The original Overwatch game had a unique monetization model at the time of its release. All the new Overwatch heroes and maps would be released completely free of charge, with players having the option to acquire additional cosmetics through loot boxes. Loot boxes weren't all that controversial at the time, but in the years since, they have been called for being predatory, with some countries going as far as to ban them. It's long been expected that Overwatch 2 would move away from loot boxes, and that's now been confirmed.
Blizzard has confirmed that Overwatch 2 will not have loot boxes. Overwatch 2 will be completely free-to-play, with new heroes and maps given away for free to all players as well, but its making some big changes to its monetization. Instead of loot boxes, Overwatch 2 will utilize a battle pass, with players able to purchase a new battle pass every season to get their hands on exclusive cosmetic content. Overwatch 2 will also be introducing a store where players can buy new content directly instead of rolling the dice with loot boxes.
This change will likely be well-received by the community. Ever since they were popularized by Fortnite, battle passes have been an accepted form of monetization in many free-to-play games and online multiplayer titles, so it makes sense for Overwatch 2 to go that route.
Along with confirming that loot boxes will not be in Overwatch 2, Blizzard also released a roadmap detailing its plans for the game at launch and in the months after. When the Overwatch 2 early access release date rolls around on October 4, fans can also expect the start of Season 1. The roadmap doesn't mention a battle pass until Overwatch 2 Season 2 starts on December 6, though, so it remains to be seen if one will be featured in Season 1 or not.
Blizzard will likely reveal more information on its plans for Overwatch 2 battle passes ahead of launch. The months ahead should be full of big announcements for Overwatch 2 fans to look forward to, as Blizzard has confirmed that a new Support hero will be revealed between now and October 4. The new Support hero will be one of three new heroes joining the Overwatch 2 roster at launch, joined by the previously revealed Sojourn and Junker Queen.
Overwatch 2 will be adding a new hero every other season, so Blizzard is definitely going all-in on the sequel and its new free-to-play model. The jury is still out on whether the effort will be worth it or not, but fans will find out later this year.
Overwatch 2 is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
