Overwatch 1 has no future after Overwatch 2 launches

techradar.com:

Overwatch 2 will fully replace Overwatch when it releases this October, as the first entry in the hero shooter series will be made unplayable.

Developer Blizzard clarified its plans to sunset the game following the release of Overwatch 2 in a developer AMA on Reddit(opens in new tab). When sked what the launch of the sequel would mean for Overwatch, game director Aaron Keller was clear: “when [Overwatch 2] launches on October 4th it will be a replacement for the current live service”.

The release of Overwatch 2 will overwrite the original game wholesale. The sequel – with its major balance tweaks, map changes, and switch from 6v6 to 5v5 matches – will be the only way to play the Overwatch series.

The game's final destination has been a point of confusion for some time. As PC Gamer(opens in new tab) highlights, a tweet(opens in new tab) sent by the official Overwatch account back in 2019 stated “Overwatch 1 players and Overwatch 2 players will play alongside on the same maps”, suggesting both games would be live simultaneously. It appears that was either wrongly suggested, or Blizzard altered the course of the series during Overwatch 2’s development.

The Reddit AMA also revealed what will happen to Overwatch 1 content that won't be included in Overwatch 2 at launch. Systems designer Gavin Winter said(opens in new tab) maps such as Temple of Anubis and Hanamura will be available to play in custom games, but won’t be included in other modes at launch.

“I have some ideas I'd love to try when it comes to repurposing them for new potential game modes, but these ideas could only see the light of day in the distant future given our current plans,” Winter said. “If we did find a way to give them a new mode we'd want to do extensive