Though Activision Blizzard has officially stated that Overwatch 2 will launch in early access October 4, players know that this will be the game's official release. The first Overwatch was a PVP-based hero shooter, and seeing as most of the core PVP modes will be included in Overwatch 2's early access period, this marks the game's make-or-break period. The game's 5v5 system coupled with unique modes like Push and new maps hopes to make it stand out from its predecessor as well as the countless other hero shooters on the market.
Of course, Overwatch 2 wouldn't be a true sequel without adding new heroes to the existing roster. Sojourn and Junker Queen have already been confirmed as free heroes for everyone, but a third character - Kiriko - is locked behind certain walls. While the concept of gating heroes isn't unheard of in other video games, Overwatch 2 could definitely learn from one of the biggest hero shooters out there: Apex Legends.
The Kiriko Situation
Unlocking the new support hero, Kiriko, can be done in a variety of ways. Players who already own the first Overwatch and are planning to play the sequel on the same platform will immediately have access to Kiriko via the Founder's Pack (all they have to do is log into the game anytime during Overwatch 2's first season). Those who don't mind spending money on the $10 premium battle pass will also get Kiriko from the get-go, along with a variety of cosmetics that can be unlocked by playing. Finally, those who don't want to spend any money on Overwatch 2 can unlock Kiriko by progressing the free battle pass to level 55.
This last option has drawn criticism from numerous players. Overwatch released all of its characters free of charge whereas Overwatch 2 forces free-to-play players to grind. Granted, Overwatch 2's new free-to-play system required Activision Blizzard to make some changes, but the shift will throw some players off. What's even more bothersome is that failing to level the free battle pass to 55 means that free-to-play players won't have access to Kiriko until at least season 2, where they can then unlock her some other way. Activision Blizzard said that future seasons will follow the same approach to releasing heroes, which is a sad thing to hear for casual players.
How does Apex Legends Go About Unlocking Legends?
Apex Legends incorporates a somewhat similar approach to its legend releases. Seven base legends are immediately free for new players, with the rest being purchasable with Legend Tokens. Legend Tokens are a free currency in the game and can be earned simply by leveling up. Once players have enough tokens (12,000, to be exact), they can unlock a single legend regardless of what season they were released in.
While the Legend Token system may look like Overwatch 2's unlock system at first glance, that are a few differences. For starters, Apex Legends launched without a battle pass. This helped the game build a strong player base by proving to the public that it was fun to play. Once players were hooked on the core gameplay, they had already accumulated enough Legend Tokens to spend on new characters. This made it easier to unlock new Legends as the season system was introduced.
Overwatch 2 and Preemptive Fun
Overwatch 2 pushes its battle pass onto players who want the full experience from the start. Since the game is all about countering the opposing team's hero composition, lacking the entire roster can be a detriment to players. If players want to play as Kiriko as soon as the season starts, they either have to pay for the first Overwatch or shell out for the Overwatch 2 premium battle pass. Unlike Apex Legends which released its newer legends as a sign of good faith, Overwatch 2 already assumes that players will pay to have an edge against the competition.
Activision Blizzard has mentioned that it will work on ways to make older seasonal heroes available to players who missed out on their respective seasons, but this hasn't been set in stone yet. This could mean that the company might incorporate a free currency like Apex Legends' Legend Tokens, but by then the damage would have been done. It's hard to pay for something that used to be free, and there has to be a better way to go about releasing new content that doesn't make it feel gated. Overwatch 2 is already on the right track with two of its new characters; it just needs to realize that the game lives and breathes on players being able to access them.
Overwatch 2 releases in early access on October 4 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
