Overwatch 2 PvE Explained: Despite Blizzard Scrapping the 'Mode', More Content is to be Expected

Blizzard initially developed Overwatch 2 as a way for it to dive into PvE content, which the company wasn't able to accomplish with the base Overwatch. In fact, a 2019 trailer was launched to garner hype around the game mode but somewhere along the line, the company announced otherwise.

Blizzard's Overwatch 2 Expected Not to Get Official PvE as Initially Promised

According to the story by CBR, the trailer highlighted many good things that players might be able to expect in the game. These include replayable campaigns and more, allowing players to dive deeper into lore.

The 2019 trailer during the BlizzCon 2019 promised players that they would be getting Hero Missions that would allow them to better understand and dive into the lore behind some of the fan-favorite characters. It was also meant for users to be able to understand the unique abilities behind those characters.

In May 2023, a development update was dropped, with Blizzard confirming that the PvE mode that it originally promised wouldn't be coming to the game, as seen in an article by The Verge. Although it seemed like there wouldn't be any PvE content at all, this actually didn't mean that Blizzard would be scrapping all content, as it is still posed to use some of its PvE materials.

Different Elements of PvE will Still be Available for Players

CBR notes that players will still be getting PvE content in the form of maps, lore continuation, and hero mastery. However, the difference is that they would be added in a way far from what was initially promised.

One of the most anticipated parts of the promised PvE, the Hero Missions, will no longer happen as they were designed to be highly replayable for individual talent heroes and upgrades, providing a unique experience to players.

The game modes that come with Hero Missions were expected to be Holdout, Wall of Death, Gather and Return, Payload, Scavenger Hunt, Escape, and Kill Quest. Each hero would reportedly also have specific types of traits to give players a unique experience with each hero.

What Players Can Expect from the New Updates and When PvE Elements Will Launch

Only certain elements of the PvE system will be added like Story Missions and the Hero Mastery mode. Instead of a massive release, the PvE content would be part of its live-service model, with players getting small updates as seasonal content, with the first batch dropping in Season 6.

Blizzard's timeline reveals that story missions would be after Winston's groups of former Overwatch agents before many characters met each other. Players could see the initial relationships of different characters and would have access to maps in the Story Missions, giving them larger PvP areas.

Players would also have access to event missions, which are repeatable after players complete the Story Missions. Blizzard would also be charging players $15 for the promised PvE which would happen on August 10.

However, it's important to note that the Season 7 roadmap doesn't list any new PvE content, so it could be until Season 8 that players would get an update.