From MOBAS and MMORPGs, to open-world survival games and extraction shooters, PvPvE comes in many flavors and caters to a broad audience, but that does not automatically make it a good fit forOverwatch 2. Blizzard could find a way to craft an enticing and rewarding PvPvE experience inOverwatch 2, but its role-based competitive design poses challenges for the studio, so perhaps sticking to its strengths while fine-tuning its forthcoming cooperative PvE mode is the right choice.
Several weeks into season 4,Overwatch 2has hit a decent stride in terms of new content and adequate balance. Itsnew support hero Lifeweaver is a breath of fresh air, whose kit brings unique, exciting mechanics to the game. While the initial launch of Lifeweaver had them underperforming in the meta, Blizzard has already released a patch to address the issue. Fans are enjoying the new season, but some already have their sights set on season 5, which, if patterns are anything to go by, should contain a new map, battle pass, limited-time game modes, and maybe some quality-of-life features. Others are looking further on the horizon, to the PvE portion ofOverwatch 2,promised by Blizzard in its original announcement.
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The Other Half of Overwatch 2
PvE inOverwatch 2remains a mystery to its players, many of whom have already bought into the experience withOverwatch 2’s paid version. Of what Blizzard has shown, most was revealed long enough ago to wonder whether it still exists in its current form. The studio has been hard at work on what was advertised as the other half ofOverwatch 2, which will push forward a narrative fans fell in love with through a series of masterfully-crafted cinematics released throughoutOverwatch’s tenure. The snippets of PvE gameplay have left gamers speculating, with the best guesses leaning toward it containing wave-based missions with role-based co-op. A talent tree was shown, prompting questions about progression systems and replayability, and there are hints to suggest that missions will have side objectives, foreshadowing degrees of difficulty. More will be known onMay 9 with the release of the Starwatch game mode, which Blizzard has claimed will offer a glimpse intoOverwatch 2’s PvE elements.
Despite several missteps, Blizzard’s pedigree sparksoptimism thatOverwatch 2’s PvE mode will be far more than just an afterthoughtto its wildly popular PvP. The world, lore, and characters created forOverwatchare richly-detailed and rife with potential for storytelling. If Blizzard can stick the landing, creating a worthwhile gameplay loop with proper incentives, advancing the story ofOverwatchin a compelling fashion should come comparatively easy, given the rock-solid foundation it is built on.
PvPvE Could Work in Overwatch 2, But it Might Not be Worth the Effort
One path to bridging the gap betweenOverwatch 2in its current iteration and the rollout of PvE could be a hybrid PvPvE mode. Of the wells of inspiration Blizzard could pull from, perhaps the most workable within the game’s design would be a mode similar toDestiny 2’s Gambit. Tasking two teams with completing a PvE objective in a race against one another, with mechanics implemented to affect the otherteam’s progress feels natural inOverwatch 2’s role-based gameplay. In Gambit, a player can invade the other teams battleground in order to take them out and delay progress, something a flanking DPS would be perfect for while a tank and healer work together to grind down waves of mobs.
While a PvPvE mode could work, it seems better served asanother in a long string of Blizzard’s limited-time game modes forOverwatch 2. While Gambit is a thrilling prospect, the reality is it is one ofDestiny 2’s more underappreciated activities and woefully neglected by Bungie. There is a ton of potential for PvPvE inOverwatch 2, but putting too much stock in it could wind up as a mistake.
Overwatch 2is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
