'Overwatch 2' Livestream Reveals Interesting New Gameplay Changes

Blizzard recently went live to showcase some new PvP gameplay of “Overwatch 2” and detail some upcoming changes to the typical match that players have come to love. The sequel to the wildly successful team-based shooter seemed to be relatively similar to the first game, but the devs explained some new twists that will change the meta forever.

The first big reveal is that the game’s matches have been reduced from 6v6 to 5v5. This will significantly change how the game is played in terms of fight durations and team compositions.

In “Overwatch 2,” the standard dual-tank meta will no longer be applicable, much to the dismay of players who love comboing Zarya with other tanks in the game.

Tanks have always been important in “Overwatch” because of their defensive skills and their ability to push or defend objectives. However, their design philosophy has created a somewhat boring gameplay style that forces players to focus only on objectives.

This tank design philosophy is taking a major shift from pure defense and objective priority to a more aggressive and brawl-oriented style, IGN said. During the stream, the developers explained that they wanted tank characters to have a more aggressive and interactive playstyle that keeps them from being just static barriers.

Blizzard showcased this new style of tanking by showing off Reinhardt in their livestream. Reinhardt retains his iconic shield ability, but he is now able to apply more pressure on enemies with his buffed abilities.

Reinhardt’s Fire Strike now has two charges instead of one, and he will now be able to cancel his Charge without forcefully slamming himself into a wall.

The extra Fire Strike lets Reinhardt deal a bit more damage at range, while his cancelable Charge can let him play mind games with his enemies, keeping them on their toes and possibly catching them off-guard with a well-placed Earthshatter.

The rest of the tanks are expected to receive similar changes to promote a more damage-oriented environment.

Apart from the gameplay changes and new maps, “Overwatch 2” will also feature an overhauled sound system. The developers showcased new and more satisfying weapon effects, with sounds for Ash and Soldier 76, in particular, being far superior compared to their earlier versions.