Overwatch 2 team AMA (June 2022) on Reddit reveals OW1 retirement, hero changes, rank reset, and more

Ahead of Overwatch 2's beta, the team behind the upcoming hero shooter game took to Reddit to give existing fans an opportunity to ask them anything. The conversation took place on the platform yesterday, June 23.

The new hero shooter game’s beta version will roll out on June 28. Before it gets released, mobile gamers can purchase the Watchpoint Pack that comes with two Legendary Skins, 2000 in-game currency, Season 1 Battle Pass, and will make sure that fans have beta access.

---

Top 5 news from Overwatch 2 team's latest AMA session

Here are some of the most important aspects that were revealed via the Reddit session that took place yesterday:

1) Replacement of the old title

One burning question that gamers were curious to learn was if Overwatch 2 would completely replace Overwatch. That turned out to be true when the team confirmed that the upcoming PvP game will replace the existing one when it gets released on October 4, 2022.

The team also assured that the new game will receive updates every nine weeks and that players can look forward to new heroes, features, maps, and more. A new hero will come to the game in Seasons 1 and 2, with the second season also getting a new map that players will enjoy.

---

2) In-game currency and loot boxes

While addressing the players' concerns regarding in-game currencies, including competitive points, credits, and OWL tokens, the developers assured them that it will be duly transferred to Overwatch 2.

However, even if OW1 credits are usable in the new game, the new currency will hog the spotlight and there will be some items that will not be purchasable using the old credits.

When it comes to loot boxes, the team made it clear that none of them will be transferred to the upcoming shooter game. However, gamers were assured that these boxes will open automatically before the new game rolls out, and the items will be transferred directly to their accounts.

---

3) Existing maps

When a player asked about the maps of Overwatch like Hanamura, Temple of Anubis, Horizon Lunar Colony, and more, the official team responded that the existing maps will still be playable in custom games in Overwatch 2. However, when it comes to other major modes, they will not be available at launch.

The team did not completely crush the hopes of the players when it comes to reworking the maps, but stated that the developers might consider it “in the distant future." A lot of testing will be involved if they ever consider bringing back the old popular maps for the upcoming title.

---

4) Types of missions and rank reset

While talking about the types of missions that players will have to complete in order to progress in the Battle Pass, the team stated that hero-specific recurring challenges are not part of their plan.

The developers also revealed that they will be concentrating on introducing more lifetime challenges. This will come as a relief to players who are not keen on swapping heroes that they are not comfortable with.

Speaking of rank resets, the developers stated that they will not perform a complete reset as the game will be imbalanced for quite some time. However, the Matchmaking Rating of those who have not played the hero shooter for a while will be reduced.

---

5) Heroes and their abilities

There were multiple questions centered around the vast range of heroes in Overwatch 2. Speaking of changes, gamers can look forward to Symmetra’s ability rework in the upcoming beta, Moira’s ability change, and the tweak of Brigitte’s Ultimate ability.

When a player asked about the repercussions of overlapping abilities, the team expressed that they were not against the concept, but stressed the importance of ability mechanics.

Since many players are uncomfortable with stacking barriers, there is a maximum cap on particular ability aspects, depending on gameplay strategies that are being implemented.