Overwatch Enters a New Era

Blizzard has officially removed the “2” from Overwatch, signaling a long-term commitment to expanding the franchise over the next decade. The change comes alongside one of the game’s most ambitious updates yet, positioning Overwatch as a continually evolving live-service universe.

The announcement coincides with a new peak player count on Steam, with over 165,000 concurrent players jumping in to experience the latest season.

Major Overhaul: New UI & Core System Changes

As part of the rebrand, Overwatch has revealed a completely updated UI system, modernizing menus, in-game readability, and overall presentation to support future expansions.

Season 1 also delivers a major gameplay shake-up by reworking the game’s core roles.

Updated Role System

Tanks, Damage, and Support heroes are now divided into sub-roles, adding more strategic depth, clearer identities, and better team composition options.

Five New Heroes Join the Roster

The newest season launches with five brand-new heroes, immediately expanding the meta and offering fresh playstyles across multiple roles. Blizzard describes this as just the beginning of a more aggressive hero release cadence.

Conquest: A Five-Week Meta Event

Season 1 introduces Conquest, a five-week faction-based meta event where players must choose their allegiance:

• Overwatch
• Talon

Each week, players complete lore-driven missions, with rewards contributing to their chosen faction. The faction with the most successful missions earns exclusive rewards.

Players can switch factions after completing their current week’s faction pass, making every decision impactful throughout the event.

A Strong Start for Overwatch’s Next Chapter

With a rebrand, rising player numbers, deep systemic changes, and narrative-driven live events, Blizzard is clearly positioning Overwatch for sustained growth well into the future.

This isn’t just a new season — it’s a reset for the franchise.