Fans are still reeling from the Overwatch 2 developers’ latest announcement that the game’s long-awaited PvE mode (also known as “Hero Mode”) will not push through after all. The news came from an interview with the game’s executive producer Jared Neuss and director Aaron Keller, who also laid out a roadmap for Overwatch 2’s upcoming seasons based on this new direction. While they’ve scrapped PvE elements like hero progression and talents, the developers have assured players that they will still experience the most important part of this mode in the future.
Overwatch 2 was first announced at BlizzCon on November 1, 2019, with the promise of a shared environment with the first game. There was also a heavy emphasis on Overwatch 2’s co-op PvE mode, which multiple content creators and professional players showcased during the convention. When the sequel came out in October 2022, however, the original Overwatch servers were shut down. Now, the PvE mode is canceled. The Overwatch team can’t seem to keep its major pre-release promises, but it does offer some compromises in its roadmap.
Overwatch 2’s New Story Arc Will Persist Without PvE Mode
Apart from fresh gameplay, the reason fans are excited about a co-op PvE game mode is that it’s the perfect medium to tell Overwatch’s new story arc. Co-op gameplay is much more laid-back compared to the frantic and time-constrained PvP mode. As such, the game has the chance to slow down the action and turn players’ attention to the game’s story through character dialogue and narration, as well as cutscenes.
The 2019 PvE demo showcased this perfectly, with the game’s heroes heading to Rio de Janeiro after reuniting in the Overwatch's Zero Hour cinematic. Now that Hero Mode isn’t going to be released, players are concerned about how the game’s main story will progress.
Fortunately, the developers have plans to release new lore in a different, but familiar format. Keller stated in a recent interview that they’re going to focus on story missions., which they will release as early as Season 6. These quests will have linear gameplay, as opposed to the more open-ended approach that Hero Mode was supposed to have.
Players may get the same experience as previous story missions, like the fan-favorite Overwatch Archives event. Apart from missions, the new arc will also have brand-new cinematics and a lore codex, which are perfect for players who like digging deep into Overwatch’s main story. These features will also be released in Season 6.
How Overwatch 2 is Moving Forward Beyond Hero Mode
People may no longer get the chance to enjoy Overwatch 2’s Hero Mode, but the developers are working to keep some of its elements in future releases. Jared Neuss stated that they’re going to diversify every seasonal event to give players a wide range of experiences. So, if players just want to grind competitive or quick play, they can get event-specific rewards through challenges. If they want to explore more of the seasonal event’s story, they can hop into the arcade and play a PvE-style game mode created specifically for it.
The Overwatch team also has plans for a whole new type of single-player PvE mode in the coming season called hero mastery missions. The developers haven’t revealed anything about this mode in terms of objectives, gameplay, and rewards, but it may involve specialized challenges that test the player’s ability to land and optimize a hero’s skill set.
Despite Hero Mode’s cancelation, the work that the developers put into it won’t all go to waste, according to Keller. He stated that some of the new elements that they developed for the mode, like the new mission tech and augmented hero skills, were used in events like Junkenstein’s Wrath of the Bride and Battle for Olympus. They will continue to repurpose tools, like the talent system and mission elements, for future content.
Overwatch 2 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.