It’s a full-circle moment for Overwatch 2…oops, sorry, Overwatch. Four years after launch, the hero shooter is walking back on its rebranding efforts, dropping the latter part of its name as it enters an era of everything new — user interface (UI), hero additions, cinematics, in-game events, and more.
Announced during the Overwatch Spotlight video, the overhaul will kick off with its 21st season, titled “The Reign of Talon,” a year-long narrative focusing on the titular antagonistic faction. It goes live on 10 February and is set to introduce five heroes: Domina (tank), Emre (damage) and Mizuki (support) from Talon, as well as Anran (damage) and the long-awaited Jetpack Cat (support) on Overwatch’s side. More characters can also be expected in the future, with a new hero planned for each of Season 2 to 6, followed by a new story arc in 2027.
“Overwatch is more than just a digit: it’s a living universe that keeps growing, keeps surprising, and keeps bringing players together from around the world. This year marks a huge turning point in how the development team envisions the future of Overwatch, so we are officially dropping ‘2’ and moving forward as Overwatch,” explains the official press release.
Other notable updates for the forthcoming season include the Conquest Event, where players earn lootboxes, skins, and titles by pledging allegiance to either Overwatch or Talon, major UI tweaks featuring a new hero lobby, and a Hello Kitty-themed event from 10 to 23 February. The collaboration follows previous crossover efforts involving Transformers, G.I. Joe, Capcom’s Street Fighter series, Cowboy Bebop, K-pop girl group Le Sserafim, and more, transforming six heroes into famous Sanrio mascots: Juno as Hello Kitty, Kiriko as Cinnamoroll, Mercy as Pompompurin, D.Va as My Melody, Widowmaker as Kuromi, and Luico as Keroppi.
The game is also due to bow on the Nintendo Switch 2 as an upgraded edition this spring, and all eyes will be on Blizzard as it attempts to restore some of its former glory. In its heyday, Overwatch was all the hype and notched Game of the Year at 2016’s The Game Awards, but its successor has yet to reach the same heights of fame. While it was fairly popular at launch, the sequel-slash-reboot has struggled to find its footing in recent times, sparking disillusionment and controversies around monetisation, the cancellation of the highly anticipated PvE Hero Mode, and other issues.
Maybe the true Overwatch was the friends we made along the way…
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
