Overwatch 2: Original Archives PvE Missions May Never Return Due to Code Issues

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Summary

  • Overwatch 2 likely won’t bring back old Overwatch Archive missions due to code issues.
  • The Uprising, Retribution, and Storm Rising missions have not returned in Overwatch 2.
  • Blizzard is unsure if it’s worth resources to recreate the PvE missions.

It’s unlikely that the classic Overwatch Archives missions will return in Overwatch 2, as they encountered issues during the development of PvE content for the sequel. Reviving these well-loved missions in Overwatch 2 would require a complete rebuild from scratch, which Blizzard isn’t certain is worth the investment of time and resources, even though fans might hope otherwise.

The annual event called Overwatch Archives was introduced in 2017 for Overwatch 1, offering exclusive PvE missions detailing events from the game’s past. Missions such as Uprising, Retribution, and Storm Rising were added between its debut and 2019, with later versions focusing on achievements and rewards. However, these events and related PvE modes have yet to reappear in Overwatch 2, which is regrettable for completionists who can’t currently earn the achievements tied to the Overwatch Archives challenges.

Recently, Blizzard has disclosed why those much-loved missions from the original game didn’t reappear in the sequel. During the Overwatch 2 Spotlight event, content creator Emongg quizzed game director Aaron Keller about these missing missions and was given an unfortunate response. According to Keller, as they were developing the PvE side of the game, they ended up creating new tools and a whole new code base, which caused everything to be refactored. Consequently, the Overwatch Archives missions no longer functioned properly. He further explained that in order to restore them, Overwatch 2 would need to completely remake these missions, but the developers are uncertain if it would be worth the resources to do so.

Overwatch 2 PvE Missions “Broke” Overwatch Archives

Keller additionally touched upon the topic of Player-versus-Environment (PvE) in his conversation with Emongg. He openly acknowledged, “It’s likely not a surprise that we faced a significant hurdle in the way we intended to narrate the game.” The narrowing focus on PvE content, the underwhelming response to the Story Missions from Season 5, and the departure of many key PvE developers following Microsoft’s layoffs in 2024 created a challenging situation for the narrative of .

As an avid fan, I’m still holding on to the dream for compelling Player vs Environment (PvE) experiences in Overwatch 2, despite the absence of the Overwatch Archives missions. In a recent interview, Jeff Kaplan shared that there’s a strong internal desire to revisit the narrative and progress the storyline. While nothing has been officially announced yet, he expressed optimism about finding a way to advance both the story and the game world state in the future. He noted that the current state of Overwatch 2 is filled with numerous stories, some of which didn’t develop as planned, and he yearns for a unified narrative progression to shape the story going forward.

At the moment, there’s no new information to share, but we remain optimistic about resuming our narrative and potentially influencing global developments positively.

The current state of PvE and storytelling in Overwatch 2 is uncertain, but Keller’s remarks imply that it’s not entirely extinct. Although the revival of Overwatch Archives might be off the table, there may still be other PvE missions or perhaps even an Overwatch 2 animated series in the works – as Keller expressed, “It would be amazing to have something like that. I’d love it, and I think the whole team would too.” While this isn’t a guarantee, these words provide a glimmer of hope for Overwatch 2 fans looking towards the future.

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2025-02-14 01:44