The Overwatch 2 technical beta began on April 26, and gamers have already began mining the construct for content material. One participant even made a side-by-side lighting comparability video of the variations between the beta and the unique recreation, which just lately took off on Twitter. The 2 video captures seemed to be almost an identical to one another, which brought about the sport to be mocked on social media.
To some members of the group, Overwatch 2 is already struggling to carve out a novel id from its predecessor. One widely-viewed thread on the official Blizzard discussion board known as the sport a ‘glorified replace,’ and a commenter known as the beta ‘server testing.’ It’s not that Blizzard hasn’t made any gameplay modifications (they’ve). The issue is that the group has excessive expectations for a so-called ‘sequel’ to certainly one of the most important team-based shooters on the planet.
The comparability video solely cemented these group fears. After seeing the widely-shared comparability (which sits at nearly seven million views on the time of writing), one fan even joked that Overwatch 2 takes place six hours after the primary recreation. A number of commenters on each Twitter and Reddit famous that Overwatch 2 seems prefer it’s been run by way of Breaking Unhealthy’s “Mexico filter” (a jarringly yellow filter that filmmakers apply to scenes that happen in non-western international locations).
The entire reactions are primarily based on beta footage, which signifies that the present construct of Overwatch 2 shouldn’t be thought of last. The builders nonetheless have loads of time between now and its 2023 launch date to make vital modifications to the sport. A developer weblog states that the beta “focuses totally on gameplay and steadiness in addition to stability” and that each one the opposite incomplete options are a “work in progress.” The weblog particularly known as out the shifting daytime situations as a function that isn’t being examined publically.
Even so, Overwatch followers have loads of causes to be cynical concerning the recreation’s future. The studio has been obscure concerning the actual launch date.Overwatch’s government producer left for “a while off,” and assist gamers have been left chilly by the gameplay reworks in Overwatch 2. On high of considerations concerning the recreation itself, Activision Blizzard itself has had large tradition issues that preserve making headlines. Many staff have been fired or resigned, and there’s a rising listing of entities which have publically expressed their disapproval of Activision Blizzard (which just lately settled a sexual harassment lawsuit for $18 million). The overall destructive sentiment concerning the recreation, its developer, and its guardian firm has chipped away at any persistence the group would possibly in any other case have for the beloved franchise.
The Overwatch 2 beta will finish on Might 17.
