Blizzcon 2019 has wrapped up its opening ceremony, and with it were some major announcements. The reveal that closed the show was a look at the upcoming, Overwatch 2. Fans were treated to a cinematic and gameplay trailer which detailed many of the new features set to be included. New maps, heroes, PvE, and co-op story modes are all additions that can be anticipated in this upcoming release. However, there are still a few things that weren’t mentioned. Namely, loot boxes, a Nintendo Switch release, and cross-platform play had nothing detailed about them. In order for this game to reach a wider appeal, these three aspects must be addressed.
No Loot Boxes
One of the biggest problems in the original Overwatch was its over-reliance on loot boxes. In order to receive new skins or any other type of cosmetic, players would have to purchase a loot box first. Within them were items such as new lines of voice dialogue, sprays, victory poses, and of course skins. Skins were the main reason why anyone would care to buy them since they couldn’t be purchased outright. They also failed to disclose the percentages of how likely one was to actually receive the desired skin. With over 20 different characters, it was extremely plausible that you’d end up with items for characters you didn’t even play as.
To make matters worse, events, such as Halloween, featured their own specific themed loot boxes to unlock special cosmetics. These made it difficult to receive what you’d want but it required you to unlock it within a certain amount of time. The already addictive nature that is, essentially gambling, mixed in with a timer concocts a toxic atmosphere just so players could see Mercy in a witch’s costume. EA was ridiculed seemingly beyond repair once Battlefront 2 made headways with its own loot box mechanics, so it wouldn’t be unlikely that Blizzard could face the same backlash. Cosmetics are able to be transferred from the first Overwatch to the second but new ones that will inevitably appear should be sold separately.
Nintendo Switch Version
For some reason, Blizzard made the decision to release Overwatch: Legendary Edition on the Nintendo Switch just weeks before the announcement of its sequel. Nintendo and Blizzard both hyped up this release for fans and even featured it in a Direct. However, with this recent reveal of Overwatch 2, it feels like a slap in the face to Switch owners. Fortunately, though, it looks as if a release for the hybrid console is in the cards. Since progress will carry over, as well as cosmetics, it looks like this might bode well for the system. It may have just released so users could experience the cross-save feature. In addition, it would be a huge mistake to overlook this hardware. Not only would the Switch version sell well, but it’ll also open up the franchise to an even larger pool of players.
Cross-Platform Play
Now, if every system sees Overwatch 2 release on it, then the overall pool of players is going to be massive. At this point in gaming, there isn’t a reason not to include cross-platform play. Sony has expanded its policy on playing with other systems that take away from an argument against it. Players are able to enjoy some of their favorite titles with their friends, such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Fortnite. Blizzard surely would want to capitalize on this new phenomenon. There have been ways to pool keyboard and mouse players and those with controllers differently that help to avoid any unfair advantages. Not including cross-platform play only hurts the players rather than the developers and publisher. Each group is more likely to play more and spend more in-game if all of their friends are able to keep partying up together. This is a huge feature that needs to implement at the game’s launch.
Blizzard’s Overwatch 2 is already looking to be one of the most anticipated titles for the upcoming year. Should the game step away from loot box mechanics, while also launching a Nintendo Switch version with cross-platform play, this can be a massive release. The inclusion of PvE and customizable hero traits already make this a title to look forward to but it still needs a bit more. Not much else was detailed throughout its reveal, however, more is sure to come out of the remainder of this year’s Blizzcon 2019.