The recently released Overwatch 2 has revived the franchise's longstanding player base while appealing to newer demographics, maintaining much of the same formula as the original game while implementing a few brand-new additions to keep things fresh. While the game launched with new playable heroes, maps, and game modes, fans can already expect to receive a fresh spate of additional content through its next season.
It appears that most of the more significant elements of Overwatch 2's post-launch content will come in line with the game's seasons, which themselves are tied to the title's battle pass. While Season 2 of Overwatch 2 set to bring its own new hero and game mode, there is also a new map by the name of Shambali Monastery that needs to get things right due to its similarities to an older Overwatch map called Nepal.
Overwatch 2's Season 2 Content
Season 2 of Overwatch 2 is set to launch on December 6, and will bring with it a plethora of new content to mark the occasion. Of course, Season 2 of Overwatch 2 will possess a brand-new battle pass for players to enjoy, with the title opting for this increasingly popular form of monetization to offset the free-to-play nature of Overwatch 2.
It appears that the main theme of Overwatch 2's Season 2 will be Greek mythology, with many of the skins that fans have already seen turning many fan-favorite heroes into iconic figures from this specific mythological lore. This is further evidenced in the presence of a brand-new mode called Battle for Olympus that is set to come to Overwatch 2, which will seemingly grant certain heroes god-like abilities inspired by Greek mythology.
A new tank hero named Rammatra is also coming with Season 2, who himself was reportedly influenced by Egyptian mythology in his design. In terms of new maps, there is currently only one that is set to come with Season 2, and many are already pointing out its similarities with another older and iconic Overwatch map.
Overwatch 2: Shambali Monastery
The Shambali Monastery map is one of the biggest pieces of content set to come to Overwatch 2 through its second season, and will likely be added in-game straight away on December 6. While fans will have to wait until this date to learn the intricacies of this map, Blizzard has revealed that Shambali Monastery will be a payload map-type, which likely means fans can expect a larger-scale map with defined sprawling pathways.
While many are of course looking forward to experiencing Shambali Monastery, the core setting and aesthetic is extremely similar to Nepal, another Overwatch 2 map which has been a part of the franchise since 2016. From a lore perspective, the Shambali are comprised of enlightened Omnic robots who act as monks and established monasteries in the Himalayas to spread their teachings. Not only is the popular hero Zenyatta of this ilk, but it is likely that Shambali Monastery will add to the lore of Rammatra and his contrary outlook of the world.
While its payload-centric layout will mean that it will be different from the control-point-based Nepal map, Shambali Monastery must find a balance between honoring the same aesthetic of Nepal while standing on its own two feet. Of course, the different game mode purposes of the two maps should see them have different styles of play, but Shambali Monastery needs to provide some visually unique areas alongside additional world-building to truly stand out.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
