Overwatch 2: Invasion, the highly anticipated update to Overwatch 2, is set to launch on August 11th. Ahead of the game’s release, members of the development team were interviewed by news and other Taiwanese media to discuss the various designs and features of Overwatch 2.
The interviewed team members include Daniel McGowan, an Environment Artist, Dylan Snyder, a Senior Game Designer, Jorge Murillo, a Quest Designer, Josh Zhang, a Story Designer, Monika Lee, a Game Designer, Piero Herrera, a Hero Designer, Ryan Smith, a Level Designer, Scott Lawlor, a Sound and Technical Story Design Director, Rakan Khamash, a Senior Character art designer.
When asked about the official story of “Omnic Invasion,” Scott Lawlor, the Sound and Technical Story Design Director, revealed that the story takes place after the “Action Hour” animation and follows the heroes’ battle against the Zero Quadrant in Paris. Players can expect to see familiar faces like Winston, Reinhardt, Lucio, Sojourn, and witness the events between Torbjörn and the Bastion. Lawlor also mentioned that the story will continue to unfold in future seasons, but there are no further details at this time.
Lawlor also addressed the concerns of new players and mentioned that the first mission, “Rio,” will include an animation to provide context for the story. The development team intends for new players to be able to enjoy the game without having to watch all the animations or read the comics and novels.
Monika Lee, a Game Designer, spoke about the content of “Omnic Invasion” and its improvements compared to previous missions like “Defending the Order.” She revealed that each of the three new missions has an average playtime of about 30 minutes and includes new animations. Lee emphasized that the new missions offer a more complete and massive experience, with the addition of hundreds of new voice lines and the ability to interact with more powerful enemies.
Jorge Murillo, a Quest Designer, hinted at the presence of plot easter eggs in the missions, but refrained from revealing too much information.
Regarding rewards for clearing the PvE mode, Scott Lawlor clarified that these missions are not limited-time content, and clearing them will unlock the next stage of the story in Winston’s laboratory.
When asked about hero specialization tasks, Dylan Snyder, a Senior Game Designer, explained that they are single-player maps where players can play as individual heroes to complete challenges and improve their skills.
The development team remained tight-lipped about the release schedule for future story missions, but Scott Lawlor mentioned that the stories will continue to be told through animations and other media.
One of the controversial aspects of Overwatch 2 is the introduction of a fee for the PvE story mode. Scott Lawlor defended the decision, expressing confidence in the quality of the story missions and stating that the pricing is reasonable for the experience players will receive.
In addition to the story mode, Blizzard also announced a new core game mode called Blitz Point. Ryan Smith, a Level Designer, shared details about the mode, mentioning that the locations where strongholds appear will be more random to provide players with a different combat experience each time they enter.
Daniel McGowan, an Environment Artist, reassured players that every hero has a role to play on every map, emphasizing that the larger flashpoint maps do not render tanks and support heroes useless. McGowan highlighted the creativity and variety of hero usage in different situations as one of the best aspects of Overwatch.
Ryan Smith confirmed that the flashpoint mode will join competitive battles during the season and that the “Special Attack” professional e-sports league will also feature flashpoint battles in the future.
The development team acknowledged concerns about the snowball effect mentioned by streamer KarQ and emphasized the importance of map knowledge and team composition in flashpoints. They assured players that they will review feedback and hero performance data to make any necessary adjustments.
Finally, the interview concluded with a discussion of the new hero, Ilari, mentioning that Peru’s culture and history influenced the hero’s design.
With Overwatch 2: Invasion just around the corner, fans of the franchise can look forward to an expansive story mode, exciting new game modes, and the introduction of a unique hero.