"This is to force people to play Overwatch 2": Community isn't happy with Blizzard shutting down the first game

Blizzard made a major decision regarding Overwatch a few days back - the first game will be shut down. As Overwatch 2's release date comes closer, it's expected that many players will be playing the sequel, especially since it's free-to-play.

However, many hadn't foreseen that the first game would be closed down permanently. There's a 27-hour gap between terminating the first game's service and the second one becoming active.

Naturally, the community has reacted since the news broke out. While some expressed themselves from a nostalgic point of view, others were just puzzled about it. After all, the first game costs money, and some have spent on different cosmetic items as well.

Moreover, there are key differences between the two games despite their similarities. This led the community to respond and express their thoughts on social media. Since the decision broke out, there have been plenty of reactions.

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News of Overwatch shutting down is puzzling the community

There are plenty of video game series in which different editions work parallelly. However, Blizzard feels that the second game can only succeed after the first is shut down. Fans have been expecting the move for a long time now, but they're finally expressing themselves now that it's happening.

For many, Blizzard's decision is problematic in several ways. One enthusiast feels that Blizzard has made a stupid judgment call, and it would have been nicer to have two games that aren't entirely copies of each other.

Another fan appreciated the fact in a sarcastic way that Nintendo didn't kill Splatoon 2 after release of the third installment.

The ongoing charges of sexual misconduct against Activision Blzzard came up once more as one Twitter user criticized the closing down of the first game. They feel that it's quite unfair for players to lose access to a product they paid for in full.

For some, Overwatch holds a really special place due to all the memories they have made, which has now made them sad as the game's going to close down very soon.

Another Twitter user gave an example of Call of Duty Black Ops II, which can still be played, despite several games being released in the series. The user doesn't see the logic in discontinuing one title because of its sequel being released.

For one fan, the closure of Overwatch shouldn't be the biggest talking point. In fact, Blizzard's failure to capitalize on the franchise's potential should be treated as a catastrophic blunder.

The biggest issue seems to be the simple fact that players will lose access to a game after just five years of acquiring it at full price, and there's nothing they can do about it.

While it might be a bit of a far-fetched conspiracy theory at this point, one person believes that this is just Blizzard's ploy to release a special edition of the game in the future.

It appears that Blizzard is migrating the servers from the first game to the second one. However, there's still some points to be made since the second title won't be the same one as the first. Not only are there possible changes in the gameplay, but Blizzard seems to have already taken some predatory tactics with the free-to-play title.

Additionally, Overwatch 2 will also have mechanics like heroes in Battle Passes, which are quite different from it was in the first title. While the sequel might be free-to-play, it doesn't necessarily mean that fans will prefer it. This has become more valid as players haven't asked for the original title to be closed down.