Overwatch 2 Explained: Battle Pass, Shop, Hero Unlocks, and more

news.blizzard.com:

Overwatch 2 releases October 4th and will usher in a new era for the game. The changes we’re making will support our goals to deliver more content to the game, more regularly, all while helping more players than ever before experience the Overwatch universe. 

Moving to free-to-play for Overwatch 2, together with enabling cross-platform with cross-progression, means anyone can access the game and join their friends, for free, which we are incredibly excited about. At the same time, we know this is a big transition that involves many changes. 

One of our goals is to make sure our game provides plenty of entertainment, fun, and expression, no matter how much you spend—even if you choose to spend nothing at all. When Overwatch 2 launches, we’ll be delivering more in one drop than we’ve delivered since the original game launched in 2016. This includes three new heroes, which will all be available immediately to returning Overwatch players who log in during Season One or Season Two.

We understand you have many questions about how our live service will work. So, we’re here to answer them!

Overwatch 2 is shifting to a seasonal model where we plan to deliver new content to the game every nine weeks.

Each season will feature a lot to explore—new experiences and ways to play—and will typically bring either a new hero or a new map, alternating each season. Each season will have a new Battle Pass, every one with a unique theme and up to 80+ unlockable tiers of cosmetics. We also plan on using the start of each season to make most of our hero balance changes so that everything always feels fresh and distinct.

With this new seasonal model, Loot Boxes are going away in Overwatch 2, and our new in-game shop will allow you to purchase exactly