Blizzard accidentally opens Overwatch 2 PvE areas before launch
Blizzard EntertainmentOverwatch 2’s PvE mode isn’t expected to arrive until 2023, but Blizzard may have accidentally given players the chance to explore the single-player and co-op areas of certain maps ahead of time.
The launch of Overwatch 2 has been a rousing success for Blizzard, as 25 million players dropped into the hero shooter sequel within its first 10 days. However, many will still have been disappointed that the planned story content isn’t arriving until 2023.
The Overwatch franchise has made its name through tactical PvP matches, but the community has been eager for more PvE modes to flesh out the lore of the world and characters.
While Overwatch 2 PvE is still some way off, it appears that Blizzard have accidentally opened up secret areas of the game’s maps that will be used for the story mode.
Twitter user Squiggle found that if players enter a custom game on King’s Row and set the Bounty Hunter setting to ‘Friends Only,’ they will be able to explore entirely new areas of the map.
They will be spawned in a familiar location on the map, but a previously closed-off section will be open, and players have free reign to walk around and take in the sights. There’s a host of new buildings to go inside of, as well as a whole subway section “that’s supposed to be for PvE or some kind of expansion.”
Since this is an early version of the map that isn’t supposed to be visible just yet, parts of the new area are clearly unfinished, and there are black walls separating some areas that won’t be present when the PvE mode finally arrives.
The same is also possible on Havana, with secret areas that can’t be seen in online matches becoming accessible during custom lobbies. It isn’t clear right now if there are any other existing maps that have new sections designed for PvE.
While these added areas don’t give us any clear indication of what Overwatch 2 PvE will look like and how it will play out, it at least sheds some light on where some of the missions will take place.
Once the sequel’s big plans for both Halloween and Christmas are out of the way, hopefully, Blizzard will begin to reveal what they have in store for story content in Overwatch 2.