Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller shuts down claims OW2 is just an update

As more details about Blizzard’s highly anticipated Overwatch 2 continue to slip out of the cracks, Game Director Aaron Keller has shut down claims that OW2 should have just been a new patch for the base game.

Following Blizzard’s second Overwatch 2 showcase on June 16, the hype around the highly anticipated sequel continues to build.

Providing players with an in-depth look at new tank hero, Junker Queen, as well as a full overview of what to expect from the game’s free-to-play seasons, there’s a lot to get excited about.

Skeptics, however, continue to claim that Overwatch 2 is nothing more than an expansion of the base game, believing that it should simply have been a new patch instead of a standalone title. Looking to squash these doubts is Game Producer, Aaron Keller, who has explained why OW2 is far more than just an update.

Overwatch 2 Director hits back at update claims

In an interview with Gamespot, Keller has been quick to explain why Overwatch 2 is worthy of being a standalone title instead of a simple update to the base game.

“We are doing things with Overwatch 2 that would be difficult to do without the context of it being a sequel,” he states. “We are reworking the PvP experience for Overwatch; we’re shifting from a 6v6 team format to a 5v5 team format – it’s removing one of the tanks from the lineup.

“We’re also introducing role passives for every hero, reworking and modifying a lot of the heroes in the game, [and] removing crowd control abilities from the game… Overwatch 2 does feel like something fresh and something new. And I think it’s easier to do something like that in the context of a sequel.”

• Read More: Blizzard admits Overwatch 2 PVE development delayed new content

Not only is the content itself changing, but the way that it’s managed. “On top of that, this is the largest update we’ve ever released for the game. There are a lot of new things coming out in October with new heroes and new maps. We have a new competitive system coming out and there’s so much more to come.

“So by going free-to-play with Overwatch we are not just giving people a different way of interacting with the game; the development team itself is thinking about the way we create and release content in a totally new way. The amount of content it takes to run a free-to-play live service game is orders of magnitude more than what it takes to run something that you put into a box and sell.”

Noting “I know that there’s a lot here, but really this is a demarcation point for Overwatch where the way we create and release content is different. And even the way we think about and run the game is different,” Keller concludes “in my opinion, this justifies putting the 2 after Overwatch.”

With the release set for October 4 and another beta on the way, it’s an exciting time to be an Overwatch fan. As all eyes look to the future, Keller maintains that there’s enough content to merit the title of sequel, and we can’t wait to check it out for ourselves.