Blizzard explains why Overwatch 2 heroes are locked behind the battle pass: they're 'the single most engaging content'

pcgamer.com:

Overwatch 2(opens in new tab) will lock heroes behind its battle pass, but doing so won't interfere with the game's strategic, team-based battles, Blizzard said in a group interview with PC Gamer.

For the last week, Overwatch fans have been outraged(opens in new tab) over a leak and subsequent confirmation from Blizzard VP and commercial leader Jon Spector that future heroes will be unlocked through free battle pass progression. It's a fundamental change from how heroes are released in the original game (they were immediately free for everyone) and has many fans worried about how it affects the game's rock-paper-scissors metagame.

Starting with Kiriko(opens in new tab), Overwatch 2's newest support hero, every new character in the game will be locked behind Tier 55(opens in new tab) (out of around 80 tiers) of the nine-week(opens in new tab) battle pass. «We do want you to play the game regularly during the season to get there,» Spector said, and added that those «regular players» can get the hero for free «well before the season ends.» Buying the $10 premium battle pass with 1,000 Overwatch Coins (a new currency) will grant instant access to Kiriko. And all new heroes won't be available in the game's ranked competitive mode for the first two weeks of each season.

Slightly softening the blow of the new unlock model, Blizzard is giving all Overwatch 1 owners who log in during Season 1 or 2 the premium battle pass for free, which instantly unlocks Kiriko for millions of players, and they get access to Sojourn and Junker Queen too. Non-Overwatch 1 owners have to earn or buy Kiriko themselves, but if they log in during Season 1, they'll get Sojourn and Junker Queen. After the first two seasons, everyone will have to purchase