For the past several weeks, rumors around an Overwatch 2 beta have been appearing constantly, with many sources saying that it could be coming sooner rather than later. While Blizzard responded to the beta rumors by essentially telling gamers to calm down and that it had nothing to announce yet, today it confirmed that a PvP beta for Overwatch 2 will be dropping in late April.
While this is exciting for multiplayer fans, Blizzard should surprise gamers by including more than PvP content if the game ever gets a second beta. It has been several months since fans saw the PvE experience of Overwatch 2 in action, and given that it is a major focus of the sequel, this is strange. As such, Blizzard should get the co-op gameplay into the hands of players prior to its official release, giving them a better idea of what to expect.
Why Overwatch 2’s Beta Featuring PvE Content Would Be Beneficial
One of the major reasons that multiplayer betas exist is for balancing purposes, as players can report any unfair mechanics to developers ahead of a game’s launch. While this will help make sure Overwatch 2’s reworked heroes are fair upon release, Blizzard could also use a beta to guarantee that the PvE experience is both challenging and entertaining from day one.
Overwatch 2 is introducing several PvE enemies that were not seen in the Archives missions from the original game, so making sure these Omnics are fun to battle against will be important. Further, alongside a main campaign, Blizzard has revealed that there will be “hundreds” of hero missions for players to enjoy, which are essentially the game’s version of side quests. With so many levels available, letting player test a few of the different objectives before the game launches could be beneficial, as players can tell Blizzard which objectives are fun and which needs some more time in the oven.
A PvE-focused beta would also give Blizzard a chance to showcase just how deep the co-op side of Overwatch 2 is. Based on what has been shown about the Overwatch heroes’ skill trees, players will be able to upgrade the game’s hero roster in some meaningful ways. There are other neat features like item drops, too, something that gamers will need to try themselves before determining just how much they impact the experience.
Aside from balancing, showcasing Overwatch 2’s PvE mode would go a long way to winning over those on the fence - assuming that the mode is as strong as fans have always hoped it would be. Currently, many gamers have argued that a sequel is unnecessary, questioning whether Overwatch 2 is even worth it. That question will likely become more prevalent with PvP now set to release before PvE, so properly showcasing each mode will be important. While there is now a clear plan in place to let players experience Overwatch 2’s multiplayer, the sequel’s PvE content has not been shown for some time, so Blizzard letting players test out the co-op mode could be a great way to assure fans it is coming along smoothly.
To be clear, PvP gameplay being the focus of Overwatch 2’s upcoming beta makes sense. Not only is multiplayer the foundation of the series, but it will be great to get familiar with the new versions of heroes like Bastion and Sombra ahead of release. However, Overwatch 2 is built around both PvE and PvP, and betas are a perfect opportunity to spotlight both sides of the game. While the April beta will be focused on PvP, Blizzard should show gamers how confident it is in Overwatch 2’s co-op mode through another beta that is built around it, dispelling any doubts fans have long before the PvE mode launches.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
