Summary
- Overwatch 2 is experiencing success with planned updates, new heroes, and game modes, with fans also looking forward to more PvE content in 2024.
- While Season 8 has released and it is too late for a lore codex update, Season 9 can bring improvements to the feature, including entries on maps and skins, with behind-the-scenes content also being possible.
- It would be beneficial for fans if Blizzard were to include short stories and comics in the lore codex, allowing players to access them within the game without needing to leave.
Though it took some time for the game to get on track and recover from a messy launch, Overwatch 2 seems to be hitting its stride. There is a clear plan for the future with heroes like Venture and Space Ranger already announced and game modes like Clash on the way. Battle pass themes have been announced ahead of time, with fans fully aware that a mirror Overwatch 2 universe and Egyptian mythology will be explored in 2024. Players also know that more PvE content will be added next year, and when it comes, Blizzard will have a chance to improve the lore codex alongside it.
Currently, fans have no official date for the next batch of Overwatch 2 story missions, though many are hopeful that more PvE content will be added in Season 9. After all, the last time Blizzard spoke on PvE it said that it would not be releasing another batch of missions in Seasons 7 or 8, as it wanted time to address the feedback fans had about Invasion. Naturally, fans have latched on to the idea that Season 9 could bring more story content, as it is the next possible window for its release. Assuming that this happens, Blizzard will have a chance to overhaul the lore codex in the Missions menu, though even without new missions it can expand on the codex next Season.
Overwatch 2’s Lore Codex is Good, But It Could Be Better
Overwatch 2’s Lore Codex Could Dive Into Maps and Skins
Currently, Overwatch 2’s lore codex features basic info on the series’ various factions, reports from the characters recorded after the missions they go on, and detailed descriptions of the Omnics players fight throughout the levels. All of these features are welcome, though Blizzard can absolutely do more with the codex. It could start with much deeper lore bios for the cast of characters, as every hero has several paragraphs’ worth of backstory at the very least, with some heroes having multiple pages’ worth. However, beyond that, Blizzard could explore other parts of the Overwatch 2 universe via the codex.
Overwatch 2’s maps are full of life and personality, and some have rich backstories that are tied directly to the game’s heroes. For instance, the old 2CP map Temple of Anubis housed a powerful AI that had a major impact on the series’ backstory, while Hanamura is where Hanzo nearly killed Genji. Ecopoint: Antarctica has lore ties to Mei, Horizon Lunar Colony is where Winston was genetically enhanced, and so on. Beyond just maps, Blizzard has composed lengthy blog posts about the inspiration behind certain cosmetics for Lunar New Year, while the Blackwatch skins for characters like Cassidy also have significant lore behind them. As such, adding skin-specific entries and map details to the codex would be ideal.
If it wanted to, Blizzard could even add behind the scenes content to the lore codex. A concept art gallery for maps and heroes could be interesting, as well as clips of early footage from the hero shooter’s design process.
Overwatch 2’s Lore Codex Could House The Series’ Short Stories and Comics
Beyond just info on maps and Overwatch 2’s alternate skins, Blizzard should add all the short stories and comics it has released thus far into the lore codex. The developer has made the wise decision to add hero-specific Overwatch 2 animated shorts to the gallery, allowing fans to access them directly from the game. This should also be something that players can do with readable material, as most heroes have at least one short story or comic book associated with them. With this material already being freely accessible online, there is no valid reason for players to be required to leave the game to take in any of the lore. Instead, the short stories and comics could get their own sections in the lore codex, allowing players to read them while in a long queue or when waiting for their friends to get online.
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 77 /100 Critics Rec: 65%
WHERE TO PLAY
OVERWATCH®, A FUTURE WORTH FIGHTING FOR! Overwatch® is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future.
Overwatch® is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based hero shooter game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 or 6v6 battlefield brawl featuring new heroes and maps, different ways to play, and unique cosmetics! Lead the charge, ambush your enemies, or aid your allies as one of Overwatch’s 40+ distinct heroes. Team up with friends, take them into battle across 25+ futuristic maps inspired by real-world locations, and master multiple unique game modes.
Reign of Talon - Season 1: Conquest
The Next Big Story Begins
The world shifts as 2026 begins a year-long narrative arc where Overwatch and Talon face off in the fight for the future, joined by five new Heroes at once. Step into the story and shape what comes next!
After ten years, Season 1 opens the first chapter of Overwatch's next big story, where your choices will put you right into the fight for the future!
For the first time, five new Heroes hit the roster together, bringing new playstyles, new dynamics, and new voices into the fray all at once. Jet Pack Cat, Anran, Domina, Emre, and Mizuki arrive just in time for Reign of Talon: Conquest, launching a year-long narrative where conflict takes center stage and you contribute to how it unfolds.
Choose where you stand as Overwatch and Talon collide in a faction-driven event with outcomes that will leave visible marks on the world and your legacy. Along the way, Competitive gets a refresh and Core gameplay evolves, changing how things feel across the board.
This season sets a fresh tone for how the Overwatch story is told and how you play it.
- Genre(s)
- Shooter, FPS, MOBA, Multiplayer
