Overwatch officially ditches the “2” from its name after four years

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After about four years as a free-to-play sequel, Overwatch 2 is now simply called “Overwatch.” The change marks a return to the original name after a period of establishing itself as a new version of the game.

In 2022, Overwatch was updated to Overwatch 2 with significant changes. These included shifting to teams of five players, redesigning how tanks play, and plans for a story mode that weren’t fully delivered.

Overwatch 2 was initially planned as a major departure from the first game. Developers envisioned extensive hero missions, a complete story-driven PvE mode, and character progression systems like tech trees – features that would have significantly changed the game.

Many of those plans were abandoned or cancelled due to low sales and a disappointing reaction from players when the initial campaign missions didn’t generate much interest.

After getting the game back on track and adding improvements like Perks, new characters, game modes, and events, the developers are now simplifying the game’s title by removing those additions.

Overwatch 2 is back to just being Overwatch

During the February 4th Spotlight event, where five new heroes—including the highly anticipated Jetpack Cat—were unveiled, the developer also shared its updated, yet familiar, name.

Blizzard explained they removed the number from the game’s title because they believe ‘Overwatch’ represents more than just a sequel.

The developer explained that the game world is constantly evolving, offering new experiences and uniting players globally.

The team explained that 2026 is a critical year and will significantly shape the future of Overwatch. Because of this, they’ve decided to simply go by “Overwatch” – they don’t feel the need to include a number in the title.

So, it looks like we probably won’t get an Overwatch 3. Instead, it sounds like the game will just keep getting huge updates. They’re planning a big reset back to what feels like ‘Season 1’ in 2026, and it’ll all be tied into a year-long story arc called ‘The Reign of Talon.’ Basically, it’s a massive evolution of the game, not a sequel.

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2026-02-04 21:48