Overwatch 2 should allow developers the ability to do more than they can with Overwatch, as its outdated systems complicate development. These changes include taking undesirable systems out of Overwatch 2 like loot boxes, the "on fire" meter, some crowd control abilities, among other things. Along with improved character models, time of day map settings, and the new Push game mode, Overwatch 2 will launch without one of its most derided game modes "Assault," more commonly known as 2CP from playlists.

The retirement of the 2CP from Quick Play and Competitive playlists in Overwatch 2 will mean that the public will no longer interact with maps that have greater value to the overall lore of Overwatch. The 'Infiltration' cinematic that included Widowmaker, Reaper, and Sombra took place on Volskya Industries which is one of 5 2CP maps in Overwatch. During a Reddit AMA, Overwatch fans were given the opportunity to ask about anything about the game ahead of the 2nd release of the Overwatch 2 Beta. One fan asked about what will happen with 2CP maps of Volskya Industries, Temple of Anubis, Horizon Lunar Colony, Hanamura, and Paris.

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When asked about what would happen with maps that go "unused" in Overwatch 2, a developer responded that the team is workshopping ideas for redesigning some 2CP maps into other game modes. The developer also stated that 2CP maps will be in Overwatch 2 but only through custom game modes. Furthermore, any redesign of a 2CP map may be farther away in the development roadmap of Overwatch 2 and any redesign will be heavily tested in Arcade mode before making a return.

The 2CP game mode has its fans, mostly because of lore ties, but the mode has been derided at nearly all Overwatch skill levels for being prone to stalemate scenarios at certain points in the map design, and the game mode most likely to produce draws as final match results. The mode has also had many bugs and design issues that led to maps being removed from the Overwatch Competitive map playlist and Overwatch League map pools at one time or another over the years and permanently in the case of Horizon Lunar Colony and Paris.

That work to redesign these 2CP maps may already be well along as a screenshot captured from the Overwatch 2 Early Access Reveal shows Hanamura with the Escort map icon. Take that with a grain of salt though as the screenshot also has a glaring typo in it, showing that these features may be still early along in development and proper icon assets may still be incorrect. As much as fans bemoan the 2CP map type, there is relief that the maps will have value in Overwatch 2 after their redesigns are tested and completed. Maps like Hanamura and Volsyka Industries have been central to some Overwatch cinematic shorts and character lore and further world-building can be done with those maps.

Overwatch 2 is in development with Early Access coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on October 4th, 2022.

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Source: Reddit