Blizzard reportedly abandons Overwatch 2 PvE content

Blizzard has reportedly scrapped its planned Overwatch 2 PvE content. The company does not plan on finishing the remaining PvE pieces. Read on for details.

According to a Bloomberg report, Blizzard does not have any plans to complete the remaining planned Overwatch 2 PvE content. Instead, the company will focus on competitive gameplay. The report's sources also stated that last year's paid PvE content sold poorly and the "majority of the team behind Overwatch 2's PvE was laid off" back in January 2024.

"Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan wanted to make a sequel centered on PvE. He spent several years helming it, then left Blizzard in 2021," Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier also claimed on X. "A new leadership group took over and for various reasons they pivoted back to PvP. Would have been way too late at that point to nix the sequel."

Last year's paid PvE content refers to the three Overwatch 2 Story Missions that arrived in Season 6. These Story Missions featured in-game cinematics and more information about the omnics. Titled "Overwatch 2 Invasion," these Story Missions took place in Toronto, Rio de Janeiro, and Gothenburg.

Both Story Missions and Hero Missions were announced as PvE content back in 2019. However, in a 2023 livestream, it was revealed that the Overwatch 2 team pivoted away from Hero Missions to focus on the live game. According to Overwatch 2 executive producer Jared Neuss, the original PvE plans were canceled alongside features such as talent trees and long-term power progression.

"We're going to be releasing our first major story-based event featuring a new set of missions, and it'll kick off a brand-new story arc for Overwatch," Overwatch 2 game director Aaron Keller said during the same livestream, referring to the paid PvE content.

As of now, players who have the paid Overwatch 2 PvE Story Missions can still access them through the in-game menu.

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