Overwatch 2 was announced at BlizzCon 2019, and with the game aiming for current-gen consoles, many fans expected it to launch this year. That may have very well been Blizzard's original intention, but it now seems as though the game has slipped to 2021 at the earliest. Luckily, if a frequent Overwatch leaker is to be believed, fans won't have to wait too long into the new year to get their hands on the highly-anticipated hero-shooter.
According to Metro, a Twitter user who accurately leaked Overwatch 2 gameplay details in the past, the new game is set to launch in early 2021. Metro stated that the next season of the Overwatch League may be delayed to April so that it can feature the sequel, and that because of that, Overwatch 2 will have a beta or full release around February 2021.
What's interesting about that is that BlizzCon 2021 is set to take place from February 19 to 21 as a digital-only event. Unfortunately, Blizzard was forced to cancel BlizzCon 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but if it had planned to announce Overwatch 2 release date news at the event, it makes sense for that information to come at the February 2021 event instead.
It seems like the most likely scenario, assuming Metro's information is correct, would be for an Overwatch 2 beta to be announced during BlizzCon 2021, with a full release to follow in March. It would be highly unlikely for Blizzard to surprise-launch Overwatch 2 at BlizzCon since it will be looking to sell the game in brick and mortar stores as well as through digital marketplaces. However, a surprise beta announcement does seem like something Blizzard would do, especially at a big event like BlizzCon.
Besides announcing a potential Overwatch 2 beta, it's possible that Blizzard will reveal even more details about the upcoming game. We know that Overwatch 2 will have a story mode, along with some brand new PvP match types, but there's still a lot of questions left to be answered about what exactly it will entail. Hopefully the potential Overwatch 2 release date announcement is accompanied by a big info dump on what fans can expect from the game.
Many fans are also anxious to learn about new Overwatch 2 hero Sojourn, as well as any other potential new heroes that will be making their debut in the game. In any case, Overwatch enthusiasts should be sure to tune in to the BlizzCon 2021 event in February to learn more about Overwatch 2 and see if rumors about its release date are true.
Overwatch 2 is in development for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.