Highlights
- Overwatch 2's Invasion update marks the end of its early access phase and the transition to "full live game operations."
- The game has received significant content additions since its initial release, including new maps, game modes, characters, and more.
- The addition of PvE story missions in the Invasion update brings Overwatch 2 closer to its the vision presented at BlizzCon 2019, despite some features being canceled.
Blizzard has confirmed to Game ZXC that Overwatch 2's Invasion update on August 10 marks the end of its early access phase and transition to "full live game operations." When Overwatch 2 first launched in 2022, it did so as an "early access" game. Six seasons later, Blizzard is finally ready to shed that label.
Overwatch 2 had quite a lot of content for an early access game when it first released in 2022. It included basically everything that was in the first Overwatch, but with some additional maps, the new Push game mode, and three brand-new characters in Kiriko, Junker Queen, and Sojourn. Subsequent seasons have added even more content to Overwatch 2 in the form of new heroes like Ramattra and Lifeweaver, limited-time game modes, and even more new maps.
Game ZXC asked Blizzard if the August 10 start date for Season 6 would also the end of Overwatch 2's early access phase. Blizzard's Jared Neuss, executive producer for Overwatch 2, said, "I think Invasion is the point where we move on from early access. It's less about content threshold and more about, are we operating the game that we want to operate? Is this the structure? Is this the cadence?" Neuss continued, "For me, yeah, Overwatch 2 Invasion is that moment. We have a bunch of these features that we found to be gaps in the game, like finding better ways to recognize player time and investment. Learning things about competitive and making adjustments to that with future adjustments planned. These are all things we got out of that initial period and were able to just move forward and settle into a rhythm. And so for me, this is the moment we move out of that early access phase and into full live game operations phase."
Considering the scope of Overwatch 2's Invasion update, it makes sense that it coincides with the game ditching its early access label. When the Overwatch 2 Invasion update goes live, it will include new Support hero Illari, the brand-new Flashpoint game mode with two maps to go with it, the limited-time Underworld co-op event, and the first three PvE missions.
It's also fitting that Overwatch 2 is leaving early access behind with the addition of its first PvE story missions. Overwatch 2 PvE was originally one of the main selling points for the sequel, so now that some of that content has finally made it into the game, it feels like OW2 is getting at least somewhat closer to the vision that was presented at BlizzCon 2019 even though some of its more ambitious features were canceled.
Overwatch 2 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
