Overwatch 2026 Drops the “2” on Feb. 10 as Talon Arc Adds 10 New Heroes

Just under four years after it first came out, Blizzard has dropped the “2” from the game’s title, reverting to its original name. They’re presenting this as a continuous, evolving game, rather than a sequel, restart, or a completely new version. Instead of being replaced, the game will simply keep getting updated and improved over time.

Blizzard replaced the original Overwatch with Overwatch 2 in October 2022, hoping for a successful launch. The new game featured changes like smaller teams (5v5 instead of 6v6), updated graphics, and other adjustments. However, Blizzard recently changed the game’s branding back, leading people to wonder why they made the switch in the first place and why now.

During a press conference at Blizzard Entertainment, which MeriStation covered, President Johanna Faries explained how discussions about going back to the original seasonal format ultimately resulted in removing the ‘sequel’ title. She stated that everyone within the company agreed on this decision.

According to Faries, now is the perfect moment for the Overwatch universe to move in a new direction. Blizzard believes Overwatch is a game that will endure over time, not bound by traditional storylines or sequential numbering. The name change is intended to spark discussions about what’s next for the game’s characters and world.

Walter Kong, a development leader and former manager for Overwatch, explained the recent changes by looking back at the game’s history. He remembered the original idea for Overwatch, its initial release, and the challenges it faced. Kong described the renaming as a way to get back to the game’s roots, especially now that Overwatch is doing well.

Game director Aaron Keller explained the decision by connecting it to Blizzard’s future plans. He stated that Blizzard envisions Overwatch as a game that will be continually updated and supported for years to come, and they don’t want players anticipating a sequel. Removing the “2” from the title emphasizes that Overwatch is designed to evolve indefinitely.

Keller explained to GameSpot that they don’t want the name change to feel like a simple publicity stunt. They want players to understand the fundamental essence of the game and the team’s long-term goals for it.

Beginning with The Reign of Talon on February 10th, Overwatch will tell its story through year-long chapters, each broken up into about six seasons. These seasons will feature special, story-focused in-game events, and the game’s world will change and develop as the story unfolds.

As a huge fan, I’m really excited to hear that Blizzard is planning to keep the game’s content super connected to the ongoing story all year long! Apparently, things like heroes, maps, and even the art style will evolve as the narrative unfolds. They’re still going to create awesome supplemental stories – comics, shorts, animated stuff, and hero trailers – but now they’re adding a new ‘Story’ tab in-game. That means we won’t have to hunt around on other sites to follow everything – it’ll all be conveniently in one place! This is a game-changer for immersion, and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out.

Blizzard says this is the first time in Overwatch that they’re telling one continuous story throughout an entire year. The story will unfold over the seasons, starting with Season 1 and concluding with Season 6, before beginning again with a new Season 1 in 2027. Each year will bring updates that add to both the game’s story and how it’s played.

Keller stated the team is confident in this new direction now that the main game is running smoothly. He feels Overwatch is currently in the strongest condition it’s been in after years of improving its player-versus-player combat.

“We even hear from players like, ‘Hey, Overwatch is in the best state it’s ever been in.’ But that’s just step one,” Keller said. “Now we feel like we’ve earned the right to go big, and that’s what we’re doing with Season 1. We’re going as big as we can.”

He admitted the team had made errors in the past, describing them as “missteps,” and explained that they’ve shifted their focus back to the core storyline of Overwatch. When questioned about whether this change might make Blizzard seem unsure of itself, Keller conceded that it was a fair point, but emphasized that prioritizing what’s best for the game is more important than how it looks.

The story starts with the villains, focusing on a new character named Vendetta. She takes control of Talon by defeating Doomfist – seemingly throwing him out a window to his death. Although she questions her own ability to lead, Vendetta quickly makes Talon stronger, gathers three new members, and increases its power and reach.

The game’s new, more serious beginning is a departure from Overwatch’s usually hopeful style, and according to Jeff Kaplan, that was a deliberate choice.

Honestly, hearing him say that really got to me. He promised it wouldn’t be all doom and gloom, and that there’s a good future still worth believing in for Overwatch. He made it clear that the game is about hope and a brighter tomorrow, and he thinks this new direction is a fantastic way to get back to that feeling. As a fan, it’s so good to hear!

When the interviewer pointed out that you need darkness to appreciate light, Keller responded with a simple, “Exactly.”

The story also addresses feedback from players who felt Doomfist hadn’t convincingly become the leader of Talon. According to Keller, many felt he hadn’t earned the position.

Honestly, this character’s been around for a while, but he hasn’t really done anything amazing yet. It feels like we’re at a point where the developers either need to give him a major moment to prove he’s a leader, or maybe it’s time to move on and find someone else. As a player, I need a reason to believe in him!

Despite ongoing changes, Blizzard doesn’t intend to remove any characters from the game. According to Dawson, whether a character stays playable won’t be based on what happens in the game’s story.

Blizzard is also adding 10 new playable characters to the game this year. They’ll release one new hero each season from Season 2 to Season 6. The first season, launching on February 10th, will introduce five heroes: Domina, Emre, Mizuki, Anran, and Jetpack Cat.

Dawson shared that Blizzard is focusing on expanding the stories of characters and groups we already know, rather than inventing completely new ones. He pointed to characters like Mizuki, who help us learn more about Kiriko’s background in Kanezaka, and how Domina connects to the Vishkar Corporation, as well as Emre’s established history within the Overwatch universe.

Emre goes against what Overwatch stands for, and Mizuki is connected to the group responsible for the death of Genji and Hanzo’s father, creating conflict with several characters. Blizzard has recorded a massive amount of dialogue – over 800,000 lines – which will allow for lots of interaction between characters throughout the year.

The first five heroes arrive, split between Talon and Overwatch.

Domina, a tank character associated with Talon, is the heir and vice president of Vishkar Industries. While not an official Talon member, she works with Vendetta, trading redevelopment rights in Talon areas for their cooperation. She’s considered a unique ‘poke tank’ like Sigma, specializing in long-range attacks using hard-light technology.

Her kit includes:

Photon Magnum, a medium-range beam ending in a high-impact shot
Barrier Array, a segmented shield that can be broken piece by piece
Crystal Charge, an explosive crystal that can be detonated remotely
Sonic Repulsors, which push enemies back and stun them against walls
Panopticon, her ultimate, which traps enemies in a barrier that later explodes
Reconstruction, a passive that restores shields when she deals ability damage

Emre, formerly a member of Overwatch’s Strike Team, left after becoming disillusioned with the organization. Found by Freja, he was revealed to have cybernetic enhancements and is struggling with inner conflict. Now working with Vendetta, he’s a quick and forceful damage-focused fighter.

His abilities include:

Synthetic Burst Rifle, a three-round burst weapon
Take Aim, which tightens accuracy and extends falloff range
Siphon Blaster, a temporary life-stealing pistol that boosts speed and jump height
Cyber Frag, a bouncing grenade
Override Protocol, an ultimate that transforms him into a rapid-fire, explosive attacker
Altered Vitals, a passive that triggers health regeneration sooner and instantly restores 30 health

Mizuki is a support character from the Hashimoto clan, a group that works with the Talon organization. While some within the clan questioned his loyalty, he’s become an important member thanks to support from his superiors. Currently, he’s been sent to investigate the Yokai in the Kanezaka area, but there are concerns he might defect to Overwatch.

His kit includes:

Spirit Glaive, a bouncing blade
Healing Kasa, a hat that heals allies and returns to heal him
Katashiro Return, a leap that leaves behind a paper doll for teleportation
Binding Chain, which hinders the first enemy hit
Kekkai Sanctuary, an ultimate that heals allies and blocks incoming projectiles
Remedy Aura, a passive area heal that scales with damage and healing output

Anran, a damage-dealing hero in Overwatch, is Wuyang’s older sister and fights using fire. She’s a confident and disciplined character who wants to protect the world and also make sure her brother stays out of trouble.

Her abilities include:

Zhuque Fans, fiery projectiles
Fan the Flames, which amplifies burning damage
Inferno Rush, a damaging dash
Dancing Blaze, which strikes enemies while dodging damage
Vermillion Ascent (Alive), an explosive charge that ignites foes
Vermillion Revival (Dead), which revives her in a fiery blast
Ignition, a passive that applies burn on fire hits

Players can try Anran early through a Hero Trial beginning February 5.

Jetpack Cat joins the Support role as a newcomer from Gibraltar, and she can fly continuously. Here’s what she brings to the game:

Biotic Pawjectiles, which both heal and damage
Lifeline, a towing mode that heals an ally while moving
Frenetic Flight, a burst of speed with slower fuel recovery when carrying someone
Purr, a pulsing area heal that knocks back enemies
Catnapper, an ultimate that dives, knocks down enemies, and tethers one target

On February 10th, Blizzard is adding new ways to play with all characters, including specialized roles within each hero and unique passive abilities.

Tanks are divided into:

Bruisers (Mauga, Orisa, Roadhog, Zarya), who take reduced critical damage and gain speed at low health
Initiators (D.Va, Doomfist, Winston, Wrecking Ball), who heal slightly while airborne
Stalwarts (Domina, Hazard, Junker Queen, Ramattra, Reinhardt, Sigma), who resist knockbacks and slows

Damage heroes fall into:

Sharpshooters (Ashe, Cassidy, Hanzo, Sojourn, Widowmaker), whose critical hits reduce movement cooldowns
Flankers (Anran, Genji, Reaper, Tracer, Vendetta, Venture), who receive more healing from health packs
Specialists (Bastion, Emre, Junkrat, Mei, Soldier: 76, Symmetra, Torbjorn), who reload faster after eliminations
Recon (Echo, Freja, Pharah, Sombra), who can see enemies below half health through walls after damaging them

Supports are grouped as:

Tacticians (Ana, Baptiste, Jetpack Cat, Lucio, Zenyatta), who can carry excess ultimate charge
Medics (Kiriko, Lifeweaver, Mercy, Moira), who heal themselves when healing allies
Survivors (Brigitte, Illari, Juno, Mizuki, Wuyang), who regenerate health after using movement abilities

Keller warned that these changes will disrupt balance, but said top players adapt within days.

Season 1 features a five-week event called Conquest, where players choose to support either Overwatch or Talon. Each week brings new missions tied to the game’s story, and the faction that performs best earns rewards. Players can change which side they’re on once each week after making progress with their current faction.

Rewards include:

75 Base Lootboxes
12 Epic Lootboxes
7 Legendary Lootboxes
9 new Voice Lines
31 2D Cosmetics
2 Weapon Charms
1 of 2 faction-themed Legendary Echo skins
New Rare, Epic, Legendary, and one secret title

Season 1 kicks off a new competitive season by resetting player ranks and introducing the Crimson Wolf weapon, themed after Vendetta. Players reaching Diamond rank or higher will receive a new Doomfist skin for competitive play. Competitive titles now come in different rarity levels, and the top 500 players will earn special, changing titles. Titles earned in Season 20 and Season 1 will be awarded in Season 2 after some final improvements.

Blizzard is giving the game’s interface a major update, improving how players navigate menus, customize their decks, view heroes, and connect with friends. A new central notification system will keep players informed, and the lobby is being redesigned with a 3D view of their chosen hero for Season 1 – eventually showing off the entire team by Season 4.

UI lead Jay Bacuetes understands this change might be difficult, as it asks you to shift a habit you’ve likely had for a long time. However, he believes the effort will be worthwhile and ultimately provide a better experience.

Stadium is getting a visual update with 70 redesigned icons, making things like the Aerial Distresser and Amari’s Antidote easier to identify. A new Hero Builder feature now suggests optimal hero setups based on how players worldwide are performing. At the start, players will see three pre-made builds with a main power and three items they can quickly choose. From rounds two through seven, the builder will offer suggestions to counter opponents’ strategies.

Stadium matches now use a quicker best-of-seven format with round lengths of 1, 2, 4, and 6, allowing for faster games without sacrificing strategic build variety. Plus, the Vendetta map is now available to play in Stadium.

Starting with Season 1, Blizzard is introducing a ‘Praise’ feature that lets players send encouraging voice lines for heroes to their teammates – these lines have been collected over the last decade. They’re also adding new audio controls for the lobby, making it simpler to manage sound while using a second monitor.

Later this year, Post-Match Accolades will be updated with detailed 3D hero models, offering more ways to show off your favorite characters, including multiple endorsements and special Heroic Endorsements. Next year, Season 2 will bring Overwatch to the new Nintendo Switch 2 console. We’re also planning improvements to how maps are chosen, which heroes can be banned in competitive play, and the Drives system.

Between February 10th and 23rd, Overwatch is teaming up with Hello Kitty & Friends for a special event with six new character skins.

Juno as Hello Kitty
Kiriko as Cinnamoroll
Mercy as Pompompurin
D.Va as My Melody
Widowmaker as Kuromi
Lucio as Keroppi

Season 1 introduces new outfits inspired by different factions, plus limited-time bundles like Rainy Day and Valentine’s Day. It also updates the in-game store with popular skins from the past six seasons.

This year, each season of the game will include two special Mythic skins. Season 1 has skins for Mercy (Celestial Guardian) and Juno (Star Shooter), and a new Mythic skin for Mei will be released later in the season. We’re also planning Mythic skins for Soldier: 76, Illari, and Mauga, as well as unique Mythic weapon skins for Genji, Hanzo, and Sojourn.

Okay, so for Overwatch esports this year, things are kicking off with a bootcamp in Seoul. Then the Overwatch Champions Series starts for real on March 21st, and it all wraps up with the World Finals in China. Plus, the Overwatch World Cup is coming back! They’re doing regional qualifiers to see who makes it to BlizzCon in September, which is awesome. I’m already hyped to watch!

A new Esports Lootbox is giving away special, classic skins to viewers who watch live broadcasts, including coverage of the Bootcamp event from February 13th to 15th. You can sign up for the Open Qualifier until February 20th, and the top 500 players will receive invitations to FaceIt based on their performance in Challenger matches.

According to senior producer Kenny Hudson, creating new characters now takes around four months, a significant improvement from the previous eight months. Development times for maps and character outfits have also been reduced. Regarding artificial intelligence, Blizzard’s president, Johanna Faries, stated the company isn’t ready to share AI-created content with players.

We’re committed to delivering a uniquely crafted experience for our players, so we’re avoiding the use of AI-generated content. We want the game world to feel thoughtfully designed and built by people, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

He explained that AI technology is constantly evolving, influenced by both gamers and broader societal opinions. Because of this, Blizzard won’t be establishing a fixed, long-term rule set regarding its use.

Keller admitted his main concern is making promises they can’t keep. He explained that the first season of The Reign of Talon is already very ambitious, but also noted Blizzard often tries to deliver significant changes.

He admitted that predicting a game’s lifespan is difficult—he couldn’t guarantee it would last for decades—but expressed hope that it would. He emphasized that Blizzard will keep evolving the game to meet player needs and stay current with industry trends.

Everything leads to two key dates: Anran’s Hero Trial starts on February 5th, and the first season of The Reign of Talon begins on February 10th. Blizzard intends to build on these events throughout the year with a continuous flow of story content, new gameplay features, competitive events, and ongoing updates – all under one overarching title designed for the long term.

2026-02-09 07:21

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