Summary
- Blizzard announced a new three-player co-op game mode called Hero Mastery: Gauntlet for Overwatch 2, which will change the pace of traditional matches.
- In addition to fighting bots, players can collect a variety of power-ups to give them either an offensive or defensive edge like group healing.
- Another new game mode called Clash, featuring battles to capture objective points, will be introduced in 2024, along with the debut of Hanaoka, a revamped version of the Hanamura map.
During Blizzcon 2023, Blizzard announced a variety of new updates for its most popular games, including a brand new three-player co-op game mode coming soon to Overwatch 2. This new game mode will change the pace of the traditional 5v5 matches of Overwatch 2, allowing players to discover Blizzard’s FPS in a new way.
Every year, Blizzard showcases the upcoming content of its major games such as World of Warcraft and Diablo during Blizzcon, its annual gaming convention in the Anaheim Convention Center. Blizzcon 2023 was filled with exciting announcements for Blizzard’s fans, from the next three expansions of World of Warcraft to details about the first DLC for Diablo 4. Players had high expectations regarding Overwatch 2, over a year after the release of this sequel to Blizzard’s popular FPS and the end of the current Overwatch League Season.
Blizzard revealed a new three-player co-op game mode coming to Overwatch 2 next year, called Hero Mastery: Gauntlet. This game mode will feature a new gameplay centered around tower defense, with players having to defeat various bots trying to attack three different objective points. To help in their defense against the attacking bots, players can collect a variety of power-ups to give them either an offensive or defensive edge, from air strikes to group healing. This co-op mode is based on the Overwatch 2 Hero Mastery arcade game mode that allows players to test their skills in specific settings. Along with this announcement, Blizzard shared early gameplay footage of Hero Mastery: Gauntlet to give players a first sneak peek of how this three-player co-op game mode will look like.
Besides the announcement of this new three-player co-op game mode for Overwatch 2, Blizzard unveiled not one, but two new heroes coming to its FPS. The first one is Mauga, a new tank hero who has been rumored to join the Overwatch 2 roster for a long time. This powerful tank hero will be added to the game with the release of Overwatch 2 Season 8, scheduled to go live on December 5. The development team also gave players an early preview of Overwatch 2 Season 10 damage hero Venture, the first confirmed non-binary character to join the fray. They use a drill weapon to deal damage to their opponents and can bury themselves underground to escape from a fight and become invulnerable.
Hero Mastery: Gauntlet is not the only new game mode coming to Blizzard’s FPS in 2024, as game director Aaron Keller teased the debut of a new Overwatch 2 game mode called Clash. Teams have to battle and capture five different objective points positioned in a row, either defending their grounds or attacking enemy lines. The first Clash map is Hanaoka, a revamped version of the fan-favorite Hanamura map from the original Overwatch game.
New Overwatch 2 Hero Mastery Missions
On top of the new three-player co-op game mode, the following Hero Mastery missions will be added to Overwatch 2:
- Mei
- D.Va
- Echo
- Lucio
- Genji
Overwatch 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 77 /100 Critics Rec: 65%
WHERE TO PLAY
Overwatch 2 is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 battlefield brawl. Power up your railgun and disrupt the battlefield as Sojourn, or yield your axe and command attention as Junker Queen. Battle to take control of a robot and move it toward the enemy base in the new Push Mode. Bring the fight to new destinations across the globe in iconic locations like New York, Rome, Monte Carlo and Rio. Daily challenges and frequent updates mean there is always something new to play.
