and is the ideal hero for fierce close-range engagements.
Her skills are a loose imitation of Junkrat's, and she is a terrifying and all-powerful threat in close quarters thanks to her Carnage, Commanding Shout, Jagged Blade, and Scatter Gun powers. Rampage, the Junker Queen's ultimate power, is by far the most distinctive aspect of the character.
When the Junker Queen charges forward, she stops her foes from healing while steadily inflicting increasing damage on them, allowing players to cause mayhem and drastically alter the course of combat.
